Benjamin Britten wrote a specially commissioned work for the Centenary of the College in 1956. Old Boy David Wells-Cole (1953-1959) writes: Last week (August 2024) I went to the Britten-Pears Archive in Aldeburgh to present my copy of Benjamin Britten’s Antiphon (signed by Britten on the day of the performance) to the Archive. I...
Music at St Michael’s- update
Music at St Michael’s update: On Sunday September 29th it should have been the choir of Emmanuel Church Wyld Green singing the two services. Unfortunately they cannot now come, so the choir now will be: Quindici Chamber Choir Director Suzanne Edwards, organist Tim Mills Sung Eucharist 11am & Choral Evensong 3pm...
Worcester Cathedral Choir concert
This Friday 5th July, Worcester Cathedral Choir are in concert at St Michael’s. It starts at 7pm. Tickets are available from: https://buytickets.at/stmichaelschurchtenburywells/1309773...
Concerts 2024
The list of Concerts for 2024 is now available and can be found by following the link on the menu bar above....
Ouseley – Canticles in B minor – rarity
Our friends at the Archive of Recorded Church Music have posted the only known Choral Evensong recording of Ouseley’s Canticles in B minor. Find out more at recordedchurchmusic.org...
SMC Festival Grace
Did you know that Ouseley wrote the Festival Grace that was always sung in full at Commem? This edition was published for the Centenary in 1956, and here it is (complete with gravy stains): SMC Festival Grace 1956...
Music at St Michael’s 2023
Details of concerts can be found here Concerts...
SMC – the influence lives on
Here’s Old Boy Kevin Jacot (SMC 1973-1978) with one of his recent compositions, an anthem for St Michael’s day, “Factum Est Silentium”, which he also performs in this video. https://youtu.be/5Xyl0ZUbFqY...
Willis Organ – update
You will recall our appeal to fund a new set of blowers for the Willis Organ in the Chapel. Members responded magnificently to the appeal, and after a few false sarts (mainly due to the pandemic) the blowers were ordered. The latest news (as of 18th Oct) is that the blowers have arrived at...
An Organist Remembers by Roy Massey
Roy Massey has let us know of the following publication, which may well be of interest to members: I don’t know whether it would interest members of SMCS but I have recently written my memoirs entitled An Organist Remembers published by the RSCM (musicdirect@rscm.com}. Chapter 8 is entitled St Michael’s College, Tenbury and is a...
Andrew Nethsingha moves on
Congratulations to Andrew Nethsingha, currently Director of Music at St John’s College, University of Cambridge, who has been appointed the new Organist and Master of Choristers at Westminster Abbey. More information...
John Betjeman talks about SMC
Recorded on site, Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman tells us why St Michael’s College was so important....
Lucian Nethsingha 1936-2021
UPDATE Sept 21: Memorial Recital recording and tributes It is with great sadness that we report the death on Friday 12th February 2021 of Lucian Nethsingha, a former organist and choir master at St Michael’s. Lucian had been in poor health for a while, and latterly had been in a hospice in Cambridge.Born in Colombo, Ceylon, in...
The making of an English organ builder: John Nicholson of Worcester
Michael Anderson writes: Dr James Berrow, has written a fine biography of John Nicholson, 19th Century organ builder of Worcester, containing a lot of interesting references to Ouseley, not only as regards the St Michael’s organ, but also regarding his role as organ adviser in the area. Jim has asked me to bring this...
Sir Sydney Nicholson, Fellow
A former Fellow of SMC, founder of the School of English Church Music, a young Sir Sydney can now be seen in a colourised photo, taken whilst he was at Carlisle Cathedral, prior to him taking up residence near Tenbury during the early 1940’s. https://twitter.com/recordedcm/status/1379386350026248196?s=20 You can read more about Sir Sydney’s life and...