Gilly Myers to be Southwark Cathedral Precentor
Canon Gilly Myers of Manchester Cathedral is to be the next Precentor of Southwark Cathedral.
She succeeds The Very Revd Andrew Nunn who became Dean of Southwark in January. Canon Myers has been Precentor of Manchester Cathedral since 2008.
The announcement was made on Sunday at the beginning of the Choral Eucharist at Southwark by the Dean who said: “I am delighted at the appointment of Canon Myers as Canon Precentor at Southwark. Gilly brings to the task a wonderful range of experience both in cathedrals and in the development of liturgy.
“I am excited to see what fresh eyes and imagination can bring to the wonderful liturgy at Southwark Cathedral which will help us to respond in worship and mission to the needs of the church in the diocese and city in the coming years.”
A precentor is responsible for preparing services which take place in the Cathedral including special services such as memorials and thanksgivings.
Gilly Myers, who is 54, has worked with the Liturgical Commission and written and contributed to books on liturgy. Her own involvement in liturgy began at the age of nine when she sang in her church choir.
“Southwark is a vibrant place – buzzing, colourful, diverse and full of challenges,” said Canon Myers who grew up in London. “I am very much looking forward to joining the cathedral team and to working in the Diocese.”
Canon Myers is to be installed during Choral Evensong on Sunday 9 September when the Cathedral will be celebrating its patronal festival.
The Dean also announced that the funeral of Eric James, Southwark Precentor from 1966 to 1973, will take place at the Southwark Cathedral on Friday 18 May at 2.30pm.
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The Concise Oxford Engliah Dictionary quotes two meanings for this Iffice in the Church (usually a Cathedral) :
1. A person who leads a congregation in its singing (or, in a synagogue, prayers)
2. A Canon responsible for choral services in a Cathedral.
In an Anglican Cathedral in the U.K., the office of Precentor is commonly held by a male Canon of the Cathedral, whose duties include both: leadership in the singing of the offices of Morning and Evening Prayer, and the arrangement of choral services.
Probably, the reason that hitherto the Precentor has always been male is because there have been no female clerics to undertake this important role in worship. The nearest to the role – for a woman, or anyone but a priest – might have been that of Cantor in the Choir Offices of the Church.
My first experience of a woman taking a leading part in a liturgical setting of a Church was some years ago, when I attended a Midnight Easter Mass in Auckland, N.Z., at a suburban Roman Catholic Church, where a local female opera singer gave a wonderful rendering of the”Exultet‘ – to welcome the Light of Christ in the newly-lit Paschal Candle. This was my first experience of a female voice taking a leading role in the liturgical worship of the Church. And what a thrill it was!
I don’t know what Canon Gilly Myers’ voice is like, but if her singing is up to the quality of her expertise in liturgical worship arrangements, I’m sure she would make an excellent job of combining both of the roles of what has been more traditionally the task of a male Precentor in an English Cathedral.
We are still not quite used to hearing a woman’s voice at the altar – leading the Choral Celebration of the Mass, but there is every reason to expect that, with the ordination of more women clergy, this could become a more frequent and welcome experience.
n.b. Sad to hear of the death of one-time Precentor, Eric James. May he rest in Peace.
Father Ron Smith, Christchurch, New Zealand
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