2010 marks the inaugural year for the Ian Clews Folk Choral Workshop. The ambition is to hold a choral workshop every two years with a specific focus on folk music.

The Workshop was conceived of in 2009 following the death of Mr Ian Clews. Ian was the well-loved Headmaster of the Manor House School and was a founding member of Concordia!, a small community choir established in 2007. Ian loved to sing in the choir, which perform music from a wide range of styles, and also had a passion for folk music. The Musical Director of Concordia!, James Allen, had the idea for a choral workshop dedicated to Ian following his memorial service on hearing how much the choir and folk music meant to him.

This year's choral workshop is based around the work "Hymnody of Earth" by Malcolm Dalglish. The workshop will take place over 2 weekends in November 2010 culminating in a concert on 13th November at Holy Trinity Church Ashby de la Zouch. Please explore the rest of this site for further details.

About "Hymnody of Earth"-

Malcolm Dalglish’s Hymnody of Earth is a cantata celebrating earth and nature. Rooted in choral folk styles of North America, Dalglish creates songs and soundscapes to memorialize transcendent moments in our lives. Hymnody of Earth combines voice with the mysterious and primitive sound of the hammer dulcimer, frame drums and shakers. Hymnody of Earth is based on text by poet and farmer Wendell Berry. The poems address humanity's increasing concern for the environment. They express a love of nature and deeply moving responses to human behavior that has harmed the earth.

Ian Clews was born in Eastwood Nottingham in 1954.

He took the post of Headmaster at Manor House School Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 2002 after 22 years at Gosfield School, Near Halstead Essex.

He loved music and it was his second subject for his Certificate of Education. He loved to sing and was often found singing in a corridor with other members of staff at Gosfield singing because “the acoustics where right.” He joined the Halstead Choral Society for a couple of years but school commitments did not give him the time to continue.

He would sit for hours listening to music on with his earphones on rather than watch TV. He did his work and marking whilst listening to music. He even went to bed listening through earphones.

His wide taste in music included; The Bulgarian Woman’s voice Choir, Russian Cossack Choir, Jimmi Hendrix and his all time hero Van Morrison. He was a great fan of folk music and would go to folk concerts and festivals in Whitby, North Yorkshire and he especially liked folk carols at Christmas.

He joined Concordia as a founder member in 2007 which he found very enjoyable, he had a fine Tenor voice and one of his greatest sadnesses was having to give up singing when the medication for his illness affected his voice, but would still go to see Concordia to support them and hum along when he could.

He died in the July of 2009 after a 5 year fight with cancer and his memorial in September 2009 was a celebration of his life with a wide range of music that he chose himself.

He would have really have been pleased with the workshop and would have been the first to sign up for a place. 

 

Patricia Clews.