I cannot let pass without note that Stephen Cleobury has
let it be known that he will retire from his directorship of the King’s College
Choir in 2019.
I do like the understated headline on the King’s site – “King's
advertises for a new Director of Music”.
Anyone wish to apply?
Any salute I give to Dr. Cleobury will either fall short of
what this great man merits or will veer too close to idolatry. I will say that I have been impressed
by his energy and accessibility. Some
of the youth of my church and I enjoyed a concert of his in Beeville, Texas of
all places, and we all enjoyed chatting with him. I have also enjoyed briefly chatting with him in King’s
College Chapel on more than one occasion.
As for why he is retiring, I do not presume to know his
mind. But although his longevity
is remarkable, he is not as young as he once was. He began his service at King’s in 1982! And after listening to the Nine Lessons
and Carols this past Christmas, I thought that after the Lessons later this
year might be the time he would choose to retire. For this year will be the 100th Anniversary of
Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s, which started just after the end of World
War I. It would be very
understandable if he desired to preside over that.
That now shall be all the more a special, if bittersweet,
occasion indeed.
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