First for school

Liverpool Blue Coat School Choir sang evening prayer for the first time in Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, at the invitation of director of music, Dr Chris McElroy, a former student of the school.

The 38-member was accompanied by the school’s top organist, 17-year-old Daniel Greenway, playing the Cathedral’s Walker organ. This was the first time that Daniel, who has Grade 8 Organ with Distinction, has played this instrument. The music included ‘Locus Iste’, Stanford’s ‘Magnificat’ and Britten’s ‘A Hymn to the Virgin’.

The invitation was part of the ‘Blue Coat for all’ project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to not only restore the school’s historic Father Willis organ, but also to engage in community outreach projects to promote interest in organ and choral music, especially for young people.

This includes the new Blue Coat Organ Scholarship with tuition on the Cathedral’s Walker organ.

Dr McElroy said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome the Blue Coat Choir under Simon Emery’s direction to the Metropolitan Cathedral. As expected they performed superbly and I do hope we can repeat the event”.

Simon Emery, Blue Coat School director of music, said: “It was a wonderful occasion to take part in and sing the service. This was our first time singing at the Metropolitan Cathedral and we’d love to do it again.”