RÉSUMÉ / CURICULUM VITAE
To contact:
Address: 2499 N. Westmoreland Drive, Orlando, Florida 32804, USA
Telephone: (W) 407-843-8448
E-mail: andrew@stmichaelschurch.com
Objective
To offer, use, and develop my musical skills in ways that bring the maximum benefit to those whom I lead, instruct or minister.
PORTSMOUTH GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK: 1964-1974
Piano, Organ, Trumpet Instruction in addition to general studies;
Associated Board Exams: Organ - Grade 7 with Merit; Trumpet - Grade 8 (Final) with distinction;
Played Oliver in production of "Oliver", Ham in production of Britten's "Noye's Fludde".
PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL CHOIR, UK: 1964-1973
Sang under Peter Stevenson and Christopher Gower
Full and enthusiastic participant in all activities of the choir, including daily rehearsals Mon-Fri for the boys, two weekly Evensongs, two services on Sunday, tours to Duisburg - Germany, and Rouen - France.
LONDON UNIVERSITY: ROYAL HOLLOWAY COLLEGE, UK: 1974-1977
Bachelor of Music with Honors degree.
Subjects included: General History, Music of the 20th Century, History of Musical Instruments, Harmony & Theory, Music and Education, Music and Drama, Organ and Trumpet instruction;
Played Trumpet in University Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra;
Chorus Master production of "The Gondoliers", conducted performance.
THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC: JANUARY, 2017
Awarded an honorary "Associate of the RSCM" degree in recognition of work accomplished for RSCM America especially as its former President, Jan 2012 thru Jan 2015.
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH, EGHAM HYTHE, UK: 1975-1976
Organist and Choir Director.
Directed Adult and Youth Choirs
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, OCALA, USA: 1977-1980
Directed Adult and Youth Choirs; each sang their own Sunday service.
Musical Director and accompanist for children and adult shows, including adaptations of folk tales with G & S music by parish monk, Thomson's "Four Saints in Three Acts", G & S "The Mikado".
ST. MICHAEL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ORLANDO: 1980 TO PRESENT
Director of Music of a multi-generational, varied music programme.
Six performing groups, including Family Choir, Adult Choir, Chamber Singers, Good Night With Mr. Andrew Choir (age birth-1st Gr.), St. Michael's Band, Instrumentalists - as and when available.
Approx. 70-80 people active in programme; started in 1980 with 15.
Since the late 1980's have engaged the service of local college students to fill Choral Scholarship positions. Initially just Tenor, recently Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass.
1990-2000 organised committees, research, presentations, etc., resulting in 1997 move into new facilities specifically designed for the Music Dept., and the 1998 Summer installation of Andover Pipe Organ, Opus 106.
Seven tours of England and Scotland, 1984 thru 2015, made by Adult & Youth Choirs; included St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey, and one-day workshops with Martin How and Harry Bramma of the RSCM. The past three trips have been residencies at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, with side trips to sing at The London Charterhouse. As of Fall, 2024, another trip to sing at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, is planned for post-Christmas, 2025.
Instituted St. Michael's Sacred Music Series, and in 1998 the St. Michael's Performing Arts Series; these series have included performances by the American Boy Choir, Peterborough Cathedral Choir - England, the Harlow Chorus - England, Dr. Gerre Hancock, Heinz Wunderlich, Dr. Murray Somerville, Orlando XIII, and Friends of the Groom. Works with orchestra that I have conducted have included Stravinsky "Mass", Vivaldi - "Gloria", Parry - "I was glad", Schütz - "Psalm 150", Poulenc - "Organ Concerto", Berio - "Folk Songs", and Faure - "Requiem".
Instituted use of brass and timpani for major feast days; arrange and conduct music for same.
Instituted Evensongs sung by the Youth Choir. The Youth Choir in the 1990's were at a level where they were in demand for weddings at St. Michael's and occasionally at other churches. They rehearsed twice a week, sang at every Sunday service with the Adult Choir, singing 95% of the material including anthems from all periods and styles. Instruction in music reading, vocal production, is given using the RSCM Voice for Life training program, involving private instruction for each member.
2001 researched and organized creation of parish Supplemental Hymnal.
2010 organised formation of St. Michael's Brass
2016 with the creation of an "all-inclusive" bulletin, now select broad range of musical material for use in worship, incorporating items from CCLI and OneLicense.net
During the Pandemic continued Sunday morning Choral Music with the Choral Scholars and some of the Adult Choir members. A small Youth Choir sang, with singing parents, Evensongs on Wednesdays. Another small group made up of St. Michael's Choir Members, Choral Scholars, and local singers, formed a group that presented a live-streamed Compline Service on Sunday nights.
Following the end of the Pandemic, in 2022, the Youth Choir became the FAMILY CHOIR: singing children, 1st/2nd Grade good readers thru Middle School, plus any of their parents who sing. As the Youth Choir used to do, this group sings with the Adult Choir every Sunday, approx. 90% of all material.
In 2023 began what is hoped will be a yearly tradition at St. Michael's of an All Saints Sunday evening concert, the first half consisting of organ music, the second - choral music.
BACH FESTIVAL SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, LAKELAND, FLORIDA
Music Director, 1997 to 2002
Programme selection
Rehearse and prepare community chorus, soloist selection & preparation
Conduct concerts with chorus, orchestra, and soloists
RSCM AMERICA NATIONAL CHOIR
Founder & Director - 2014
Directed First "Adventure" - singing four Evensongs at Westminster Abbey, post-Christmas 2014.
Adventure #2: a weekend of singing , Jan 15-17, 2016, at the National Cathedral, Washington, DC.
Adventure #3 [and the final one as the Directorship changes following a maximum of 3 consecutive years as a Director, as per RSCM America policy]: singing the Sunday services, Feb 19, 2017, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA.
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Organist for Graduations, late 1980's to present
Play for multiple graduation ceremonies in May, August, and December
Due to the lack of a rentable, church-music based organ following the Pandemic, built a Hauptwerk instrument, both for this activity, and home practice. In 2024 a complete redesign and rebuilding took place to create an instrument that more resembled a standard three manual church organ.
PROFICIENT IN THE FOLLOWING INSTRUMENTS:
ORGAN - Repertoire items can be found listed in the St. Michael's Music List. Able to repair most minor to medium level mechanical and electronic problems connected with a mechanical-action instrument.
PIANO / KEYBOARDS - including harpsichord and the ability to repair minor mechanical problems and tune same.
GUITAR - including bar chords and all standard chords found in folk songs and most contemporary Christian music.
TRUMPET
GUEST CONDUCTOR/CLINICIAN
Guest Clinician, University of Florida Sacred Music Workshop, Gainesville, FL, May 2016
Director, National RSCM Course for Boy & Girl Choristers, St. Louis, MO, July 2015
Director, National RSCM Course for Boy & Girl Choristers, Charlotte, NC, July 2005
Director, National RSCM Course for Boy & Girl Choristers, St. Louis, MO, July 2003
Director, National RSCM Course for Boy & Girl Choristers, St. Louis, MO, July 2001
Director, Diocese of North Florida Children's Choir Camp, June 1997
Director, National RSCM Course for Boy Choristers, Charlotte, NC, July 1994
Director, Diocese of Texas Children's Choir Camp, June 1994
Director of several one day workshops locally and out-of-state, 1991 - present
Co-Adjudicator, International Boy Choir Festival, Tampa, Florida, 1994 & 1992
COMPOSITIONS
"Keep watch, dear Lord", an anthem for evening services, "Save us,O Lord, waking" and "Let saints on earth in concert sing" published by Paraclete Press.
"O God, whom saints and angels" & "Phos Hilaron" published by the RSCM
1993 commission by the RSCM in America for setting of the RSCM motto
Multiple commissions from the Cathedral of St. Luke, Orlando, and other churches/organisations 1981-present
Performance of orchestrated version of settings of five poems by Wilfred Owen, April 1985
Study with Alan Ridout, 1992 & 1993 at RSCM Composer's Course
TEACHING - ELDERHOSTELS [now “Road Scholars”]
1992 to present. Topics have included:History of the Music of Christmas and Hanukkah
Christmas Music and Traditions of the World
The Music of France
The Music of the American Civil War - a Choral Elderhostel
The Hymns and Madrigals of Elizabethan England - a Choral Elderhostel
Directing Choral Elderhostels continues to the present day on variety of themes; presently at the 4H Center, Abingdon, Virginia; two sessions were conducted at St. Simon's Island, Georgia, before the Pandemic.
DRAMATIC WORK
Ocala Civic Theatre 1978-1980
CHARACTERS PLAYED:
Og the leprachaun in "Finian's Rainbow"
Brian Runnicles, the male leads in "No sex, please, we're British"
Also - accompanied several musicals on the piano
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Member the American Guild of Organists
Member of the Association of Anglican Musicians
Served on the Board of Directors of RSCM America, Jan 2010 thru Jan 2016; President, Jan 2012 thru Jan 2015.
PERSONAL
Age: 68. Married to Gladys van den Berg. Three children: Alexandra, Jillian, and Marisa; six grand-children: Azure, Aidan, Arel, Bailey,& Charles. Hobbies include sailing, camping, flying, travel, and computers - especially anything VR!