‘Green shoots’ for music education but more investment needed

The retiring musical director of Exeter Cathedral, Andrew Millington, has called for more investment in children’s musical education, saying it can transform lives.

Andrew, who has been made a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music in recognition of his contribution to church music over the last 40 years, said the increasing interest in choirs and singing, that has given birth to the Military Wives choirs and others, showed there were some ‘green shoots’ but that many church choirs were struggling.

“We know from the outreach work we do with the Cathedral choir how so many children absolutely love singing. When we bring them into the Cathedral the look on the faces when they get to sing is just wonderful. But in the current climate it is so hard for schools to fund music education for children. All schools should have a music specialist ideally, but in some of the smaller schools we work with that just isn’t possible.

“The outreach programme run by the Cathedral works with dozens of schools every year. The Government helped fund this outreach through its Sing Up project, but sadly that has now stopped. Many Cathedrals set up outreach projects but abandoned them when the funding ended; here in Exeter we are committed to continuing it. Termly concerts in the Cathedral give children in schools all over Devon a musical experience that without us, they would never have.”

The Cathedral choir is made up of 36 boys and girls, aged eight to 13. More children apply than there are places for each year, and the Cathedral ensures that no child with talent is turned away, even if their parents can’t afford the fees of the Cathedral School, which all choristers attend.

“We’ve taken on children from homes where parents are really struggling and we’ve seen how music help transform children’s lives. I see myself how children respond to and love singing.

“But recruiting choirs in churches is a big challenge. Where once, most churches, even in small villages, would have some kind of choir, now only a few do. People find it hard to commit to a regular choir and keeping it going can be very hard work but there are some very dedicated people out there.”

Andrew’s last concert with the Cathedral choir is on Saturday June 13 at 7.30pm (tickets available through the Cathedral website).

Now aged 63, he has led the choir at Exeter since 1999, following stints at Guildford and Gloucester Cathedral.

He was inspired at the age of 10 to become an organist. “I sang in a wonderful church choir and I knew at 10 that I wanted to become a Cathedral organist, even though I didn’t start learning the organ until I was 13. I just ‘got the bug’ and its been a wonderful career. I’m not stopping now – just ending the day job!”

Andrew is going to remain in Exeter and will carry on leading the Exeter Philharmonic Choir, as well as composing and giving recitals.

His farewell organ recital is on 1 July at 7.30pm and a farewell Evensong – where the current Cathedral choir will be swelled by dozens of former members, who are travelling to sing for one last time for their Director of Music - will be on 5 July at 4pm.