ORGAN, ORGANIST AND CHOIRS

Cathedral Choir Alumni Day
2008 date TBA
Please contact us if you would like to attend this celebration.
If you know of former members do let us know their whereabouts.

The Cathedral Organ
Download a description and history of this instrument
Click here (PDF 146KB)
Click here for organ specifications only(W44kb)

NEWS St John's Cathedral Choir in NZ

Diary of a Touring Choirister
22 Sept - 2 Oct 2006

Waiting for the day I go to New Zealand (woken up at 4:00 am!) has been long and weary. But when the moment comes and it finally happens you can’t use words to describe the feeling. At Brisbane Airport I was warmly greeted by my friends who had already been waiting for some time in expectation for the long, tiresome and rewarding journey ahead. After a fun and relaxing flight we get off the plane, went through customs and began a long journey in the bus to Wanganui.

After delays due to road closures we finally took refuge at our first stop, a boarding school in their school holidays. We spent a day sight seeing in Wanganui and went to the local art gallery where we marvelled at the magnificent art. We were once again on our way to our next stop in the coach, the Cosy Cottage Hotel in Rotorua. We had to make short work of packing because we had used most of our time mucking around swimming while Canon Susan tried to restore order. Once again travel by bus all the way to Wellington.

Once we got there the view was spectacular, lights dazzling in the afternoon light and all the big city sounds overwhelming. We then were taken to the Wellington Cathedral after being shown around the city and all the main attractions. We were taken by our billets to the place where we were staying for the remainder of the time. All in all this has been a great learning and growing experience for me and hopefully for the rest of the choir and I wouldn’t take it back for anything, and we sang a few songs along the way….
Christian Neilsen Chorister St Johns Cathedral.

NEWS from the Land of the Long White Cloud

Last week members of the Cathedral Choir were in New Zealand - we thought it a good idea to share some of the news straightaway: we'll prepare a more in-depth notice for sometime soon.

Based at Wellington Cathedral (our dioceses are twinned, so this is our 'sister' cathedral) the Choristers sang at 5 services and 2 concerts in just over a week, and they did look exhausted by the end! For last weekend they were joined by some of the lay clerks, and also the Youth Orchestra from St Peter's Indooroopilly.

There was some super music-making, and the hospitality of the Wellington congregation was wonderful. Boys were billeted with families, and they seemed to get along famously. Many of you may remember Michael Fulcher, one time Sub-Organist here, who directs the super music programme at Wellington. He is indeed a Brisbane blessing to them. We also spent a few days at Wanganui Collegiate School and the boys did a super recital there after a day of travelling and jet-lag!.

There was also time to get acquainted with history, culture, geysers and the all-important skill of working in a team. The 10 Boys worked hard, and it was good to have Fiona Jonkers and Caroline Tomkins, 2 choir mums, with us as support. Canon Susan was i/c logistics, and it was a delight to have her daughter Hannah as her understudy.

Christopher Cook was in sterling form, and it was wonderful to think that on limited resources we can build links through our music-making. We thank all of you who helped us and prayed for us in our absence. And yes, it does make the heart grow fonder!
Rupert Jeffcoat

Organ Restoration
In 1909 the English firm of Norman and Beard installed a 4 manual instrument in St John's Cathedral - in 2006 both the building and organ are substantially larger, and the purpose of the on-going prorgamme of restoration is to honour the integrity of the original builders as well as ensure that the current liturgical and concert demands of the instruments can be met with distinction.

The Organ is currently used for many recordings and is the finest example of the rich and eclectic Edwardian Cathedral Organ in the Southern Hemisphere.

The marvellous acoustic of the Cathedral (which by the end of 2006 will be to Pearson's design) - due to the stone-vaulted roof, elegant proportions and the particular blend of stone and wood - means that the organ has to have a particular power and presence in reaching the corners of the building.

The original concept of wind-pressures and choruses that have been changed over the years need to be revisited to match the new size of the building. The few additions are being used adapted to their new surroundings.

In brief: the original wind-pressures are being respected as more consonant with the pipework's needs; where possible the original pipework is restored (eg. Great 4 and 2 - which makes a huge difference to the blend of the chorus work), and original ranks that have been swapped around are being re-housed in their original departments (eg. Stopped Diapason on the Great goes back to the Swell).

Very little new pipework is needed and we will be entrusting the faithful reproduction of period sounds (eg. Swell Contra Oboe, Great Claribel Flute) to Australia's most respected organ builder, WJ Simon Pierce Organbuilders. The 4 manual design is being tightened up, with the floating 'positive' division being reassigned where possible.

This programme will ensure not only that the organ has many years of life in it, but that it remains one of Australia's premier organs. The organ accommodates a vast variety of music, records well, accompanies magnificently, and in all is a superb instrument tonally.

Cathedral instruments, especially ones that get a lot of use, have a personality and there is no doubt as we move towards the centenary of the building's consecration that we can rejoice in a worthy organ up to the tasks of inspiring folk both locally and further afield.

Rupert Jeffcoat MA (Cantab) FRCO Dip Th, Director of Music, St John's Cathedral
W. J. Simon Pierce, Pipe Organ Builder, Brisbane, Australia. www.piercepipeorgans.com

Choristers' Scholarship Scheme 2008
Contact: The Director of Music
Ph 07 3835 2231
email: rjeffcoat@anglicanbrisbane.org.au

The Organist & Director of Music


Director of Music, The Rev'd Rupert Jeffcoat.
For personal profile Please click here

Assistant Director of Music


Assistant Director of Music, Mr Christopher Cook
For personal profile Please click here

The Cathedral Choir
A choir of boys and lay clerks has been in existence for about one hundred and fifty years.

Cathedral Choir 2005

Chorus Angelorum
Chorus Angelorum (Choir of angels!) is part of the music ministry of St John’s Cathedral. It is a flexible vocal ensemble providing quality music for various Cathedral services, particularly on important saints’ days.

The range of music is matched to specific occasions and includes chant, polyphony, contemporary music and music more suited to congregational participation.

A particular emphasis is placed on authentic performance practice so that music of different periods speaks on its own terms.    

The Chamber Choir
The Brisbane Cathedral Chamber Choir was formed several years ago to complement the Cathedral Choir's annual schedule. It sings about six times each year in the cathedral.

The Choir, drawing on Brisbane's most distinguished singers, sings regular services and concerts in the Cathedral and further afield. Well-known for their refined sound and enterprising program, the Choir has a particular place in Brisbane musical life.

The Director of the Choir is Graeme Morton, the internationally respected choral conductor. Graeme has worked with some of Australia's leading musicians, founding The Australian Voices in 1993 with composer Stephen Leek.

The latest disc In Memoriam ($25 in The Cathedral Shop ) demonstrates the range of music the choir delivers with works by Widor, Franck, Guerrero, Carter, Whitlock, Guest, de Kerle, Rheinberger and the contemporary Australian Joseph Twist.

Other Choirs
Occasionally, other choirs from church schools and parishes lead the worship.