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We are a small group of church musicians
based in Devon, UK. It is expected that the group will expand as more
advice is sought from those with greater expertise than those of us just
starting out on this venture. We believe that we have identified quite a
serious problem with the way church music is being delivered in the
conventional way and have wanted for some time to improve on this.
Our group consists at present of the
following members:
| Clive Sawers |
Clive is a semi-retired
Traffic Engineer by profession but has had a great love of music
since as long as he can remember. He has sung in many choirs and
operatic societies and started to conduct them in the 1970s. He
taught himself to play the organ for worship from 1982 when he
suddenly found himself in demand at a village church in Berkshire,
so it was rather "in at the deep end". His conducting
skills meant that he developed a strong rhythmic approach to his
playing, leading rather than accompanying the singing.
He has
written a small number of hymns and carols and has written some
tunes that might be useful in updating those hymns where the words
might be regarded as timeless but the standard tune has passed its
"sell-by" date. He has derived most of the complete settings of
hymns and worship songs that we plan to publish shortly.
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| Ray Knowles |
Raymond
Knowles is a semi-retired Electronics Design Engineer, also into
computers, software and website design. He has been playing music
since his school days, including piano accordion and playing the
organ at the local social club for free beer!
He started playing church organs in 1985, and
having spent some time with theatre-type instruments, is
well-experienced in using the organ as a real-time sound
synthesiser, just as it was in the days of silent movies. He is
also into the American evangelical sound, with Hammond organs and
Leslie speakers.
Ray and his wife Katie moved to Devon in 2006,
and he was appointed Organist at the Church of St John the
Baptist, Shiphay, Torquay. He also serves as reserve organist at St Paul's,
Newton Abbot, and various other local Churches. |
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| Judy
Reeves |
Judy joined the Wolborough and
Ogwell group of churches in Newton Abbot in May 2012, having
served at St Paul's Preston, Torbay and at a number of churches on
The Lizard in Cornwall. She is trained to Grade 8 piano and is
preparing for Grade 8 on the organ. She is exceptionally
accomplished and has an amazing talent with young people.
She is currently doing the
Foundation Degree in Church Music by the RSCM and Canterbury
Christ Church University.
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The Late
Richard Hickox.
Clive says he learnt his
conducting skills from Richard who conducted
the Cambridge University
Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
Clive sang in the chorus for three
years 1967-1970. |
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