A STOGURSEY resident and retired Church of England minister has won a musical development scholarship worth up to £1,000.

The news was music to the ears for Chris Moorsom, an active amateur keyboard player and violinist who also sings in the local chamber and church choirs and plays organ at the parish church in the village.

Though recently retired from his role of Precentor at Derby Cathedral after 36 years of ordained ministry in a variety of roles, Chris is not seeking to put his feet up in Somerset.

He is pursuing a new phase of his ministry where he can help out at churches, interchanging between his priestly and musical roles to provide support for musicians and ministers in rural parishes, where they can feel quite isolated.

Mr Moorsom is also working as a volunteer to help lead the Royal School of Church Music training days, such as a recent ‘Lift up your Voice (and your instrument too) event,’ which is aimed at churches without a formal choir or organist, alongside Miles Quick, head of Congregational and Instrumental Music at the RSCM.

The award is delivered in the form of a week’s residence and tuition at the RSCM’s summer school in August 2019 where Chris will take part in a range of workshops led by world-renowned church music experts such as composer Cecilia McDowall.

Mr Moorsom said: “Attending this conference will, I believe, help me gain a world perspective of church music.

"It provides a great opportunity to meet and engage with church musicians from across the globe and a wide musical spectrum."