Alistair Warwick

enabling musicians : enabling music

Previous work

• Programme Director for Sacred Music Studies, RSCM & Bangor University
• Co-ordinator for Scotland for the Royal School of Church Music
• Director of Music, Arundel Cathedral
• Organist, Worth Abbey
• Founder, Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• Pastoral work in South London
• Working with small instrumental groups
  (including Tsunami Ride: we got to #187 in the charts!)

 

Other services

• The Art of Music (music and typesetting services)
  Portfolio includes:
  • Christopher Page: Music for the Georgian Guitar (Yale University Press, forthcoming, 2020)
  • Music for The Papal Visit to Scotland and England (Magnificat, 2010)
  • Music for Common Worship (RSCM, 1999–2005)
  • Hymns for Prayer & Praise – Full Music and Melody editions (The Canterbury Press, 2011–12)
  • Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Early English Church Music, volumes 59 & 60)
  • original scores and publications
  • SATB & descant for Coe Fen (How shall I sing that majesty)
• The Typehouse
  • website design and development
  • typesetting

Conducting

Alistair is Conductor of the Stirling University Choir (2009 to date)

He founded the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra in 2008, and conducted their first three concerts

He has conducted the Rosenethe Singers in concert (December 2006, March 2008 and May 2010), and taken many rehearsals

What people say

• John Rutter's captivating 'Requiem' [was] sensitively and movingly performed by the 70 strong choir of students, staff and members of the local community… The choir has come on by leaps and bounds since its formation… and on Saturday’s showing is one to watch
• The balance, rhythm and vocal quality were striking – and I could feel the audience around me respond
• There were moments when it was hard to realise that this was an amateur orchestra
• It was inspirational to choose Mackenzie's 'Benedictus'

Repertoire is listed here

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Organist

Alistair first played the organ at the age of 10, at Christ Church, Sidcup. He later had lessons with Janet McCleery, Andrew Millington, Peter Hurford and Matthew Beetschen

Current study with Philip Sawyer in Edinburgh includes repertoire and figured-bass realisation

His repertoire ranges from alternatim Mass and Magnificat settings (from English, French and Spanish schools), to 21st-century works

What people say

• Thank you so much for playing the organ so superbly last night. It was a really uplifting service, and you helped so much to make it so.
• …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…

Repertoire and Organs played can be seen here

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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).

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 (the first of two sections) appears in the dissertation.

Other research

• 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 J S Bach)
• attitudes to the Victorian Organ (especially relating to the 1893 William Hill organ at Arundel Cathedral)
• the identity and nature of music, and especially of sacred music
• notions of the outsider – in society, in music, and in worship

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Writing

Published articles include:

• Gregorian Chant in Latin
• Musick Fyne: Scottish Church Music up to 1603
• Just Treble Makers? Introduction to the RSCM's Voice for Life choir-training programme
• Herald Triumph! The recording of Dupré's 'Les Vêpres de la Vierge' Op. 18 in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris
• The Psalms – the historic and liturgical use of the psalms in the liturgy