The View From My Study 7 February 2025

Following the live recording of the Evensong service for Radio 3 on Wednesday afternoon, the producer appeared and said that it was one of the best recordings he had heard in recent years. That is quite an accolade from someone who hears a lot of choirs.

On another forum the former classical music correspondent of the London Evening Standard wrote, “I have rarely heard the psalms sung better,” while another music director wrote, “Rugby School and Bilton Grange have done a great job in creating cathedral choir standards at a time when many of the existing cathedral choirs are losing singers, funding and their way in the world of music-making.”

Evensong, and traditional church choral music, may not be to everyone’s tastes yet one would find it hard to deny the quality, purity and control of the voices. It remains an important and cherished tradition to many, offering a moment of peace, reflection and spiritual renewal in an increasingly fast-paced world.

It is mental health week and we have been exploring various aspects of this important topic in school this week. Music is known to have profound effects on mental health and that is why we value it, in all its forms, so much at Bilton Grange. Studies have shown that listening to choral music can lower stress levels, decrease cortisol (the stress hormone), and promote feelings of relaxation and comfort. The structured yet meditative nature of the Evensong service in particular provides a space where people can pause, breathe, and reset.

Time and again I am amazed by the sounds I hear from the musicians at BG, whatever the musical genre, and when I look at the faces of other listeners around me, I can see joy in every one. If that isn’t a sign of positive mental health then I don’t know what is!