Cathedral Choir
Little is known of the early history of the choir of St. John's Cathedral, but it is almost certain that the first organist, Mr. C.F.A. Sangster, who arrived in 1860, would have formed one. In the early days, boys from St. Paul's College, the Anglican boys' school in Bonham Road , comprised the treble section.
Thereafter, all we can be sure about is that in 1954 Mr. Donald Fraser was succeeded as choirmaster and organist by Mrs. Cecilia Kwok. Under her leadership the choir and music at St. John's thrived; many of her protégés have gone on to become outstanding musicians.
Following Mrs. Kwok's retirement in 1979, one of her students, Mr. Raymond Fu, took up the post of choirmaster. He is now head of the Music Department at St. Paul's College. This, happily, ensures a steady supply of talented young singers and musicians. In fact, all present Chinese male choir members (including Raymond Fu and Mr. Peter Yue, the Cathedral organist) either graduated from, or are currently studying at St. Paul's College.
Mrs. Kwok stayed on as Cathedral organist until 1991 when she was succeeded by Peter Yue, also one of her students. She continues to be our Organist Emerita.
The choir sings at the Eucharist every Sunday, at choral mattins once a month and on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter, weddings and memorial services. It adheres mainly to the standard cathedral repertoire: this comprises the whole gamut, from renaissance music to pieces specially commissioned from contemporary composers.
The followings are the anthems sung/to be sung by the Choir in the period between September 2006 and September 2008 (in reverse order):
September 2008
September 2007 - July 2008
September 2006 - July 2007
Choir members, reflecting the transient nature of parts of Hong Kong’s community, stay on the whole for two or three years before moving on; five years confers veteran status. The choir is a happy mix of young and old and of various nationalities.
In 2005, on the initiative of the then Dean, the Very Reverend Stephen Sidebotham, the Cecilia Kwok Music Scholarship Fund was established in recognition of Mrs. Kwok’s outstanding contribution to church music and to St John’s Cathedral over more than 50 years. The scholarship will be used to train young musicians who will help develop music at St. John’s.
Each year the Cecilia Kwok Prizes are presented to members who have maintained a satisfactory attendance record.
Singers who have church choir experience, can sight-read and are ready to devote their time and talent to the Cathedral are always welcome to join the choir on passing a short audition. Rehearsals are normally held from 6.00pm - 7.30pm on Friday evenings and from 8.30am - 9.00am on Sunday mornings. Those who are interested can contact Mr. Raymond Fu, the choirmaster, by e-mail at choir@stjohnscathedral.org.hk or rfu@opera.org.hk for further details.
In order to attract young talents, the Choir gives out awards of Choral Scholar and Organ Scholar every year. Those who are interested to apply please contact Mr. Raymond Fu, the choirmaster.
The choir is run by a committee, chaired by the Choirmaster. The Choir Chaplains and the officers of the committee (2008 – 2009) are:
Choir Chaplains: The Revd Hugh Phillipson and The Revd Sharon Constable
Choirmaster: Mr. Raymond Fu
Cathedral Organist: Mr. Peter Yue
Assistant Choirmaster: Mr. Kenneth Lee
Sub-Organist: Mr. Felix Yeung
Hon. Secretary: Mr. Kenneth Lee
Hon. Treasurer: Mr. Herbert Au-Yeung
Membership Secretary: Mrs. Shirley Fu
Social Secretary: Mrs. Wendy Nesbitt
Robeslady: Mrs. Ruth Phillipson and Mrs. Janet Taylor
Concert & Music Exchange Co-ordinator: Ms. Tatjana Geiger
Librarian: Mr. Felix Yeung
Technical Manager: Mr. Herbert Tam
Soprano part-leader: Mrs. Wendy Nesbitt
Alto part-leader: Ms. Margaret Sang
Tenor part-leader: Mr. Kenneth Lee
Bass part-leader: Mr. Herbert Au-Yeung
The choir has produced 3 CDs. The first, all Christmas pieces, was made in 1993. The second, entitled “Faith, Hope, Love”, was released in 1995. The third, “Season of Love”, has just been launched on 24 th September 2006. The tracks of the CDs are: Christmas CD
1. O Come, O Come Emmanuel - arr: Alice Parker/Robert Shaw
2. Adam Lay Ybounden - Peter Warlock
3. O Magnum Mysterium - T.L. de Victoria
4. In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Harold Darke
5. Away in a Manger - W.J. Kirkpatrick/ arr: P. Ledger
6. The Three Kings - Peter Cornelius
7. O Leave Your Sheep - French Carol/arr: C. H. Kitson
8. The Crown of Roses (The Legend) - P. I. Tchaikovsky
9. A Spotless Rose - Herbert Howells
10. Organ Voluntary - In Dulci Jubilo - J.S. Bach
11. Make We Joye - Peter Aston
12. Silent Night - Franz Gruber/arr: Donald Cashmore
13. The Truth Sent From Above - arr: R. Vaughan Williams
14. Sussex Carol - English Traditional/arr: David Willcocks
15. King Jesus Hath a Garden - Dutch Traditional/arr: John Rutter
16. Midnight Stars Make Bright the Skies - Chinese Traditional/arr: Peter Yue
17. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Mendelssohn/ descant arr: David Willcocks
18. The Holly and the Ivy - English Traditional/arr: Walford Davies
19. O Come, All Ye Faithful - 18th Century Anonymous/descant arr: David Willcocks
Faith, Hope, Love
1. O Lord Increase Our Faith – Henry Loosemore
2. Golden Breaks The Dawn – Te-Ngai Hu, Bliss Waint
3. Turn Thee Unto Me, O Lord – William Boyce
4. Give Us The Wings of Faith – Ernest Bullock
5. Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of My Heart – Irish Traditional Melody
6. O for a Closer Walk with God – Charles Villiers Stanford
7. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer – John Hughes
8. Psalm 46 – God is Our Hope and Strength – Chant from Martin Luther
9. How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds – A R Reinagle (descant by Raymond Fu)
10. Thine Be The Glory, Risen Conquering Son – G F Handel
11. The Lord is My Shepherd – John Rutter
12. If Ye Love Me – Thomas Tallis
13. Beati Quorum Via – Charles Villiers Stanford
14. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling – William P Rowlands
15. Come Down, O Love Divine – R Vaughan Williams (descant by Peter Yue)
16. My Soul, There is a Country – C Hubert H Parry
17. Greater Love Hath No Man – John Ireland
18. The Lord Bless You and Keep You – John Rutter
Season of Love
1. Ding dong! Merrily on high – harmonized by Charles Wood
2. Once in Royal David's City – H.J.Gauntlett (descant by David Willcocks)
3. Jesus Christ the Apple Tree – Elizabeth Poston
4. Hódie Christus natus est – Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
5. In dulci jubilo – arr: R.L.Pearsall
6. Little Town of Bethlehem – arr: R Vaughan Williams (descant by Thomas Armstrong)
7. A Hymn to the Virgin – Benjamin Britten
8. Did Mary know? – Richard E. Averre
9. The First Nowell – arr: David Willcocks
10. He is born – arr: Roger Wagner
11. Organ Voluntary – arr: Herbert Sumsion
12. Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen – arr: Michael Praetorius (v.1) and Donald Cashmore (v.2 & 3)
13. Sing Lullaby – arr: Edgar Pettman
14. Candlelight Carol – John Rutter
15. There is no rose of such virtue – John Joubert
16. The Moon and Stars of Christmas Eve – Bliss Wiant (sung in Cantonese)
17. Quittez Pasteurs – arr: John Rutter
18. Three Kings of Orient – John Henry Hopkins
19. Remember O Thou Man – Bob Chilcott
20. Season of Love – Chan Wing Wah (Premier Recording)
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