About Alistair Warwick
enabling musicians : enabling music

• 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 music for Common Worship, as well as other original scores and publications.

Stirling University Choir news

Details of this semester's music, rehearsals and concert.

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
• 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
• Musical Director, Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• Director of Music, Arundel Cathedral
• Organist, Worth Abbey
• Pastoral work in South London

Current projects

Stirling University Choir

Spring 2010

Rehearsals: every Monday, starting 15 February at 7.30pm in A4 Cottrell Building
Concert: Saturday 8 May in Dunblane Cathedral

We will be singing folk songs in varying arrangements from around the British Isles (and perhaps beyond). We may also be undertaking a more substantial work (to be finalised).

Listen to extracts from some of the songs we'll be singing:

• Sumer is icumen in (see the music score)
• Migildi, Magildi (see the music score)
• Hunting the Wren (see the music score)
• Paddy on the Railway (see the music score)
• The Barley Mow (see the music score)
• The Troubles of Erin (see the music score)
• The Spinner's Wedding (see the music score)

Improve Your Sight-Reading
Following the success of last semester's optional music-reading sessions, there will be an opportunity to take part in "Improve Your Sight-Reading" sessions for 20 minutes or so at 7pm each Monday, starting 1 March. Just see me at the rehearsal on 15 or 22 February.

 

Conductor since May 2009

Our first concert together was on Saturday 5 December in Dunblane Cathedral:

• Mozart: Ave verum corpus K618
• Mozart: Masonic funeral music K477
• Mozart (completed Süssmayr): Requiem K626
• Lassus: Justorum animae

Clare Tucker soprano
Rebecca Afonwy-Jones mezzo-soprano
Warren Gillespie tenor
Michel de Souza baritone

Stirling University Choir

City of Glasgow Symphony Orchestra
Benardus Buurmann leader

Alistair Warwick conductor

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

Writing psalm refrains

Writing psalm refrains for a use with a common chant for use over the summer period while the choir are away.
Music typeset with SCORE, of course!

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Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
Midsummer Fantasy

Sunday 28 June 2009, 7pm
Victoria Hall, Dunblane

Grant Golding trumpet
Alistair Warwick conductor

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

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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

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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

• Founder and Musical Director, Dunblane Chamber Orchestra
• 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)
• Producer and Director of a number of CD recordings
  including the choirs of Dunblane, Ely and Winchester Cathedrals
• Television appearances, include live broadcasts from Arundel.
• Various roles within the RSCM over ten years
  latterly as Programme Director for Sacred Music Studies

Conducting

Alistair Warwick is Conductor of the Stirling University Choir.

He founded the Dunblane Chamber Orchestra in 2008, and conducted them in three concerts.

He has also conducted the Rosenethe Singers (December 2006 and March 2008).

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 (using gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement).

Alistair has also participated in choral-direction masterclasses 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

Services include

• Repertoire workshops for parish communities
• Choral workshops

"Many thanks once again for your wonderful support today. It was quite a marathon but we all learned something from it and we have received very positive feedback…"

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, St George's Cathedral

France

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

Scotland

• Alloa, Parish Church
• Blairdrummond, Parish Church
• Bridge of Allan, St Saviour's
• Clackmannan, Parish Church
• Dunblane Cathedral
• Dunblane, St Blane's
• Dunblane, St Mary's
• Gargunnock, Parish Church
• 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:

• Romero the Musical – new!
• 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)

More details can be found at The Typehouse

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 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 William 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 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,
recently 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, Canada] …"
• "…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 me

You can contact Alistair Warwick at:

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

Telephone: +44 (0)1786 823000

Email: info(at)alistairwarwick.com