Rachel Mahon

Events

  • Q & A with Mel Butler and Rachel Mahon: Working with Choirs and Choristers-an Organist's Perspective
    808 Howell St
    July 6, 2022 @ 11:00 am
    This will be an informal session that explores what choir training is like within Mahon's experience. Mahon has worked as an organist and choir trainer in the United Kingdom since 2013 at four cathedral institutions, each with slightly different training schemes for choirs. Some have dedicated choir schools, while others take choristers from a variety of schools. They have different schedules and vastly different amounts of time dedicated to singing each week. Mel will ask questions such as what is a typical rehearsal like? How do you recruit boys and girls and what are the arguments for keeping them separate? What provision is there for adults? How do you teach people to sight-read music? There will be the chance for you to ask your own questions too. The focus will be on children’s choirs, but with some overlap into adult choirs.

Rachel-Mahon
About

Canadian organist Rachel Mahon is Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral (UK), where, along with playing the organ and curating the recital series, she trains and conducts the Cathedral Choir. Prior to this, she was Assistant Director of Music and before that she was Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral where she worked regularly with the Cathedral Choir.

Rachel was Organ Scholar at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England from 2014-2016, and made history as the first female organist on staff in its 1400-year history. As one of the staff organists, she gave recitals and regularly played and conducted for services, working with the world-famous Cathedral Choir in the daily cycle of worship as well as services of National significance.

She combines life as a Cathedral musician with a busy international recital schedule, touring as soloist and as part of Organized Crime Duo. Recent engagements include the Royal Canadian College of Organists’ National Convention 2016 & 2021; Orgelsommer Festivals 2016 & 2017, Lüneburg, Germany; The Toronto Bach Festival 2018; Haderslev Cathedral, Denmark; the Royal College of Organists Winter Conference 2021; and the Lichfield Festival 2021. . Rachel has appeared on radio as performer and presenter, most recently accompanying the BBC Singers in Choral Evensong and presenting Inside Music on BBC radio 3 and This Is My Music on CBC radio. Rachel’s debut solo album, featuring all Canadian music on the organ of Coventry Cathedral and supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, was released to excellent reviews – it received five stars in Choir and Organ Magazine and was Gramophone Magazine Editor’s Choice in March 2020.

For details of upcoming shows and other information, visit organizedcrimeduo.com and rachelmahon.ca.