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.