Spode Music Week

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50th Spode Music Week, August 2003

Spode Music Week is the name of an annual residential Music school that places particular emphasis on the music of the Roman Catholic liturgy. It is a registered charity (No. 1026975) in England. The Charitable objects of the week are “to promote, improve, develop and maintain education in (and appreciation of) the art and science of music in all its aspects, especially of the Roman liturgy, by the organising and running of an annual residential music week containing lectures, recitals, and opportunities for practical music making”.

Originally Music Week was a course run by Spode House Conference Centre in Staffordshire, England. The centre’s Warden, Fr. Conrad Pepler, O.P, founded it. It was Conrad’s idea to have a music week and he was uniquely fitted for this role due to his early experiences of community life combined with artistic talent. He was the son of Hilary Pepler who, with Eric Gill, had founded the Guild of St. Joseph and St. Dominic at Ditchling.

From 1954, until Spode House conference Centre closed in 1987, Spode Music week took place every Spring, starting at teatime on the Easter Monday and finishing after breakfast the following Monday. The following year, Spode Music week moved to Hengrave Hall in Suffolk. It remained a regular fixture there (although moved to the summer) until that Centre also closed in early 2005. 2005 saw a hastily re-arranged Spode Music week take place at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. In 2006 Spode Music Week moved to Beechwood Sacred Heart School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The Composer, Anthony Milner was the first Director. He was followed by a number of different people as Director until the composer Robert Sherlaw Johnson (who had first attended in 1956) took over as Director in 1971. He held the post until his retirement in 1993 and remained an active member of the committee until his untimely death in 2000. Since 1996, the opera singer, Jeremy White has been Chair of Spode Music Week.

The first week had been a largely academic event consisting solely of lectures, when the only music to be heard was played informally by course participants. However, by the 2nd year, making and performing music had become an integral part of the week and within a few years it had become the dominant activity on the week. Nowadays, each week consists of two choral pieces rehearsed daily (one of which is always a Mass performed liturgically at the end of the week) and the Orchestra.

Spode Music Week is attended by both professional and amateur musicians of all ages. Families make up a large attendance at the week and there is a special children’s choir for those younger children unable to cope with the music rehearsed by the main choir. There is a daily lecture on a musical theme (preserving the original intention of the course) and a live recital each evening. On the penultimate night of the week, a course works concert is held. The last night consists of a fun concert when everyone performs his or her party piece!

Foundation Patrons of Spode Music Week were Fr. Conrad Pepler, OP, George Malcolm, CBE and Robert Sherlaw Johnson, D.Mus. Past Patron was: Mary Berry, CBE. Current Patrons of Music Week are Professor John Sloboda, FBA, Nicholas Kenyon, CBE.

[edit] A few facts

The longest attending member has clocked up 48 continuous years.

One family (the Sherlaw-Johnsons) has held the office of secretary for over 30 years.

The BBC has transmitted the end of course mass.

In 1959 it cost £6, 10 shillings to attend for the week. In 2006, the cost had risen to £360.

The largest ever attendance at Music Week was in 1978 for the 25th anniversary, 126 people.

The famous harpsichordist and conductor, George Malcolm, CBE used to travel to Hengrave Hall for Music Week by simply hailing a taxi outside his home in Wimbledon and having it drive him all the way to Suffolk. Fortunately he never claimed expenses.

Further details of the week are available by email at ian.saxton@yahoo.co.uk