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Bath Abbey
12
Kingston Buildings,
Bath BA1
1LT
Tel: -
+44 (0)1225 422462
Fax: -
+44 (0)1225 429990
email: -
office@bathabbey.org
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Bath Abbey Choirs The glorious heritage of church music in
this country is one of its greatest traditions. The Boys, Girls and Men at
Bath Abbey continue a centuries-old choral tradition, which plays a vital
part in the music life of the Abbey and the City. Being a Chorister combines
musical education, discipline and cameraderie, unmatched in any other
setting. It is generally agreed by educationalists that involvement in music
improves academic performance.
The Abbey has no Choir school, which enables it to draw
its 24 boys, aged 8 upwards, and 30 girls, aged 11 to 18, from a variety of
local schools. The 12 Choirmen come from many different walks of life and
include Choral Scholars from the two universities in Bath. |
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Peter King,
www.peterking.org
Director of Music and Organist, came to Bath
in 1986 from Lichfield Cathedral. In addition to his work at Bath Abbey, Dr King
is active as a recitalist in Britain, Europe and America and, during Sir Simon
Rattle's reign as Music Director, was Assistant Chorus Director to the City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He appears as organist on several CDs and his
playing is broadcast on BBC Radio 3. The Choirs
lead the Sunday Worship on a fortnightly
pattern so that every week the boys' and girls' choirs each have a free morning
or afternoon. Choirmen and Choral Scholars usually sing at both morning and
afternoon services.
The boys rehearse twice a week, after school. Choirmen
and Choral Scholars rehearse on Friday evenings. The girls rehearse, separately
from the boys, twice a week after school.
In August 2003 the Abbey Choir took part in the Three
Tenors Concert with Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti singing to over 25,000
people in Royal Victoria Park and on BBC TV.
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Choir Concerts
click HERE
| In the public
eye
The Abbey Choir has recorded several CDs (Priory
Records), for further details please visit the
CDs of Bath Abbey Choir & Organ
page. The Boys' and Girls' Choirs were featured on two recent recordings of
Songs of Praise for BBC TV and a concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra,
broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Day. |
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The Abbey Choir undertakes trips abroad, enjoying good
relationships with churches in Bath's twin cities: Braunschweig (Germany) and
Alkamaar (The Netherlands). Some years it
undertakes a residential week towards the end of the summer holiday, to sing
daily cathedral services. Visits have been made to Exeter and Canterbury
Cathedrals and the Girls' Choir recently visited Braunschweig Cathedral. The
Youth Choir of Braunschweig visited Bath over the weekend of 21-24 June 2002.
How do I find out more?
If you want more information, then please contact Peter
King, Director of Music.
Postal Address
The Abbey Office, 12 Kingston Buildings, BATH, BA1 1LT
Telephone
01225 422462
Email
office@bathabbey.org or
music@bathabbey.org
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