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New Willcocks Organ Scholarship

Clifton College in partnership with Bristol Cathedral

In its 150 years, Clifton College has been noted for the importance attached to organists and organs in the school’s musical life, nurturing generations of players including well-known figures such as Boris Ord, C.S. Lang, Sir David Willcocks and Andrew Nethsingha, under a succession of highly-regarded Directors of Music and other teachers, such as Dr Douglas Fox who inspired Sir David.

The Music Department is nationally recognised for its very high standards of achievement, and it was highlighted for its ‘exceptionally high standards of musical performance’ in the latest ISI inspection report. It numbers regular concerto soloists, accomplished composers, those who have progressed up to and including the category finals of the BBC Young Musician competition, and chamber and popular musicians of all types amongst its current instrumentalists and singers, who perform in over 60 services, recitals, concerts, and productions each year.

Clifton College, in partnership with Bristol Cathedral, is delighted to announce its intention to appoint a suitably qualified candidate to the prestigious new position of the Sir David Willcocks Organ Scholar from September 2013. This 16+ post is for a Sixth Form entrant, running for the two years. Successive scholars will be appointed on an annual basis.

The candidate will receive £5000 a year from the David Willcocks Trust as well as generous means-tested funding to cover the rest of either a boarding or day-pupil place, which could be as much as 100% of fees.

The requirements made of forthcoming candidates are as follows:

• to be of at least Grade VII standard or equivalent on the organ by the time s/he enters the Sixth Form
• to be keen to work towards the ARCO and higher diplomas of the Royal College of Organists
• to be likely to have an interest in entering into a university or conservatoire organ scholarship upon leaving Clifton
• to take A Level Music together with supplementary training in theoretical and keyboard skills; A Level Music Technology is also offered at Clifton
• s/he must fulfil the standard Sixth Form academic entry requirements of Clifton

Clifton College Chapel in 1911
with the newly installed organ

The organ scholar will benefit from the wide range of musical opportunities provided by Clifton and its partner institution, Bristol Cathedral:

• use of the four-manual organs of Clifton (Harrison and Harrison, 1911, altered 1978, restored 1994) and the Cathedral (Walker and Sons, 1907, restored 1989, 2004) as well as other practice organs in Clifton College
• integrated as part of the provided course of organ lessons, weekly experience of training and playing for Cathedral evensong, with close mentoring under the Cathedral Sub-Organist, involving individually-tailored programmes to develop the necessary skills for accompanying psalms, hymns and anthems
• free tuition on subsequent instrument(s) or for voice
• in highly flexible combination with the full-time College Organist, accompanying the College Chapel and Chamber choirs, playing for the College’s weekday morning short services and Sunday morning services and evensongs, as well as on the regular trips to other cathedrals and Oxbridge colleges
• continuing in a tradition of excellence of musicianship at Clifton, with the opportunity to perform with current ensembles within Clifton, including the Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Big Band, Brass Group, Cello Ensembles, Jazz Workshop, Soul Band, other chamber ensembles, as well as opportunities to perform alongside professional musicians at the annual Summer Serenade Concerto Concert, with the Bristol Ensemble, and Student Composition Concert
• first-class music facilities in the newly-refurbished Joseph Cooper Music School, complete with its suite of Yamaha practice pianos, state-of-the-art recording studio, multiple classrooms fully equipped with Apple Macs, and the support of a department of six full-time staff members and over 30 visiting music teachers
• support to take advantage where appropriate of the vibrant organ scene in Bristol, with its fine array of instruments, including in addition to those of Clifton and Cathedral, the organs at St Mary Redcliffe and at the Colston Hall, and in the numerous parish churches and chapels of the city; in addition opportunities with the friendly and very active Bristol and District Organists’ Association

Naturally, there is the full range of academic opportunities in the Sixth Form – 16 Oxbridge offers in 2011–12 – alongside its noted sporting and co-curricular programmes.

The Director of Music (as from 2012), Mr Daniel Robson (drobson@clifton-college.avon.sch.uk), and the College Organist, Mr James Drinkwater (jdrinkwater@clifton-college.avon.sch.uk), are always happy to meet potential applicants and to arrange visits to Clifton.

Scholarship application deadlines:
Monday 29th October 2012 for the November assessments
Monday 4th February 2013 for the February assessments

Sixth Form Open Evening:
Wednesday 10th October 2012

Music and Organ Scholarship assessment dates:
w/c 19th November 2012
w/c 25th February 2013

Complete Scholarship and Bursaries Leaflet.

Clifton College Orchestra 1935 David Willcocks (back row, second from right) with Douglas Fox (front row, centre)

20 July 2012

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