David Fawcett
@choralwork.bsky.social
Mission and ministry to children and young people through traditional church music. Want to see many more children everywhere have the chance to grow in faith and become leaders in parish church music ministry. Building for the future in Swanage, Dorset.
If you involve children and young people in church #music, or want to do so, join us in Dulwich on Saturday 28 June.
A day of practical demonstrations, topic discussion, peer-to-peer mentoring and support.
www.rscm.org.uk/events/young...
A day of practical demonstrations, topic discussion, peer-to-peer mentoring and support.
www.rscm.org.uk/events/young...
April 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM
If you involve children and young people in church #music, or want to do so, join us in Dulwich on Saturday 28 June.
A day of practical demonstrations, topic discussion, peer-to-peer mentoring and support.
www.rscm.org.uk/events/young...
A day of practical demonstrations, topic discussion, peer-to-peer mentoring and support.
www.rscm.org.uk/events/young...
Good to see the Church Times considers the launch of the RSCM Young Voices Toolkit to be front-page news. I agree! Let’s get more children everywhere leading church #music.
April 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Good to see the Church Times considers the launch of the RSCM Young Voices Toolkit to be front-page news. I agree! Let’s get more children everywhere leading church #music.
April 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
The RSCM Young Voices Toolkit is already proving useful. This morning, someone contacted me for my thoughts on an aspect of starting a junior choir, and I was able to point to a page of the Toolkit.
www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
Young Voices Toolkit | Young Voices in Church Music | RSCM
A step-by-step approach to involving children in your church’s music | before you start | structures and plans to develop | resources | attract and motivate
www.rscm.org.uk
March 27, 2025 at 10:32 AM
The RSCM Young Voices Toolkit is already proving useful. This morning, someone contacted me for my thoughts on an aspect of starting a junior choir, and I was able to point to a page of the Toolkit.
www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
I delighted that the Royal School of Church Music's 'Young Voices Toolkit' has gone live today. It's a fantastic new step by step guide with associated resources for any church seeking to reconnect with children and young people through #music. www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
Young Voices Toolkit | Young Voices in Church Music | RSCM
A step-by-step approach to involving children in your church’s music | before you start | structures and plans to develop | resources | attract and motivate
www.rscm.org.uk
March 26, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I delighted that the Royal School of Church Music's 'Young Voices Toolkit' has gone live today. It's a fantastic new step by step guide with associated resources for any church seeking to reconnect with children and young people through #music. www.rscm.org.uk/young-voices...
If you are building a junior choir in your church, or want to do so, then join the new RSCM Young Voices Network on Facebook, to share experiences, gain inspiration and fresh ideas, and help deliver a resurgence in children leading #music in worship. facebook.com/groups/15932...
March 12, 2025 at 6:03 PM
If you are building a junior choir in your church, or want to do so, then join the new RSCM Young Voices Network on Facebook, to share experiences, gain inspiration and fresh ideas, and help deliver a resurgence in children leading #music in worship. facebook.com/groups/15932...
Trad CofE church in 1980s: 'We need to lose the choir, because it's in the way of our drive to make the church more accessible to the young.' Choir: 'What about these 20 kids? In the choir stalls, every week'. Church: 'They don't count.'
Church now: 'Where are the children?'.
Church now: 'Where are the children?'.
February 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Trad CofE church in 1980s: 'We need to lose the choir, because it's in the way of our drive to make the church more accessible to the young.' Choir: 'What about these 20 kids? In the choir stalls, every week'. Church: 'They don't count.'
Church now: 'Where are the children?'.
Church now: 'Where are the children?'.
I'm delighted that we're taking seven of our choristers from St Mary's, Swanage to join with RSCM Voices West in singing Choral #Evensong in Wells Cathedral on 22 February. We are proud to be pioneers, as the RSCM explores how once more to involve young people in these events.
This Sat 22 Feb RSCM Voices West partners with @choralwork.bsky.social & St Mary’s Swanage to bring together 2 choirs for a special day singing in @wellscathedral.bsky.social
Hear the 2 choirs in action in a service of Choral Evensong at 5:15pm with music by Stanford, Bainton & Bob Chilcott
Hear the 2 choirs in action in a service of Choral Evensong at 5:15pm with music by Stanford, Bainton & Bob Chilcott
February 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I'm delighted that we're taking seven of our choristers from St Mary's, Swanage to join with RSCM Voices West in singing Choral #Evensong in Wells Cathedral on 22 February. We are proud to be pioneers, as the RSCM explores how once more to involve young people in these events.
The decline in young people singing in church choirs has been steep. But it’s not irreversible. With the inspiring initiative that the RSCM is about to launch, more of us will feel confident to do our bit to turn the tide. If not us, who? If not now, when? www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/202...
RSCM calls for action to keep children singing in church choirs
Two thirds church choirs have no members under 18, its survey says
www.churchtimes.co.uk
February 14, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The decline in young people singing in church choirs has been steep. But it’s not irreversible. With the inspiring initiative that the RSCM is about to launch, more of us will feel confident to do our bit to turn the tide. If not us, who? If not now, when? www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/202...
This online event aims to encourage other people to try what I set out to do, and get children back into church choirs and leading #music in worship. We've assembled resources to support churches in this, and will introduce them on 2 April. Sign up here: www.rscm.org.uk/events/onlin...
February 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This online event aims to encourage other people to try what I set out to do, and get children back into church choirs and leading #music in worship. We've assembled resources to support churches in this, and will introduce them on 2 April. Sign up here: www.rscm.org.uk/events/onlin...
Can you help with this, @salisbury.anglican.org? Please repost. @jonathantriffitt.bsky.social
Calling out to churches in the Salisbury Diocese. Which of you are successfully growing ministry among children and young people through music (choirs or otherwise)? Or who would like to do so but lacks resources or ideas? Get in touch if you are interested in sharing learning.
February 10, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Can you help with this, @salisbury.anglican.org? Please repost. @jonathantriffitt.bsky.social
Calling out to churches in the Salisbury Diocese. Which of you are successfully growing ministry among children and young people through music (choirs or otherwise)? Or who would like to do so but lacks resources or ideas? Get in touch if you are interested in sharing learning.
February 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Calling out to churches in the Salisbury Diocese. Which of you are successfully growing ministry among children and young people through music (choirs or otherwise)? Or who would like to do so but lacks resources or ideas? Get in touch if you are interested in sharing learning.
As two more choristers receive their surplices, we celebrate the fresh approaches which have grown a faithful choir of 16 children. And from recent discussions it begins to feel as if this could be widespread. The message of #music as mission is hitting home. The Spirit is moving in the church.
February 5, 2025 at 6:07 PM
As two more choristers receive their surplices, we celebrate the fresh approaches which have grown a faithful choir of 16 children. And from recent discussions it begins to feel as if this could be widespread. The message of #music as mission is hitting home. The Spirit is moving in the church.
It’s great to see a schools singing programme led by a cathedral that doesn’t bypass the parish churches, but helps them connect musically to local schools.
Well done to Year 4 at The Curzon CE Primary School, part of our Music in Schools programme, who sang at the Christingle Service at St Paul's Quarndon this afternoon. They were absolutely brilliant! 🕯️
This is one of the ways that the Music in Schools programme is engaging with local church.
This is one of the ways that the Music in Schools programme is engaging with local church.
January 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
It’s great to see a schools singing programme led by a cathedral that doesn’t bypass the parish churches, but helps them connect musically to local schools.
Eleven children singing Choral #Evensong with the adults tonight. Three months ago, that would have been unexpected. Two years ago it would have been a dream. Four years ago it would have been inconceivable. Just do it. Bit by bit. You can rebuild children’s involvement in church #music. Keep on.
January 19, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Are any church or chamber choirs which are planning a European visit this spring or summer short of an experienced and confident tenor/baritone? I was hoping to book a singing holiday but can’t find one that suits. Please spread the word.
January 14, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Are any church or chamber choirs which are planning a European visit this spring or summer short of an experienced and confident tenor/baritone? I was hoping to book a singing holiday but can’t find one that suits. Please spread the word.
The choir of St Mary’s, Swanage, ahead of our nine lessons and carols yesterday. Fourteen of our choristers joined the adults to make up a choir of 50. We are going to have to start thinking about reconfiguring the choir stalls to fit everyone in. Four more new choristers arriving in the new year!
December 23, 2024 at 6:22 PM
The choir of St Mary’s, Swanage, ahead of our nine lessons and carols yesterday. Fourteen of our choristers joined the adults to make up a choir of 50. We are going to have to start thinking about reconfiguring the choir stalls to fit everyone in. Four more new choristers arriving in the new year!
Two Christmases ago, only two of our current crop of under-14yo choristers were in the choir. This evening, 14 (out of a total of 15) sang to a packed church in our Town Carol Service. That’s how fast it can grow, if you provide the conditions and keep working at it. Church #music has a future.
December 22, 2024 at 9:51 PM
Two Christmases ago, only two of our current crop of under-14yo choristers were in the choir. This evening, 14 (out of a total of 15) sang to a packed church in our Town Carol Service. That’s how fast it can grow, if you provide the conditions and keep working at it. Church #music has a future.
Quick pitstop after an hour in a cold church, making up 15 folders for our junior choristers ahead of the Town Carol Service on Sunday. A reminder of the many unpaid hours church musicians put in over the official quota if they want to rebuild children’s involvement in #church #music.
December 19, 2024 at 10:11 AM
Perhaps there's still time for me to go for FRCO after all....
Man, 88, passes grade 8 piano with distinction, 67 years after taking grade 7
Man, 88, passes grade 8 piano with distinction, 67 years after taking grade 7
Ray Eveleigh says playing helps keep his brain active and wife and daughter encouraged him to go for grade 8
By the age of 88, most of us imagine our exam days are long over. But for Ray Eveleigh, the challenge of taking grade 8 piano was too much to…
www.theguardian.com
December 12, 2024 at 1:55 PM
Perhaps there's still time for me to go for FRCO after all....
I’m glad the term ‘tone deaf’ has been appropriated to mean an ill-judged comment, because in the music world it is one of the most inaccurately used terms. People often apply it to themselves because of something unkind someone once said to them. No-one should EVER use it in reference to a child.
December 12, 2024 at 7:53 AM
I’m glad the term ‘tone deaf’ has been appropriated to mean an ill-judged comment, because in the music world it is one of the most inaccurately used terms. People often apply it to themselves because of something unkind someone once said to them. No-one should EVER use it in reference to a child.
I wonder who Follower #600 will be…
December 10, 2024 at 9:41 PM
I wonder who Follower #600 will be…
The safeguarding issue in the @churchofengland is not that individuals in parishes cannot deliver it. They can. It is that too often senior figures failed to act on reported incidents. It would be tragic if in response the Church made it even harder for us to work with children and young people.
December 8, 2024 at 8:21 PM
The safeguarding issue in the @churchofengland is not that individuals in parishes cannot deliver it. They can. It is that too often senior figures failed to act on reported incidents. It would be tragic if in response the Church made it even harder for us to work with children and young people.
Still surprised that more people don’t get this. Or do they just not know how to go about it? Honestly, it ain’t rocket science. It can be done.
My aims are to involve many more children in meaning-rich faith-based music, to help others do likewise, and to show The Church the power of music ministry to reach children and young people and drive growth. I’m not about ‘preserving’ anything: I’m all about growth.
December 7, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Still surprised that more people don’t get this. Or do they just not know how to go about it? Honestly, it ain’t rocket science. It can be done.