Music in the Parish of Leatherhead - welcome!

A musical introduction - from the February 2012 parish magazine

Graham Davies writes: It is with great pleasure I am able to tell you that David Black has joined us as Organist of St. Mary and St. Nicholas Church with effect from 1st January 2012.

David is a highly qualified musician, gaining his BMus (Hons) from the University of Melbourne and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Historical Musicology. He has wide experience as an organist in this country and overseas.

This appointment greatly strengthens the music team and will I am sure help to attract other high quality musicians to our church. It will be most beneficial to have David play for the monthly Choral Evensong services and other special services which are planned for the future and to enjoy his playing for the weekly Sung Communion.

I shall continue to be overall responsible for the music at St. Mary and St. Nicholas under the new position of Master of the Music.

On your behalf, may I wish David every success for the future.
Graham Davies

Graham Davies received early musical training at Winchester Cathedral where he assisted and was a pupil of Graham Matthews and Martin Neary. In his mid twenties he was appointed Organist and Choirmaster at St.Cross, Winchester and following this was Deputy Organist at Wimborne Minster. After a period at Leeds Parish Church, he went on to become Director of Music at Malvern Priory, where he founded the Priory Singers and Orchestra and regularly took part in the Malvern Festival. Whilst at Malvern Graham trained the choir of men and boys, who occasionally sang at Worcester and Gloucester Cathedrals. At this time Graham taught piano and class singing at Croftdown Preparatory School in Malvern and prepared pupils for Associated Board Examinations.

Upon moving to Bath in 1989 and following five years as Director of Music at St. Mary, Bathwick, Graham was appointed Deputy Organist at Bath Abbey in 1994 where for seven years he was accompanist for the Abbey Girls Choir and the Evening Choir and was the organist for many ceremonial and civic occasions in the Abbey.

In 2005 Graham was appointed to All Saints’ Clifton, in Bristol where he developed the music within an Anglo Catholic tradition, widening the repertoire and recruiting many new members to the choir. From 2005 – 2008 he was a regular accompanist for the Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir. At this time he finished his business career to devote all his time to music and in August 2008 went on to be Director of Music at All Saints’ Church, High Wycombe. As well as developing the scope of liturgical music, Graham established a successful series of weekly lunchtime concerts. In May 2011 he took up his duties as Organist and Choirmaster at St. Mary and St. Nicholas Parish Church, Leatherhead.
Graham Davies, Master of Music
If you would like to bring your talents to our music making in the Parish of Leatherhead, please contact the Parish Office 01372 362544.

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David Black, Organist

As a solo organist, Graham has given many recitals in cathedrals and churches throughout the UK with previous performances at the cathedrals in Exeter, Bristol, Hereford, Coventry, Truro, Eglise St. Vincent in Montreux, St Peters Cathedral and Eglise de Notre-Dame in Genève. He has performed in New York State and in Switzerland and has a busy year for 2011 including appearances at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sheffield Cathedral and in Chicago. He has benefited from organ studies and master classes with internationally renowned teachers including Margaret Phillips and Nicholas Kynaston, always concentrating on historically informed performance and is keen to encourage organ pupils in the Leatherhead area.

Graham's first Sunday as our organist and choir master was May 1, 2011. He became Master of Music here wef 1 Jan 2012.

from the June 2011 Parish Magazine

I write this having been in post for just two weeks and am overwhelmed by the warm welcome I have received to St. Mary and St. Nicholas. It is good to be with you and I look forward to the opportunity to serve in the music ministry. I would straight away like to pay tribute to all those who have continued to support the music week by week for so long, especially Richard Price and Peter Steadman.Over my forty plus years involvement in church music I have been privileged to hold important posts including those at Wimborne Minster, Malvern Priory and Bath Abbey in addition to giving organ recitals throughout the UK in cathedrals and major churches. In the summer I am due to play in St. Paul’s Cathedral and in Chicago. I hope I can bring the benefits of this experience to Leatherhead and to encourage greater concert giving at St. Mary and St. Nicholas, especially to feature the magnificent Parker Organ.

It would be wonderful to increase the membership of the choir and to hear from anyone interested in joining us. Do please speak to me over coffee after the Eucharist. Whilst the choir have an important role in worship I am especially keen to encourage congregational singing. To this effect from Trinity Sunday there will be additional opportunities in the 9.30am Eucharist by the inclusion of a responsorial psalm and Gospel Alleluias with a Cantor.

Do please contact me should you have any comments concerning the music. It will be very good to hear from you.
Graham Davies

We have traditional services at which our restored Georgian Organ may be used, along with an Allen Organ (this is an electronic version of a traditional pipe organ) and we use the hymnbook Hymns Old and New.

We have a fine PA system used by the Music Group along with guitars, bass, keyboards and vocalists in modern services, with music drawn from Songs of Fellowship 1, 2 & 3 and many other contemporary sources.