The following, dated March 2005, is taken from the website of the Royal College of Organists and was issued when Carleton was elected to the Council of that organisation.

"Carleton Etherington is organist of Tewkesbury Abbey. Educated at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester and London’s Royal Academy of Music, he studies with Peter Hurford and David Sanger and graduated with BMus from London University. Carleton was organ scholar at St Bride’s Church Fleet Street, before taking up the post of Sub Organist at Leeds Parish Church.

During this time he built up a reputation as one of the leading players of his generation, winning first prize at the 1992 Paisley International Organ Competition and the RCO Performer of the Year in 1993.

He has performed at most of the major venues throughout the UK and further afield in Europe, Australia and America. Carleton has broadcast on BBC radio many times and has several recordings to his credit. He has performed and toured with the CBSO and until recently was accompanist to the CBSO Junior Chorus.

Since moving to Tewkesbury he has involved himself with the local music scene. He is conductor of Cirencester Choral Society, Chairman of the Gloucestershire Organists Association, a member of the Gloucestershire Area RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) committee, an examiner for RSCM and an active teacher, encouraging pupils at all levels."
 

IAN RICHARD GERRARD – MY MUSICAL LIFE

I was brought up in Morecambe, of Northern Ireland/Lancashire ancestry, where I went to school with Janette Scott (Thora Hird’s daughter), knew Mrs Bartholomew (Eric Morecambe’s mother), and started to ham it up in amateur dramatics and play all the right notes on the piano (but not necessarily in the right order) at an early age. When I was 7 my grandfather (piano teacher, organist & choirmaster) took me in hand. After losing patience, he handed me over to my father - another professional pianist who had played in a Dance Band during the Second World War – who then took over my piano tuition. After losing patience, he handed me over to another tutor in Morecambe, then Lancaster, and finally Manchester.

In 1958, aged 15, I was awarded a Gold Medal from The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, gaining the highest marks (143 out of 150) at Grade 8 (the top grade) for any instrument – mine being the piano. The ABRSM had just stopped having gold medals minted so I was given some piano music instead - a sorrow (and the Beethoven sonatas) I have carried with me ever since. The next year I was despatched on a steam train every other Saturday to Manchester to have piano lessons from Claude Biggs, John Ogden’s tutor. Subsequently I had lessons between 1960 and 1964 from Clifton Helliwell for accompaniment and John Ogden for solo work. Sir John Barbirolli also cultivated my love of conducting.

In 1964, I graduated from Manchester University with a Mus.B. (Hons) degree and from the Royal Manchester College of Music with a GRSM degree and ARMCM (Teaching) and ARMCM (Performance) Diplomas. Whilst there, I was Chairman of Manchester University Chorus which took its members from the whole University and regularly broadcast from the BBC Radio North studios in Manchester where Clifton Helliwell was the resident accompanist.

Suffice it to say that I have produced, directed, or performed in all manner of pantomimes, olde-tyme music halls, plays, musicals, operas, operettas, oratorios and concerts. Most recently, in December 2009, I was musical director of ‘Toad of Toad Hall’ for PODS at No.8 and will be MD again for ‘The Merry Widow’ in June, and ‘The Slipper and the Rose’ in December,  2011.

I joined Pershore Choral 25 years ago and continue to work with them as accompanist and assistant conductor. Last year I suggested a Beethoven concert to include the ‘Choral Fantasia’ and the ‘Mass in C’. This idea was taken up and what you will hear on 13^th November is the result. Hopefully all the right notes - and in the right order - will be performed by everyone on the night!   

IAN GERRARD, Accompanist and Assistant Director