Oundle for Organists: Prospective Organ Scholars 2009
Prior to this summer, I had attended three Oundle for Organists Get Ahead days in London and the one in Ipswich in March 2008. I chose to attend the Prospective Organ Scholars’ course in July, to experience firsthand the life of an Oxbridge organ scholar. This year the course was based in Oxford, with accommodation at The Queen’s College.
Each day we had an ‘organ lesson’ in our groups, enabling us to receive expert advice on pieces that we were currently working on. Each session was themed; the first day of the course was ‘Bach’ (in my case, at Merton with William Whitehead), the second ‘Romantic’ (at Exeter with James Parsons), the third ‘Modern’ (at St John’s with Timothy Byram-Wigfield) and the final day ‘Own Choice’ (at St John’s with Erwan le Prado). I found all the teaching illuminating and instructive; I certainly aim to use the suggestions and guidance to further my playing.
In addition to these ‘Repertoire’ sessions, we also had tuition in ‘Musicianship Skills’. These consisted of harmonisation (at Balliol with William Whitehead), score reading (at University with Katharine Pardee), sight reading (at Jesus with Sarah MacDonald) and transposition (at Queen’s with James Lloyd Thomas). At the end of the week we were assessed on these skills and given a mark out of ten, with a written report on how to improve further.
There was also plenty of opportunity for individual rehearsal. There were two evenings in which all course members had a twenty-minute slot on a college organ; mine were at Brasenose and Exeter. In addition to this, there was a room full of digital pianos with headphones for private practice. I found this very useful for working out fingering and also ‘note-bashing’ the choral repertoire.
We had a very full choral programme, starting on the first night with Compline in The Queen’s College Chapel, where the anthem was Tallis’ If ye love me. All of the singing, conducting and accompanying was provided by students on the course; the sheer volume of music meant that there were plenty of opportunities for everyone to participate. The following evening, I conducted Smith’s Responses as part of Evensong in Magdalen College Chapel. We also sang Weelkes’ Short Service, Batten’s O Sing Joyfully and Bullock’s Give us the Wings of Faith. On the third night of the course we sung Compline in Merton College Chapel, where we premièred a new anthem by Thomas Neal: Te lucis ante terminum. Evensong in Hertford College Chapel on Friday included Noble’s Service in B minor and Howells’ My eyes for beauty pine. Our final Evensong, concluding the course, took place in Exeter College Chapel, where the setting of the Canticles was Howells’ Collegium Regale and the anthem was Let the people praise thee O God by William Mathias. I accompanied the Nunc Dimittis on the fantastic organ, designed by David Sanger and built by J.W. Walker in the style of Cavaillé-Coll.
On the penultimate night of the course, there was a Presentation Recital in Christ Church Cathedral featuring those taking part in the Oxford and Cambridge Organ Trials this year. Since I am planning to apply next year, I instead played in an Assessment Recital in St John’s College Chapel, overseen by David Sanger and William Whitehead. Earlier in the week, David Sanger himself gave a spellbinding recital on the organ of Exeter College Chapel, on the theme of French Romantic music. Erwan le Prado (professor of organ at Caen Conservatoire) also gave a recital on the very different organ of St John’s College Chapel. His programme included early French music, Buxtehude and Bach.
At the end of the course, immediately prior to the final Evensong, ‘prizes’ of books, magazines, printed music and recitals were given out. I was very pleased to receive not only a book and online study guide entitled A History of Western Music, but also a recital award. I would like to thank the Suffolk Organists’ Association for their generous donation towards my fees for this extremely beneficial course. Many thanks also to all the tutors and pastoral staff, especially James Parsons who has done so much for us all over the years.