AT a well-attended evensong at St Thomas-on-the Bourne on Sunday, October 11, a presentation was held for 10 girls from St Thomas’ choir who had earned prestigious Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) awards during the past 12 months.

The presentation - of six RSCM Bishop’s (silver) and four Dean’s (bronze) awards - was made by Iain Nisbet, awards administrator for the RSCM for the Guildford area.

Introducing the awards, Iain commented that it was a pleasure to come to St Thomas’ and to hear the choir in such good form, with a highly appropriate selection of celebratory music.

This included introit Cantate Domino by Pitoni, responses by Reading, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis setting Stanford in C, and anthem Haec Dies, Byrd.

Iain highlighted that the awards represent independent confirmation of the achievement of the choristers and the training they have received – “they are a significant achievement and should be celebrated”.

As part of their choral training, the boys and girls in the choir work towards graded awards that are set by the RSCM. The exams test musical ability through solo performance of prepared pieces, partly unaccompanied – a hymn, psalm and anthem (plus Magnificat for the Bishop’s award) – and sight-reading and aural tests, general musical questions based on the prepared pieces, and understanding of the Bible, liturgy and the role of the choir in the church.

The exams are rigorous, and success requires thorough preparation and practice.

During the last year, the 10 choristers from St Thomas’ sat these exams, with the vast majority achieving honours in the ‘commended’ and ‘highly commended’ categories, with marks ranging from 72 per cent to 91 per cent.

St Thomas’ had the highest number of entries in the diocese, even well above Guildford Cathedral, and the examiner commented on the particularly high standard of the St Thomas’ choristers. This term, a further four girls will take the exam for the Bishop’s award, and four boys will take the Dean’s award exam.

The choirs of St Thomas-on-the Bourne maintain a long tradition and high standard of choral singing, and can be heard every Sunday morning. In addition, Choral Evensong is regularly sung at 6pm on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, with music by Stanford, Parry, Byrd and many others.

During November, as well as evensong on November 22, there will be two special Sunday evening services - on Remembrance Sunday (November 8) a reflective Eucharist for Peace will be held incorporating several extracts from Faure’s Requiem, followed by the advent procession on November 29.

This is just the start of the build-up to the usual Christmas services at St Thomas’, including the Nine Lessons and Carols on December 20.

For further information visit the website www.thebourne.org.uk.