A MEMBER of Holy Cross Choir at Crediton Parish Church, who was last year’s Head Chorister, will join a renowned organist and choir master, who has helped her greatly, to present a Summer Afternoon of Music at St Swithun’s Church, Sandford, from 3pm on Sunday, July 22.

Catherine Stoyle, who lives at East Village, will present the concert "Two in Harmony", with Dr Barry Rose OBE, which will include music for voice, flute, piano and organ.

Dr Rose, who will be accompanying Catherine, was aged just 25 when, in May 1960, he became the youngest cathedral organist in the country when he was appointed as the first Organist and Master of the Choristers of the new Guildford Cathedral.

At Guildford he founded a choir to sing the daily services, their first public appearance being the service of consecration on May 17, 1961 in the presence of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal family.

Just four years later, his new choir was "discovered" by EMI, and they made several best-selling recordings in the Cathedral, later awarded Platinum, Gold and Silver discs.

He moved to St Paul’s Cathedral in 1974 as a sub-organist and in 1977 was appointed as Master of the Choir.

He took over those duties at the Silver Jubilee Service for HM Queen Elizabeth on June 3, 1977, for which he wrote a setting of Psalm 121, and from then on directed the choir in their daily Worship Services, several State occasions including HM The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving (1977), HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother’s 80th Birthday Service (1980), the Wedding of HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer (1981), as well as a highly successful visit to the USA and Canada in June, 1980.

Barry left St Paul’s in 1984 and went to King’s School, Canterbury as master of the Choirs and then in 1988 his last Cathedral post was as master of the Music at the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban. He retired from that in 1997.

For 20 years he was Religious Music Advisor to the BBC’s Head of Religious Broadcasting.

In the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1998 he was appointed OBE for his services to cathedral music

He has links with choirs in New York, Connecticut and Philadelphia, and still continues to work with them in a regular basis.

Catherine met him whilst at Bramdean School in 2010 when he was re-visiting the school after many stints there directing the Chapel Choir.

He took her under his wing and has put her through all her singing grades up to Grade 8 and has prepared her for her Performance Diploma.

Catherine has been a member of the Holy Cross Choir for the past five years and was Head Chorister last year. Along with her Grade 8 singing, she has also achieved Grade 8 in flute and piano.

She is off to Chichester University in September to study for a four-year degree course in Music Performance.

This concert has been organised by Catherine and Dr Rose to perform some of the repertoire they have been working on for her Diploma along with some flute and piano pieces.

Dr Rose is also performing two organ pieces, one of which is the “Royal Air Force March Past” as he started his National Service (with the RAF) on July 22 in 1952. (Same date as this concert!)

The proceeds from the ticket sales will be divided between St Swithun’s Roof Fund and The Brain Tumour Charity.

Pimm’s (and squash) along with strawberries and cream will be served during the interval and the cost is included in the ticket price.

Tickets, priced at £6 (under 15’s free), can be booked by contacting Alison Stoyle on 01263 866204 or they will be available at the door.