News from Sheffield

[oddoneout]

The Dean on Times Radio just now and not really being clear about anything but saying diversity means "more Tudor repertory e.g. Purcell".

Well that could prove interesting if at any stage he has to discuss diversity with anyone whose definition is erm... somewhat different. Even setting that aside why on earth does 'more Tudor repertory'(did he really say that rather than repertoire?) involve getting rid of the choir? The words hole, digging and stop come to mind.

[oddoneout]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/23/decision-to-disband-sheffield-cathedral-choir-strikes-discordant-note

I'm slightly puzzled by the first paragraph - is it the case that historically choir boys came from privileged backgrounds etc or is that a more recent development?

[DracoM]

On what does 'privileged' mean? Coded language for what / who?
West Cath Choir - the Drome - has a wide 'diversity' of lads in it? So...........?
Problem maybe that global Catholicism includes many, many nations etc who them drift to Uk and thus provide children for choirs?
Anglicanism tends to be less diverse of its nature - just a guess............so?

[Alison]

Haven’t they got through a fair few DoM’s at Sheffield since Neil Taylor?

Something seems amiss.

[cat]

Well that could prove interesting if at any stage he has to discuss diversity with anyone whose definition is erm... somewhat different. Even setting that aside why on earth does 'more Tudor repertory'(did he really say that rather than repertoire?) involve getting rid of the choir? The words hole, digging and stop come to mind.

Just resetting the choir, he hopes existing choir members will join the new choir.

The whole perplexing interview with the Dean can be heard here from 55:15 - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/sho...752/2020-07-23

[teamsaint]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...iscordant-note

I'm slightly puzzled by the first paragraph - is it the case that historically choir boys came from privileged backgrounds etc or is that a more recent development?

I was at Salisbury in the early 70’s.
The boys parents ( fathers mainly) occupations that I can remember:
RAF pilot.
CofE vicar
Local authority officer ( not very high up I suspect)
Grocer and trainee teacher ( that was me !)
High ranking army officer
Teacher
Doctor
Doctor
Butcher
Estate manager

Probably a similar mix to today, though I guess now you would have more finance and IT types.
Being in that choir at that time was a more or less assured route to a music scholarship to a decent public school, and I strongly suspect that this is and was a major motivation for parents.

[Vox Humana]

I was at Salisbury in the early 70’s.
The boys parents ( fathers mainly) occupations that I can remember:
RAF pilot.
CofE vicar
Local authority officer ( not very high up I suspect)
Grocer and trainee teacher ( that was me !)
High ranking army officer
Teacher
Doctor
Doctor
Butcher
Estate manager

Probably a similar mix to today, though I guess now you would have more finance and IT types.
Being in that choir at that time was a more or less assured route to a music scholarship to a decent public school, and I strongly suspect that this is and was a major motivation for parents.

One of my brothers-in-law sent two of his girls to Salisbury Cathedral Choir. He and his wife are self-employed musicians and, predictably, it was financially difficult. However, both girls did get scholarships: to Lancing and Wells respectively.

Taken at face value, the Times Radio interview did not strike me as discouraging. He wants to widen the choir's repertoire to include more Tudor music, Purcell (which, pace Cat, he did not lump with the Tudors) and modern composers like Panufnik. A Facebook friend with Sheffield connections assures me that he is musically knowledgeable. However, it seems that there are things that we are not being told. The former top line of the choir consisted of boys and girls and was apparently neither elitist nor devoid of diversity. There had been 'lots of consultation' about the music - but evidently not with the musicians. Why not? He was very clear that this is not about money, so what, exactly, is it about? Why does the dean's new vision of diversity necessitate the sacking of the choir? He was not probed nearly deeply enough on this IMO.

[Jack Pudding]

https://sites.google.com/view/savesheffieldcathedralchoir/home

[mw963]

I notice that the email address of the Dean of Sheffield Cathedral - one Peter Bradley -- is readily found with a quick Google search. I'm going to write and tell him precisely what I think of him, and link to an article in The Telegraph on the subject, whose comments section makes for hilarious reading on the subject of people like him and the state of the C of E at the moment, and which I'm sure will put the wretched prelate in a foul mood for a few days, which is the least he deserves.

Incidentally I notice that the motto for the Diocese of Sheffield is "Renewed, Released, Rejuvenated". WTF?

[Vox Humana]

I notice that the email address of the Dean of Sheffield Cathedral - one Peter Bradley -- is readily found with a quick Google search. I'm going to write and tell him precisely what I think of him, and link to an article in The Telegraph on the subject, whose comments section makes for hilarious reading on the subject of people like him and the state of the C of E at the moment, and which I'm sure will put the wretched prelate in a foul mood for a few days, which is the least he deserves.

Incidentally I notice that the motto for the Diocese of Sheffield is "Renewed, Released, Rejuvenated". WTF?

It's probably too late now, but it might actually be best to be very guarded about this. The person I mention above with Sheffield connections has just been filled me in on a lot of the background detail to this case. It explains pretty much everything and none of it is what it seems publicly at first glance. As others have commented, there is a lot that is not being told and probably can't be. Please don't send me PMs about this: I have promised confidentiality so will not respond.

[Simon Biazeck]

It's probably too late now, but it might actually be best to be very guarded about this. The person I mentioned above with Sheffield connections has just been filled me in on a lot of the background detail to this case. It explains pretty much everything and none of it is what it seems publicly at first glance. As others have commented, there is a lot that is not being told and probably can't be. Please don't send me PMs about this: I have promised confidentiality so will not respond.

I couldn't agree more. Thank you!!

S

[Ein Heldenleben]

It's probably too late now, but it might actually be best to be very guarded about this. The person I mention above with Sheffield connections has just been filled me in on a lot of the background detail to this case. It explains pretty much everything and none of it is what it seems publicly at first glance. As others have commented, there is a lot that is not being told and probably can't be. Please don't send me PMs about this: I have promised confidentiality so will not respond.

You can bet that the real story will emerge eventually - it always does.

[Simon Biazeck]

https://sites.google.com/view/savesh...dralchoir/home

Excellent tone.

[cat]

It's probably too late now, but it might actually be best to be very guarded about this. The person I mention above with Sheffield connections has just been filled me in on a lot of the background detail to this case. It explains pretty much everything and none of it is what it seems publicly at first glance. As others have commented, there is a lot that is not being told and probably can't be. Please don't send me PMs about this: I have promised confidentiality so will not respond.

The cathedral's public statement citing a need to serve a mixed urban community as a reason for disbanding the choir with apparently no notice has led to a number of critical articles in the national press and framed a whole diversity/culture war debate.

I hope whatever the background is, it somehow justifies that statement.

[Pulcinella]

The Guardian now reports that a bullying and harassment claims investigation is going on:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/24/sheffield-cathedral-to-investigate-bullying-and-harassment-claims