Off to pastures new (across College Green)

Worcester Cathedral announces that the Assistant Director of Music, Christopher Allsop is moving on to work at the Kings School Worcester.

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Christopher Allsop,  Assistant Director of Music and Assistant Organist at Worcester Cathedral, has been appointed to the new full-time post of Assistant Director of Music at the King’s School Worcester, with effect from September.

The Dean of Worcester, the Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, said, “We are delighted for Chris’s sake, and offer him our warmest congratulations, but we shall be sad to lose him from the Cathedral staff after fourteen years of able and distinguished service. The School have created this new post, and the fact that Chris has been appointed to it, can only strengthen the already strong links between the Cathedral and the School.”

The Headmaster of King’s School Worcester, Matthew Armstrong, said, “King’s is enormously fortunate to have been able to appoint a musician of Christopher Allsop’s ability and experience. We are excited by the vision he has for this new role, and know that Chris’s knowledge of the Cathedral will assist us both in our ongoing work together and in the further enhancement of the musical programme at the school.”

Christopher Allsop said, “After fourteen fantastic years at Worcester Cathedral, I’m excited to be able to develop the new role of Assistant Director of Music at the King’s School. I very much look forward to working with colleagues and pupils there, as well as keeping a close association with the Cathedral. The new job involves a broad mixture of class teaching, piano and organ playing and teaching, liaison with both King’s junior schools, direction of choraland instrumental ensembles and outreach development. Inheriting a half-time post fourteen years ago, I’ve helped develop it into a busy and fulfilling full-time job. I’ve been responsible for the recruitment, training and conducting of the girl choristers (and previously the Voluntary Choir), the majority of the Cathedral’s organ playing and daily work with the boy choristers. Plus I’m also the accompanist and assistant conductor for the Worcester Festival Choral Society, and organist for the Worcester Three Choirs Festivals. I’ve been lucky enough to have had fantastic colleagues amongst the choirs, organists, clergy and congregations. I can’t thank them all enough for their wonderful support both over the years and in my new role at King’s.”

The Cathedral’s farewell to Christopher will be on Sunday 1 July 2018.

Photo credit Michael Whitefoot.