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British Church of England cathedrals plan choir academies

Cathedrals in the United Kingdom are in talks with the British government to sponsor up to 40 city academy schools for young choristers, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

The Church of England, which already sponsors five academies, hopes the move will increase interest in choral music but says no deals are "imminent," according to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report.

The academies would aim to provide free access to choral music.

The BBC says he Church believes the move could build on the popularity of the BBC Two program The Choir in which a choir is created to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Church of England spokesman Ben Wilson said: "A number of cathedral schools are in discussions but none are at the stage of imminent announcement.

"Programs like The Choir, which show an insight into the life of choristers and give a sense of the excellent musical heritage of this country, can only help the mission of cathedrals and their schools to bring choral music into a wider audience."

The Church of England is a sponsor, or joint sponsor, of five academies with plans for 20 more, the BBC said.

Nine potential schemes are being discussed, with more anticipated, but the Church would not say where they where.

The Church and the Department for Children, Schools and Families are still discussing how much the Church must pay.

The Dean of Southwark, the Very Reverend Colin Slee, said the academies offered a "wonderful opportunity to challenge the nationwide threat to musical excellence in recent years."

The Reverend David Whittington, the Church of England's head of school development, added: "Cathedrals are powerhouses of musical and educational practice.

"It is thrilling to see them opening up this expertise to their local and regional communities, and being eager to offer their unique resources more widely than ever."

In the current second series of The Choir, the London Symphony Orchestra's Gareth Malone is working with pupils from an all-boys school in Leicester.

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[02/04/2008]

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