Tag: Andrew Clayton
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48 Hours
Today, my oratorio 48 Hours in Jerusalem premiered at St Gabriel’s Church, Walsall. What’s in the box? Ten new songs, six soloists, and one very nervous piano player brought the Easter story to life in a new way – exploring the lives of Jesus’ followers in the immediate aftermath of his execution. Acknowledgements I must…
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All the right notes
The challenge today is writing words to fit existing music. Or if you prefer, poetry with fixed limits. For Maundy Thursday this year I have addressed the annual search for a church song that doesn’t focus on resurrection, but that people can remember. Maundy Thursday is one of those dates on the calendar that has…
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Holy, Holy, Holy Week
As we enter the peak of the Christian Calendar (festival wise – Lent on the run up to Easter, then all the way down the hill to Pentecost…) I’ve been writing again. This time I went looking for Hosannas and I found them in the obvious place – Anglican liturgy. So I’ve developed a song…
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Song for Lent and Eastertide
Here’s a new song I wrote for today’s Lichfield Diocese Green Team study day: Lead us, O Lord, from death to life,Teach us to steward the world you have made.Give us the will to speak and actonly and always in Jesus’ name. In the valley of bones,Father almighty, hear our prayer.Give us the words to…
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Melomane!
I’ve enjoyed working with Apollo, the music charity in Birmingham over the last couple of years. The Apollo Academy Youth Orchestra is once again setting forth with a wonderful plan – to gather musicians of all standards and stripes for a play day. You can sign up to join us here. There is plenty of…
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New music for Easter
I’m finishing up a presentation piece for Holy Saturday (April 19th, 2025) in conjunction with my employers at St Matthew’s Church, Walsall and St Gabriel’s Church, Fulbrook just down the road. Fr. Mark has been wonderful in supporting the project, and development has been partly funded by a generous grant from St Peter’s Saltley Trust.…
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Brass Band Play Day
Join Steve Pritchard-Jones and the wonderful West Midlands Police Band as they lead an open day of playing a selection of band pieces at St Matthew’s Church this May. Members of my band, Great Barr Brass, also play with the police band, and there’s an outside chance I’ll be picking up a trombone and playing…
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Mortal, can these bones live?
Imagine my delight recently to be invited by Lichfield Diocese Green Team to join them on a study day in Walsall. I’ll be helping out with sung worship, playing with Rev Rich Clarkson who I know through the 12 Song Challenge, and then working during the day to pen a new hymn for our act…
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New Year Resolutions?
I’m 10% into the “new” year, and not yet set on anything I want to change so badly I’ll make it a special focus. I guess I need to make more good music, lead more sung worship in the churches that ask me to, work harder with some of my friends on our collaborative efforts,…
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Deck the Mall
The Saddlers Centre is our local shopping destination. They have a public piano. Last month I was honoured to be asked to play the public piano at its post-lockdown re-launch, and when Becki the lovely person who manages the centre asked me if I did any Christmas music. Evidently, the answer is “yes”… and so…