Old Choir News Items

Bishop's Choristers

Congratulations to Arthur Tombs and Edward Gilmour who have passed the examination for the Bishop of Oxford's Silver Award.

We look forward to seeing the Purple ribbon and Silver medals.
10.02.05

Head Chorister Retires

Matthew Saxton

 Adolescence and trebles have never mixed, and Matthew Saxton, who has been in St Giles’ choir since February 1998, has decided it is time for him to retire as Head Chorister – though we hope he will be returning to the back rows after a suitable period of voice-adjustment. Matthew has been an absolutely outstanding Head Chorister. He first showed what he was made of shortly after I took over St Giles’ Choir in 2000. Numbers had fallen to just 4  - and it was Matthew who then started the revival by having the courage to stand up at the Frideswide school assembly and recruit us a new team. We’ve never looked back. True, we’ll be needing to top up our numbers in the autumn – he’s not the only mature treble in the choir! – and any members of the congregation who know of boys they could encourage to join will be doing us a great service; but it was Matthew who turned around perilous situation and transformed it into one of healthy growth, and for this we all owe him an immense debt.

 Since becoming Head Chorister in January, 2002, moreover, he has led the boys sensibly and fairly, while at the same time quietly and conscientiously making sure that the various jobs have been covered, and if necessary done by him. The smooth running of the choir ows much to his care and thoughtfulness.

At Mattins and Evensong on his final treble Sunday, July 18^th, Matthew sings the solo part in Mendelssohn’s ‘Hear my Prayer’, which includes the well-known aria 'O for the wings of a dove'. We wish him a happy and extremely short retirement.

Summer Event 2004

On Thursday it thundered and rained so hard that the Cherwell School was flooded and had to be closed. On Friday it rained some more. On Saturday it hailed.

 On Sunday, Richard Saxton employed part of the morning service reading through the prayer for good weather in the Prayer Book, and the anthem was ‘The Heavens are telling’. So when we arrived at the O’Hare’s for a rounders match on the Bailliol sports ground it was – DRY. Conclusion: the BCP still delivers!

 Last year it was just too hot. 40 degrees is a poor rounders temperature. But this year, overcast and breezy, was delightful. Also, by popular request, we had Rules, downloaded, on Jamie Doig’s advice, from the National Rounders Association’s UK site (‘Click here for score sheets’). Accordingly, this year we knew not to bat from First Post, and not to choose the best of 3 balls to run on (a cause of last year’s anarchy). So, after pizza, sausages and quiche (don’t tell us we don’t know about sports diets), consumed, in the case of the boys, watching the British Grand Prix, and elsewhere in consequent civilised quiet by the Ladies of the Party, Decani and Cantoris locked antlers.

 Well, initially it was Decani and Cantoris (or ‘Matthew’s side vs Arthur’s’); but after the pudding break (oddly also not mentioned by the NRA) and full of profiteroles, strawberries and fizzy drinks, the event turned into the more natural Us against Them – sorry, Grownups vs Boys. Here, some new techniques came into play: Oliver’s graceful slide-to-the-post-on-your-tum tactic prevented him being stumped out several times, while some magnificent hits by fathers Tombs, Shelley and Steele were admired vociferously by the ladies.

 There were also some demonstrations of Low Cunning – on the part of the fathers – though I am assured that I need to get out more if I’ve never met the practice of a batsman yelling ‘No – mine!’ to confuse an enemy fielder dashing to retrieve an otherwise-winning ball.

 Meanwhile, some of the smaller boys circled the pitch on bicycles, and Edward brought his snake and a curved bat, neither of which should ever be absent from a good rounders game. Others played with water pistols, rather surprisingly refraining from drenching the rest of us – but then, they had only been in the choir a few months.

 So it was a largely dry and substantially uninjured collection of choirboys who thanked the O’Hares for a happy afternoon at 3.30. Can you, I wonder, get a rounders Blue? If so, we have some candidates. I name no names; suffice it to say I’d rather play on the same side as Jamie Doig than not.

13th October 2003

St Giles Choir is looking for Tenors and Basses to fill the back row for the Autumn and Christmas seasons - and especially for 6.30 Evensong on Sundays.

If you are interested or know someone who might be, please contact Cynthia Hall at organist@st-giles-church.org

7th July 2003

CONGRATULATIONS
To Matthew O'Donovan (Merton College, Oxford) and Sam Hutchings (Christ Church,
Oxford) on the recent award of their first class degrees.
Matthew sang as a treble with us for many years and has continued to help out as a
deputy organist and visiting singer during his time at Merton. Sam, whose home is in
Edinburgh, joined us as a Bass during his time at Christ Church.

6th July 2003

To bring us up to date here is a list of the choir changes:

Arthur Tombs and Ciaran O'Hare have been awarded red ribbons
Robert Leatherby, Edward James, Edward Gilmour and Rupert Tombs have gained their dark blue ribbons
Jamie Steele and Amadeus Xu were admitted to the choir with light blue ribbons
Cameron Mowat and George Balkwill have joined us as probationers

26th January 2003

During this morning's service Joe Tranter  was awarded his light blue ribbon and
was admitted as a full member of the choir by the vicar.

6th December 2002

Our Organist and Choir Director, Cynthia Hall has been unable to be with us for the
last few weeks, we look forward to her return in a weeks time.
We are very grateful to our visiting organists who have played for a variety of services
Peter Ward-Jones, Matthew O'Donovan, Isabelle Ryder and Jonathan White.

7th November 2002

A long time has passed since the last update, however the choir has been busy during this
time, at the last count our numbers were 16 boys and 12 men.
Congratulations go to Robert Leatherby on the award of his dark blue ribbon and to
Matthew Saxton who was made a Bishop's Chorister on 3rd November.
We welcome Jonathan White from Lady Margaret Hall to the Bass line.

8th September 2002

We returned from our summer break last weekend to sing for the patronal festival, this
week's singing was helped a great deal since we have now returned to having a Friday
evening rehersal.
We welcome Torin Pocock as as most recent recruit to the treble line, and extend
a warm welcome back to Tom Dale, Nick Ashby and Paul O'Donovan who previously
sang in the treble line and now join us singing the lower parts. The Choir now
comprises 17 boys and 12 men.
Monday and Tuesday of this week sees the Annual St Giles Fair being held in the
street of St Giles. This evening the choir took part in a service to mark the setting up
of the fair with music provided by the organ of the Galloping Horses Ride.

14th July 2002

Today was our final service before taking our annual choir break, "Hear my prayer" by
Mendelssohn was sung at both services, soloist Tom Dale gave a splendid performance
despite warning us that his voice was starting to break!  We welcome new recruit
Edward Gilmour who sang previously with St Peter's at Wolvercote. The choir will
return for services at the Patronal Festival on 1st September.

7th July 2002

The afternoon of Saturday 6th July was time for the choir summer outing, following
a rather wet week the clouds parted and the sun shone for us as we boarded one of
Salters Steamers for a two hour river cruise from Oxford to Abingdon on the River
Thames .
The voyage passes Christ Church Meadows, Iffley, Rose Island, Sandford, Radley,
Nuneham House and Abingdon Abbey.
We arrived in Abingdon in time for a picnic tea in the Abbey gardens where the new
water park was a great attraction resulting in some dripping wet choristers.
The return trip to Oxford was much quicker, by bus on the A34!

23rd June 2002

We welcome three new choristers to the treble line of the choir, Joe Tranter,
Wesley and Amadeus Xu. This gives us a grand total of 16 treble choristers,
which compares favourably to our all time low of 4 in September 2000!

9th June 2002

Congratulations to Henry Pegg on the award, this morning, of his red ribbon, we
are also delighted to welcome Jamie Steele  to the Treble line of the choir.

26th May 2002

St Giles' head chorister, Matthew Saxton, has passed his Bishop's Award
examination, We are delighted with this achievement and congratulate him
warmly on his success. He was presented with his green ribbon at this
mornings service by the Vicar.

19th May 2002

During this morning's service Sama and Zaki Aayate were awarded their
light blue ribbons and were admitted as full members of the choir by the curate.

12th May 2002

Arthur Tombs and Ciaran O'Hare were both awarded their dark blue ribbons
last week, wearing them for the first time this morning. Well done !

28th April 2002

We extend a warm welcome to Toby Weeks who has joined us as a Treble.

16th April 2002

Four boys attended the RSCM Easter Course at Magdalen College School,
Matthew Saxton, Thomas Dale, Arthur Tombs and Robert Leatherby, singing
Evensong each day in Magdalen College in a 100+ strong choir. Matthew and
Tom were selected to join a small group singing a full choral Evensong
at ChristChurch Cathedral on 6th April. Thomas further distinguished himself by
winning a coveted Course Prize, which entitles him to go on the one-week RSCM
Summer Residential Course of his choice. We are delighted with these successes,
and warmly congratulate both boys on their achievements.

10th February 2002

During this morning's service David Pinches, Rupert Tombs and Oliver
James were awarded their light blue ribbons and were admitted as full
members of the choir by the vicar.
We are pleased to welcome Sama Aayate and his brother Zaki back into
the choir following a short break.

This week we have published our "Hear the Choir" web page you can
listen to a recording of the choir made a few years ago, together with a
selection of music recorded at Evensong today. 

13th January 2002

During the Christmas period the choir sang at a number of services
including our candlelight carol service (pictured here) a group were
also able to sing carols at an old peoples home in the parish.
After Christmas a large party of the choir with families and friends
watched the pantomime Mother Goose at the Oxford Playhouse.
Today during the 10:30 service the vicar, Andrew Bunch, was called
upon to admit our new Head Chorister, Matthew Saxton, and our new
Senior Singing Boy, Thomas Dale. We congratulate them both on their new
positions. We also say goodbye to Nick Ashby, former head
chorister but hope that he will return shortly to join the lower singing
voices. We also say goodbye to Sam and Leo Butt who left today.

2nd December 2001

Congratulations to Edward James who was admitted to the choir
today and awarded his light blue ribbon.

7th October 2001

A service of Confirmation was held this morning, congratulations go
to Matthew Saxton our deputy head boy who was confirmed by the
Bishop of Oxford at this service.  (Photograph)

23rd September 2001

See our recently published Prospectus

22nd July 2001

Today we sang the last service before our summer break, we bid a fond
farewell to Christian Nguyen who returns home to the USA.
We resume our singing for the patronal festival on Sunday 2nd September 2001
before preparing for the delights of St Giles' Fair on the following two days.
Next term we will attend the local RSCM Choir's Festival in Dorchester Abbey.

14th July 2001

The boys of the choir set out today accompanied by the choir director, vicar 
and a group of helpers for Warwick Castle. The train from Oxford was rather
crowded but you can get 6 choir boys in a Thames Trains luggage rack!
The castle provided a good days entertainment with archers and a falconery
display. The journey back was delayed by an hour and a half when the previous
train on the line had an "incident" as Railtrack described it, or as the local paper
said "Carnage as train hits straying cattle".

Read the Parish Magazine Article by Cynthia Hall

8th July 2001

We are pleased to welcome David Pinches  who joined the choir today.

24th June 2001

We are pleased to welcome Antony Tauro  who joined the choir today.

22nd May 2001

NICK ASHBY
Nick Ashby, St. Giles' Head Chorister, has just passed the Royal School
of Church Music's highest examination for choristers, the St Nicolas
Award. This has a very demanding syllabus, requiring detailed knowledge
of 10 substantial works from the repertoire and advanced sight-reading
skills, as well as a high standard of general choral ability. We
congratulate Nick very warmly on his achievement - noting that he took
the examination on the only free afternoon he had during a week in which
he was otherwise engaged in sitting his SATs! Nick will also be singing
in the Garsington Opera's production of The Magic Flute this summer. We
are delighted to have such an fine chorister in our choir, and one who
makes such good and varied use of his talents. 

3rd June 2001

We are pleased to welcome Rupert Tombs, brother of Arthur, who joined 
the choir today.

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The group of boys who joined as probationers during September 2000 have all been awarded their Light Blue Ribbons Sam Butt and Arthur Tombs on 24.12.00, Christian Nguyen on 28.01.01, Robert Leatherby on 4.02.01, Leo Butt and  Ciaran O'Hare on 25.02.01. 
Congratulations to recruitment supremo, Matthew Saxton!

We extend a warm welcome to Matthew Thorns and brothers Edward and Oliver James who joined as probationers in February 2001. Matthew travels from Thame in Oxfordshire to sing with us until he joins New College Choir in  September 2001. 

Welcome to George Glister who joined as a probationer in March 2001.

Together the boys have not only been singing the weekly services, but, thanks to the generosity of the PCC, have also had two outings: 
they went to the concert given by the Vienna Boys’ Choir in the Sheldonian in November, and at the beginning of January went to the pantomime Aladdin at the Playhouse. 

Before Christmas a group sang carols at the Radcliffe Infirmary and an old people’s home, and to crown the year, on December 30th and 31st our two Bishop’s Choristers, Nick Ashby and Thomas Dale, sang solos in Westminster Abbey. (See Tom looking preoccupied about "O taste and see" on http://come.to/TheCathedral)

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