We’re delighted that Christopher Robinson, one of the foremost choir trainers in the UK, is visiting the Boxgrove Choral Festival as our special guest conductor!
It’s a particular joy to welcome Christopher to Boxgrove thanks to some lovely links back to different stages of his illustrious career in church music.
Festival Director Joseph Wicks first met Christopher whilst at St John’s College, Cambridge. A Fellow and former Director of Music at St John’s, Christopher’s legacy in Cambridge is still deeply felt to this day, and he regularly comes to college to hear his old choir singing in chapel services.
Before coming to St John’s, Christopher was Organist & Choirmaster at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle where he ran a very fine choir indeed, week in week out, and also on some televised services attended by Her Majesty The Queen. It was here that Vicar of Boxgrove Priory, Ian Forrester, encountered Christopher for the first time, working with him in his role as Succentor to draw up music lists and the like.
So, in welcoming him, we are not only ending our Festival with a thrilling honour, but also enabling a lovely reunion or two!
Christopher will conduct the joint forces of The Beaufort Singers & Boxgrove Priory Choir at Mass on Sunday 5th September in the final Te Deum by Vaughan Williams.
The service will be live-streamed, starting at 11am, with the setting of the Mass in G minor by Vaughan Williams also being performed by The Beaufort Singers. We hope you can join us either online or in person for what promises to be a special moment to end the 2021 Festival!