The pandemic continues to curtail music-making—not just in the parishes, but everywhere. Since audience capacities are limited, it hasn’t been possible to reschedule our cancelled summer lunchtime concerts. However, we hope to be able to make available some pre-recorded recitals from both churches over the next few months featuring musicians who were scheduled to perform in the series. Among these will be a recital of favourite organ music, including some of the numerous requests that people have kindly sent to me. I’ve been busy practising!
I’ve been very glad over the last couple of months to have the assistance of some of the senior Choral Scholars, who have sung alternately in both Sandford and St Philip’s on Sundays, as well as singing for a service with the Ministry of Healing on RTÉ television. The Choral Scholars also sang at a socially-distanced service of Choral Compline on Friday 4 September; we hope to have another service once the present restrictions are lifted.
We hope also to resume rehearsals for Choral Scholars and Choral Union in smaller groups or ‘pods’, with a view to providing music at services and special events. Although our Christmas celebrations will be curtailed, we hope still to be able to contribute joyful and uplifting music to the festive season.
Congratulations are due to Jack Doherty, who recently completed the third and final year of the Archbishop of Dublin’s Certificate in Church Music. Jack began this course as a result of singing with the Choral Scholars when he was a pupil at Gonzaga College; he is now beginning his fourth and final year of a BA in Music and Maths at Trinity College.
David O’Shea