A POPULAR member of Worcester Cathedral will be bidding farewell to the historic landmark to move to King’s School Worcester.
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 move will bring to an end a 14-year association with the cathedral for Christopher but he hopes to retain his close association with the city’s landmark.
“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 choral and instrumental ensembles and outreach development,” said the respected musician.
“Inheriting a half-time post 14 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 Dean of Worcester, the Very Rev 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 14 years of able and distinguished service.
“The school have created this new post, and the fact Chris has been appointed to it, can only strengthen the already strong links between the cathedral and the school.”
School headmaster 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.”
The cathedral will bid farewell to Christopher on Sunday, July 1.
