LONDON
23.08.24 - 25.08.24
Join us for an unforgettable weekend of singing at the awe-inspiring St. Paul's Cathedral and outstanding Westminster Abbey. Building upon the resounding success of our previous choral course in London back in 2023, this immersive experience promises even greater harmonies and heartwarming moments.
The cultural capital boasts a plethora of historic churches to choose from. Our London course takes FISP to St Paul's Cathedral for two services (one under the inconic Dome, and the other in the Quire), and Westminster Abbey - the place of the recent Coronation, which championed English Choral music at its finest.
Our established singing course model guarantees magnificent singing opportunities, expert tuition and fun with like-minded singers.
“Such an uplifting experience! Caius inspires, teaches, and entertains! The pace is frantic, the results amazing! The venues are awesome and his team are superb! The way he melds us into a polished choir in the space of a day is magic!!”
— London 2023 Participant
Have you considered becoming a Friend of FISP? Priory booking, 5% discounts on UK courses, and supporting our part leaders. Become a friend today.
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Priority booking open to Friends of FISP: 28/11/23
Second release booking open: 15/01/24
Price list
Single room - £435
Twin room - £285 per person
Double room - £550 per person
Payment plans available
Single: £100 deposit per person
Double: £200
Non-accommodation - £225 per person
2024 Repertoire
Our choir's repertoire this year includes a rich and diverse selection of sacred choral works, showcasing a variety of styles and periods. Here’s an overview of the pieces we will be performing:
Murrill in E - Herbert Murrill
Herbert Murrill's setting in E is a beloved piece of 20th-century Anglican church music, known for its vibrant harmonies and lyrical qualities.
Kelly in C - Bryan Kelly
Bryan Kelly's setting in C is celebrated for its bright tonality and rhythmic vitality, adding a refreshing modern touch to traditional liturgical texts.
Give unto the Lord - Edward Elgar
Elgar's "Give unto the Lord," a powerful anthem setting Psalm 29 to music, features dramatic contrasts and lush orchestration, conveying deep spiritual and emotional resonance.
The Spirit of the Lord - Edward Elgar
From Elgar's oratorio "The Apostles," "The Spirit of the Lord" is characterised by profound spiritual depth and sweeping melodic lines, capturing divine inspiration.
Thou Lord hast Searched me and Known me - William Marsh
Marsh's piece explores divine omniscience and personal reflection with expressive harmonies and lyrical passages, making it a poignant and moving work.
Mass for Four Voices - William Byrd
Byrd's "Mass for Four Voices" is a Renaissance choral cornerstone, noted for its intricate polyphony and rich textual interplay, showcasing Byrd's masterful vocal writing.
Ave Maria - Robert Parsons
Parsons' "Ave Maria" is a stunning example of English Renaissance music, celebrated for its serene beauty and exquisite counterpoint.
Shephard Responses - Richard Shephard
Shephard's responses are staples in the Anglican choral tradition, appreciated for their clarity, elegance, and liturgical suitability.
This year's repertoire highlights the evolution of sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the modern era, offering a variety of musical textures and emotional expressions. Each piece has been carefully selected to challenge our choir and enrich our audience's experience, celebrating the enduring beauty and spiritual power of choral music. We look forward to sharing these works with you and celebrating the rich heritage of sacred music.
For those eager to get a head start, we'll provide rehearsal tracks and sheet music beforehand. This years program will feature enchanting services including a Eucharist and Evensong at West Minister Abbey, and two Evensongs at St. Pauls to cap off the experience. This unique opportunity allows music-lovers to safely connect with equally enthusiastic people who share a passion for choral music.
Please note: music can be subject to change depending on circumstances.
Listen to our London 2023 course participants singing Ave Velum by Colin Mawby at the St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark.
Meet the tutors
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Not from a musical family, Caius' journey started at Bradford Cathedral, aged 11, and became Organ Scholar, aged 15. He joined Leeds Cathedral as Organ Scholar aged 17, concurrently holding the Idelwield Conducting Scholarship and was appointed Assistant Organist a year later. He read Music at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, as the Neville Burston Organ Scholar, accompanying the girls' and undergraduate choirs for concerts, international tours, broadcasts and CD recordings. Alongside this, he was the President of the College Music Society, the Student Representative on the Public Engagement and Outreach Committee and a Cambassador (an initiative by the Cambridge Admissions Office to encourage higher education applications irrespective of background).
An advocate for bringing singing opportunities to the broader community, Caius ran a children's choir, aged 15, which won its class at the 2016 Mrs Sunderland Music Festival and has co-delivered organ and choral workshops with David Baker nationwide, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. He is a choral tutor at the Historically Informed Summer School and has led sessions exploring the repertoire of 'Tudor Queens', 'The Medici' and 'The Borgias'. He has also taught at the Oxford and Cambridge Singing School and led workshops on the 8 & 10 part music of Victoria, Guerrero and Vecchi for the North East Early Music Forum.
Since 2019, Caius has been a trustee for Awards for Young Musicians. This charity supports talented young musicians from low-income families, helping them overcome financial and social barriers in their musical journeys. In July 2021, he helped organise the Europa Cantat Festival in Slovenia as a Young Event Manager and has actively played or conducted across Europe. Firstly, on an Erasmus + funded scheme in 2018 - 2019, to conduct choirs in Italy, France, and Poland, then subsequently as a freelance musician in Brazil, Germany, France, and Sweden.
Returning to the Diocese of Leeds in September 2021, he is a Choral Director, helping to deliver the internationally acclaimed Schools' Singing Programme, which works with 6,000 children singing weekly. He is the Musical Director of The Bradford Chorale, Accompanist for The York Musical Society, and a Sing for Pleasure Conducting Scholar. His commitment and passion for providing singing opportunities to disadvantaged areas have recently been recognised with a Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Fellowship and a recent keynote speech at the 2022 Music Teachers Association Conference. In his spare time, Caius enjoys athletics, having previously represented his county in the national championships and travelling!