Issue 491 – Westbury man’s composition wins national competition

Local teacher and musician, Chris Totney, is celebrating after winning a national competition to compose a piece of music to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

Chris, husband of the White Horse team curate, Jennifer, is assistant director of music at Dauntsey’s School in West Lavington, and recently took over St John’s Church Choir in Devizes. His composition, ‘The Mystery of Christ’, for four voices and keyboard, came first out of around 50 entries. Chris explained, “It had to be written with non-professional, less experienced singers in mind.”
The final, in which four shortlisted entries were performed, took place at London’s Temple Church. 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 recently featured in Aled Jones’s programme ‘The Choir’ on BBC Radio 3. Chris said, “To receive the prize from Bob Chilcott was very special, as his music has opened new doors to people who really want to enjoy singing. He has introduced choirs to a genre that strikes a perfect balance between pop and classical, and I tried to base my piece on that kind of model.”
The work will now be published by the Royal School of Church Music and will receive its first official performance by the Millennium Youth Choir later this year, after which it is hoped that it will enter the repertoire of church and school choirs across the country.