MD steps down after 15 years
30 May 2022
It was announced today that our longest-ever serving Musical
Director, Lee Dunleavy, will step down after our Autumn concert, as
he begins training at Ripon College Cuddeston for priesthood in the
Church of England. We wish him well in his future vocation in the
church and are sure that his kindness, patience, and good humour, as
well as deeply-felt faith and intellect, will be clearly
transferrable skills! Lee has been supported in this process of
transition from musician to priest by a huge number of people, not
least his wife Sally, step-daughter Lottie, by friends and family,
and his church community at St Mary’s Wellingborough.
Lee back in 2007
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Lee in 2022
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Lee’s final concert with the choir will be on
Saturday 15
October, but he has curated the whole season, and made
arrangements for four guest conductors for the concerts and services
therein. This will give us plenty of time to advertise, audition,
and appoint his successor. The season (2022/23) Lee has curated
explores the theme of #ExpandingTheCanon, which the choir discussed
during the long Covid-19 lockdown in our “Fridays at Four” sessions
with experts. Established masterworks by Bruch, Handel, Mozart, and
Vivaldi, will be performed alongside neglected works by women
composers - Isabella Leonarda’s Magnificat, Marianna
Martines’s Quarta Messa, and Ethel Smyth’s Mass in D.
Lee has also planned ahead for his successor’s first season
(2023/24) which will include Bach’s St Matthew Passion,
Haydn’s The Creation, and Verdi’s Requiem - what an
amazing year for whomever is appointed!
Please make sure you have Saturday 15 October in your diaries, as we
anticipate that this will be a concert which is a sell out as we
give thanks for fifteen years of fantastic service to music in
Northamptonshire.
[Photo credits: 2007, Simon Tottman;
2022, David Jones]
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