Devizes teacher wins choral prize

By Lewis Cohen

WILTSHIRE, UK — Devizes teacher and musician Chris Totney is
celebrating after winning a national competition to mark the 400th
anniversary of the King James Bible. Mr Totney, assistant director
of music at Dauntsey’s School in West Lavington, recently took over
St John’s choir in Devizes. His composition The Mystery of Christ,
for four voices and keyboard, came first out of around 50 entries.
“It had to be written with non-professional, less experienced
singers in mind,” said Mr Totney.

The final, in which four works were performed, took place at
London’s Temple Church last month. Adjudicator and champion of
contemporary British choral music, Bob Chilcott, described the
piece as “having an attractive shape and sound, which shows that
church music is alive and well, and moving forward.”

The work will be published by the Royal School of Church Music
and will receive its first official performance by the Millennium
Youth Choir later this year.