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In the opinion of many, Barry (Michael) Rose is the greatest choir trainer in Britain. He came to Guildford at the age of 25 (at which time he was the youngest cathedral organist in the country) as a surprise appointment from St. Andrew's, Kingsbury. He moved to St. Paul's Cathedral in 1974 as Sub-organist and was appointed Master of the Choir in 1977. His enforced resignation in 1984 caused a storm of publicity in the national press. He subsequently moved to the King's School, Canterbury as Master of the Choirs. From 1971 to 1986 he was Religious Music Adviser to the BBC, a job that included booking the choirs for the weekly ‘Choral Evensong‘ broadcasts. He officially retired from his last post as Organist & Master of the Choristers at St. Alban’s Abbey on Christmas Day, 1997, although it has been suggested that reports of his retirement are greatly exaggerated. In June, 1998 he was awarded an O.B.E. for his services to cathedral music. |
