Stops pulled on church organist who backed his ‘tuneless’ choir

THE church choir is generally assumed to be a bastion of inclusivity, acceptance and love for all.

Not, it would seem, in Harpenden, where a church organist felt he had no option but to leave his post after trying to stand up for the tuneless older singers sidelined by a handful of “sharp-elbowed” London types.

Peter Hopkins had been musical director of the choir at St Nicholas Church in the leafy Hertfordshire suburb for six years. But he claims he was “effectively ousted” by resentful singers who did not believe those with more enthusiasm than talent should be allowed some of the limelight.

Mr Hopkins, from St Albans, who has been head of music at several leading schools, said he was “of the view” that the choir should include all types of singers, good and bad.

However, within the last year, some “ringleaders” had joined the choir who felt that the better singers should take priority.

While the organist was keen to be discreet, a source close to the choir revealed there had been an “influx” of members aged around 35-40 whose

‘I am an inclusive organist and I want everybody to sing, whether they are any good or not’

behaviour and “barbed comments” at rehearsals had raised eyebrows.

“These are cut-throat lawyer types who work in London and want to apply the same technique they apply in the workplace in the church choir, which just doesn’t work,” the source said.

“You have to be nice. But they try to dominate. They are sharp-elbowed adults who don’t seem to be able to sit back and let the expert do his job.”

One of the problems in that particular area is that there are many “wellheeled” parents who commute to London but moved to the Home Counties to get their children into good local state schools.

Mr Hopkins, 57, said: “I am an inclusive organist and I want everybody to sing, whether they are any good or not.”

The group boasts up to 30 members, aged eight to 80, but it is understood that even the children were sidelined by some.