Alistair Warwick - enabling musicians : enabling music

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About Alistair Warwick
enabling musicians : enabling music

Alistair Warwick is a

• conductor / music director
• organist
• singer
• music typesetter using Score™ and InDesign™
• web developer

He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in music, and has undertaken studies in theology and liturgy.

His freelance company, The Art of Music, combines these skills by providing music and typesetting services, including the music for Common Worship, as well as other original scores and publications.

Incorporated Society of Musicians

Alistair Warwick is a full member of the ISM, the UK's professional body for musicians, retaining standards in the profession whilst offering essential backup for today's musician.

 

Current work includes:

• Conductor, Stirling University Choir
• Musical Director, Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• Gold Award examiner for RSCM
• RSCM Coordinator for Scotland
• Tutor for Sacred Music Studies (Bangor University & RSCM)
• Choir Trainer, St Mary's Church, Dunblane

This is informed by previous work:

• Programme Director for Sacred Music Studies, RSCM & Bangor University
• Director of Music, Arundel Cathedral
• Organist, Worth Abbey
• Pastoral work in South London

Current projects

Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
Midsummer Fantasy

Sunday 28 June 2009, 7pm
Victoria Hall, Dunblane

Grant Golding trumpet
Alistair Warwick conductor

• Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
• Mozart: Divertimento in D  K136
• Telemann: Trumpet Concerto
• Copland: Quiet City
• Haydn: Symphony No 85 in B flat "La Reine"

Our next concert is scheduled for Sunday 20 September 2009.

More details can be found on the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra's website

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St Mary's Episcopal Church, Dunblane: choir training

Every Thursday evening I'm working with St Mary's choir. They're a relatively small-sized group and are willing – and indeed keen – to go "back to basics".

We're using Mike Brewer's Choral Warm-Ups (Faber Music) for structured voice work – and they're enjoying it. Already there have been many comments about the choir's improved singing.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
Nocturnes for an Autumn Evening

Following a sell-out first concert, the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra's second concert was on Sunday 9 November 2008 in Victoria Hall, Dunblane.

 

Carron Shankland clarinet
Alistair Warwick conductor

 

The programme featured music for woodwind and strings:

• Grieg: 'Holberg' Suite
• Mackenzie: Benedictus
• Mozart: Clarinet Concerto
• Mozart: Serenade in C minor
• Schubert: Symphony no 5 in B flat

Our next concert is scheduled for Sunday 28 June 2009, also in Victoria Hall, Dunblane.

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RSCM International Summer School

Alistair Warwick was a presenter at the RSCM's International Summer School and Conference in Canterbury from 11–13 August 2008.

 

 

With Revd. Wendy Wilby (Precentor, Bristol Cathedral) he gave two sessions:

• Pray? I haven't got time to pray!
• Musicians and clergy working together

He also presented a session on Sacred Music Studies (RSCM & Bangor University).

 

CD recording: Gregorian Chant from Canterbury Cathedral

Incidentally, Canterbury Cathedral was the location for the CD recording of the Unfinished Vespers: Gregorian Chant The Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket
sung by the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge directed by Mary Berry
– available from amazon.co.uk (follow the link for other recordings by Schola Gregoriana)

Alistair Warwick was assistant sound engineer for this CD recording and has vivid memories of a sprightly 70-something-year-young Mary Berry climbing up a vertical ladder in the cathedral tower as we recorded the bells.

• For details of other recordings by Alistair Warwick see the Recordings section of this site

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Dunblane Chamber Orchestra

The first concert of the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra, founded in February 2008 and conducted by Alistair Warwick, was a sell-out success.

 

 

The programme featured music for string orchestra, including Britten's Simple Symphony, Elgar's Serenade for Strings, Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, and, with Simon Rendell (solo oboe), Barbirolli's Oboe Concerto on themes of Pergolesi along with Morricone's Gabriel's Oboe.

Previous appointments

Director of Music and Master of the Choristers for ten years at Arundel Cathedral, where he started the flourishing junior choir.

Organist at Worth Abbey (home of "The Monastery" as shown on BBC television).

He has produced and directed a number of CD recordings; these include the choirs of Dunblane, Ely and Winchester Cathedrals. Television appearances include live broadcasts from Arundel.

He worked for the RSCM for ten years, latterly as Programme Director for Sacred Music Studies.

Conducting

Alistair Warwick is Musical Director of the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra, founded in 2008, whom he has conducted in two concerts. He has also conducted the Rosenethe Singers (December 2006 and March 2008).

In April 2009 he was appointed as Conductor of the Stirling University Choir, with effect from May 2009.

Alistair's passion is enabling people of all abilities to make music. As a teenager, he led music ensembles and was rewarded by a scholarship to study conducting with Bryan Fairfax to learn how to do it properly!
Later studies included work with Sebastian Forbes, Alasdair Mitchell, Owen Rees and Nicholas Conran, with whom he also studied Feldenkrais (a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement and enhance human functioning).

Alistair has also participated in master-classes in choral direction with Mike Brewer, Stephen Cleobury and David Hill.

Workshops

In facilitating workshops, Alistair Warwick provides an enriching opportunity for those using music.

Additionally, for those involved in music in the life of the Church, he offers an approach that develops sensitivity, spirituality and understanding.

Practical skills training is available for:

• cantors / animateurs
• choir trainers
• choir directors
• organists
• other keyboard players
• music groups

Organist

Alistair Warwick has studied the organ with Janet McCleery, Andrew Millington, Peter Hurford and Matthew Beetschen.

Churches in which he has played for services and concerts include the following:

England

• Arundel Cathedral
• Arundel, St Nicholas
• Crawley Friary
• Forest Hill, St William of York
• Guildford Cathedral
• Guildford, St Nicolas
• Sidcup, Christ Church
• Sidcup, St Lawrence's
• Southwark RC Cathedral

France

• Boulogne Cathedral
• Lourdes, Pius X Basilica
• Lourdes, St Bernadette

Scotland

• Alloa Parish Church
• Bridge of Allan, St Saviour's
• Clackmannan Parish Church
• Dunblane Cathedral
• Dunblane, St Blane's
• Dunblane, St Mary's
• Stirling, Allan Park South
• Stirling, Holy Rude Church

Repertoire

His repertoire ranges from alternatim Mass settings (from French and Spanish schools) to 20th-century works ("I've not caught up with the 21st century yet!").

Recordings

 

Engraving and typesetting

Music engraving

Details of music engraving and typesetting projects by Alistair Warwick for The Art of Music can be found here.

They include projects for:

• Common Worship (Church House Publishing)
• Music for Common Worship (The Royal School of Church Music)
• Hymns for Prayer and Praise (The Panel of Monastic Musicians)
• Chants for Worth Abbey (Worth Abbey)
• The Play of Daniel (Plainsong and Medieval Music Society)

Typesetting

Book typesetting projects include:

• Music in Welsh History Before 1650 (Ashgate)
• Bearers of Song (University of Wales Press)
• Welsh Music History VII (University of Wales Press)

Design work

includes publicity leaflets for:

• Corbridge Chamber Music Festival
• Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• Early English Organ Project
• Goldberg Ensemble
• Gould Piano Trio
• Ludlow Organ Recitals

Website design and development

Alistair Warwick has designed and developed websites for:

• Celtic Arrow Media
• CSWilson Ltd
• Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• The Early English Organ Project
• Elaine Hill Photography
• The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society
• Rosemount Guest House, Kippford
• The Royal School of Church Music
• Sam Baker School of Church Music (Aspirans)
• Sustainable Dunblane (A Transition Town initiative)

Research

Masters dissertation on the Dunkeld Music Book

Alistair Warwick received a distinction for his Masters dissertation in Music at the University of Surrey on the Dunkeld Music Book (otherwise known as the Dowglas-Fischer or Lincluden Partbooks GB-EdU MS 64); more information on this manuscript can be found here.

In the Dunkeld Music Book is an anonymous motet for eight voices, Te Sanctum Dominum. As a result of his research Alistair Warwick has provisionally identified Nicholas Gombert as the composer of this work. A critical edition of the prima pars appears in the dissertation.

Other research

• work on Gregorian chant
• parody technique (especially in Victoria's Missa O magnum mysterium)
• the Wode Partbooks
• performance issues in Monteverdi's Vespers
• the use of inegalité (both in French Baroque and possible use in the music of JS Bach)
• attitudes to the Victorian Organ (especially relating to the 1893 Hill organ at Arundel Cathedral)
• the identity and nature of music, and especially of sacred music

Writing

Alistair's published writing includes articles, contributions to other works, his MMus dissertation, references in other works, and reviews.

Compositions and arrangements

Various choral pieces and psalm settings have been composed for use at Arundel Cathedral and elsewhere. Some of these will be published by The Art of Music.

SATB arrangement and descant for Coe Fen
"How shall I sing that majesty".

This wonderful hymn was written for unison singing. Many people have looked for a choir version complete with descant, and one is now available.

This choral arrangement was made for, and first sung at, the RSCM 2006 Scottish Triennial Festival at St Michael's, Linlithgow on 4 November 2006. It was also featured in a choral-reading session with David Briggs, formerly of Gloucester Cathedral, at the 12th Annual East Carolina Religious Arts Festival held from January 24-26, 2008.

Over 1000 copies have been bought by choirs from all round the world.

Buy it now from The Art of Music and Sarum College Bookshop

Diary

What people say

• "…thank you for all you've done with the Choir at Arundel and for the Diocese over these past years – I am really very grateful."

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor,
now Archbishop of Westminster

• " 'Thank you' seems a terribly inadequate way to express our gratitude for your wonderful contribution to our wedding – you did so much with so many people / events, and a large number of people said to us how much they had enjoyed meeting you, working with you, and/or having you to stay!"
• "Great admiration for your work with the cast of assorted musicians [at St Barnabas' Church, Ottawa] …"
• "…thank you for the lovely music which contributed so much to the atmosphere and helped to make the service special. We really appreciated your contribution…"
• "the family were really thrilled with the music… Thanks for all your help/guidance as ever."

 

"Instrument king
The organ was played so delicately … at Arundel Cathedral … Alistair Warwick … took us on a short European tour of the king of instruments. Once again, the audience was privileged."

Arun News

 

Contact Alistair Warwick

You can contact me at:

Address: 25 Ramsay Drive, Dunblane, FK15 0NG  Scotland

Telephone: +44 (0)1786 823000

Email: aw-website-enquiries(at)theartofmusic.co.uk