Published at 05:17, Friday, 09 October 2009

The Cantonelle Ladies Choir has a new musical director – and this time it’s a woman. Jean Postlethwaite was born into a singing family and was a pupil of the late Ena Mitchell and Bel Wybergh.

Jean, of Little Corby, said: “I joined the Cantonelle Ladies Choir in September and I am the first lady conductor for quite a while. They had quite a few male conductors before me.

“I get great enjoyment out of singing and music. My late husband David was an organist and pianist. He used to play and I would sing.”

Jean was musical director of the Brampton Players, producing seven musicals with them. She revived the East Cumbria Women’s Institute Choir and sang for numerous organisations over the years.

She also founded the Brampton Churches Choir which was a mixed ecunemical choir. Jean said: “Over these years, I have entertained many audiences accompanied by my late husband. At the moment I am running a class for Carlisle University of the Third Age called “Singing for Pleasure”.

The choir, which practises in Wigton Road Methodist Church, currently has about 30 members.

The Cantonelle Singers have busy schedule between now and Christmas including a fundraising concert for the Henry Lonsdale Home on October 20 at 7.30pm in St James’s Church, Denton Holme, Carlisle; fundraising for Hospice at Home in St Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church in Carlisle on Friday, November 20 at 7.30pm; a “Get Together” in St Barnabas Church, Carlisle, on Wednesday, November 25 at 2pm; carol singing in The Lanes on Thursday, December 3 at 6.30pm and a fundraiser, with Stanwix School, in aid of the NSPCC on Monday, December 14 at 7pm in the Tithe Barn.

The choir is always interested in recruiting new members. Contact Isabel Brown on 01228 380099 for further information.

Jordan English, a sixth-form student at Austin Friars St Monica’s School in Carlisle, has been admitted to the coveted role of Carlisle Cathedral organ scholar.

Jordan started having organ lessons four years ago under John Robinson, who was then the Assistant Organist at Carlisle Cathedral. For the past year he has been a pupil of the current assistant organist, Edward Taylor.

Later this year Jordan is due to sit the exam for Associated Board Grade 8, and next year he plans to take the exam which will qualify him to become an Associate of the Royal College of Organists.

The teenager regularly accompanies services in the cathedral and assists with the training of the probationer choristers.

Last July he gave his first solo recital in Brampton Parish Church.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk