We are very happy to meet Mark Draper, a Lay Vicar at Chichester Cathedral, in the UK.
Mark was born in Kingston Upon Thames and grew up in Long Ditton, in Surrey South of London. As a child he was very lively and full of beans. One day, the school music teacher, as a punishment for being naughty and disruptive during Assembly, made him sing in front of the entire school thinking that that was a good punishment... But, immediately all staff soon realized that Mark had an innate talent for singing!
Mark was born in Kingston Upon Thames and grew up in Long Ditton, in Surrey South of London. As a child he was very lively and full of beans. One day, the school music teacher, as a punishment for being naughty and disruptive during Assembly, made him sing in front of the entire school thinking that that was a good punishment... But, immediately all staff soon realized that Mark had an innate talent for singing!
Together we will revisit the stages of Mark's career that led him to St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, to The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy in Central London, and to Chichester Cathedral, where he lives and works today. Mark Draper's choir regularly broadcasts live on YouTube and internationally once a year on BBC Radio 3 a service of Choral Evensong, which can be heard all over the world.
"Being a Lay Vicar is not just about singing glorious music, it is about understanding why the music was written and who it was written for. Once you have grasped these concepts then you find yourself on much more deeper spiritual plain." MARK DRAPER Mark Draper during the documentary "Southern Cathedrals Festival: Chichester Lay Vicar Mark Draper"
Hi Mark, firstly we would like to ask you to introduce yourself to our readers and to tell us a little bit about how your passion for singing began, and how your love for choral Church music (polyphonic music) began.
Good afternoon Artwaves and thank you for this opportunity. My name is Mark, I am a professional church choral singer known as a Lay Vicar and I sing in the Choir of Chichester Cathedral. My musical journey began when I was 7 years old and became a chorister in the choir of St Mary's Church Long Ditton. I joined that choir after discovering that I could sing, by accident, at school.
One day, I was talking /chatting with my friend while practicing the hymn during the school assembly, in which all the pupils of the school had to take part. The teacher scolded us while everyone was practicing, so she asked us to go to the front row, in front of the whole group. As a punishment, she asked us to sing a verse of the hymn performing in front of the whole school. I remember that I started singing and noticed that other teachers came out of their classrooms to listen. Everyone commented on how beautiful my singing and voice were and began to encourage me to join the choir of my local church.
What aspect of your job you like the most?
The thing I like most about my job is that I get to sing music written specifically for the church dating from the 13th century to the present day, in an awe-inspiring building as Chichester Cathedral every day of the week.
Chichester Cathedral - images by Mark Draper
Inside Chichester Cathedral - image from: wikimedia.org
What is the genre of music you prefer?
The music I love the most is music written during the 14th and 15th Century, specifically in England and Italy.
Do you listen and sing only to this genre of music, or are you also fascinated by other styles?
I listen to music from any genre but predominantly listen and sing music from the 14th to the 16th century. In my free time, I enjoy listening to movie soundtracks, all classical music and especially pop, rock, and electronic music from my wife and my childhood, that was music written during the 1980's.
How did you understand that you were going to make choral music an integral part of your life?
I realised that choral music was to become my vocation when I visited St Paul's Cathedral in London, many years ago with my father, and heard the boys (Trebles) of the Cathedral Choir singing. They sounded amazing, I felt like I was in heaven amongst angels, and I knew then that I wanted to sing like them. I knew from that moment that I wanted to become a professional Cathedral Singer.
St Paul Cathedral, London - image from: getyourguide.it
How is technically composed the choir you are part of?
The Cathedral Choir consists of 14 boys ‘trebles’ known as Choristers, 6 men known as Lay Vicars (2 Countertenors, 2 Tenors, 2 Basses). The choir is divided into 2 sides, known as Decani (the side where the Dean, who runs the Cathedral, sits) and Cantoris (the side in which the Cantor who leads the worship sits). We are led by the Organist and Master of the Choristers who conduct us (he is our boss), an Assistant Organist who accompanies us by playing and an Organ Scholar (second student organist). Together we combine to sing and perform all the music.
Mark Draper (center) with former colleagues from the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy choir. Photo taken inside Windsor Castle, Berkshire.
Windsor Castle, images by Mark Draper
Tell us all your stages and places before you arrived at Chichester Cathedral.
At St Mary's I continued singing Tenor when my voice broke and then at the age of 18, I won a Choral Scholarship to Carlisle Cathedral, which is located far up in the North West of England, to sing in the Cathedral Choir whilst studying at University. I did not have a penny and had no idea how I was going to live and manage financially but I did not worry too much! I just wanted to sing!
inside St Mary's Church Long Ditton, Surrey
Mark Draper at the age of 18
Carlisle Cathedral - image from: thecrazytourist.com
After Carlisle, I was appointed as a Lay Vicar Choral in the Choir of Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire located in Central England. This was a very happy period of my life, where I was able to sing music everyday in a truly beautiful building and live as part of my job in the stunning Cathedral Close.
Lichfield Cathedral - images from: google e vanillamagazine.it
After nearly 8 years, I decided I wanted to move to London to pursue my singing further. London is the central point in England where there are a lot of professional choirs and where you can find the most paid singing work. Once in London, I was very fortunate to be accepted into the Choir of St George's Chapel Windsor Castle who sings everyday inside the grounds of the Castle in a stunning Chapel, which is the home of HM THE QUEEN.
St George Cathedral, Windsor Castle - Images from: getyourguide.it e pinterest.com
I was also appointed during this period to the prestigious position of Gentleman of HM Chapel Royal, based at the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy on the Strand, in Central London, this is a private Chapel of HM THE QUEEN. I also was accepted as a Deputy Lay Vicar in the Choir of Chichester Cathedral, where I now sing full time as a full member of the choir, fulfilling a lifelong ambition to sing here.
The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy, London - Images by Mark Draper
Mark Draper inside The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy
Your work led you to meet the English Royal Family, tell us about any event where you had the privilege of singing for them.
My work in Windsor and at the Queens Chapel, brought me into contact with many members of the Royal Family, in which I found myself singing at many State and Ceremonial Services in which they were attending. One of the most amazing experiences was singing for HM THE QUEEN at the Royal Victorian Order Service, which takes place at Windsor Castle every 4 years and on one occasion, I sang a solo there in front of HM THE QUEEN. Prince Phillip HR The Duke of Edinburgh, was a particularly funny and charming man!
Then a funny memory ... it was 2012 on a special occasion, when a stained glasses window at the Queen's Chapel of The Savoy dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen was discovered and presented;
Queen's Chapel of the Savoy (and stained glasses window dedicated to HM The Queen)
On one occasion, my wife Maria (she is italian) and I were introduced personally to HM THE QUEEN and Maria shook her hand and before HM could speak, Maria invited her to our Wedding! (Maria was not aware that you are not supposed to speak with Royalty until asked to do so! The Chaplain, our Priest, nearly collapsed onto the floor with laughter at this point!) It is a tremendous privilege to sing for HM THE QUEEN and The Royal Family and the experiences I have had will stay with me forever.
Then a funny memory ... it was 2012 on a special occasion, when a stained glasses window at the Queen's Chapel of The Savoy dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen was discovered and presented;
Queen's Chapel of the Savoy (and stained glasses window dedicated to HM The Queen)
On one occasion, my wife Maria (she is italian) and I were introduced personally to HM THE QUEEN and Maria shook her hand and before HM could speak, Maria invited her to our Wedding! (Maria was not aware that you are not supposed to speak with Royalty until asked to do so! The Chaplain, our Priest, nearly collapsed onto the floor with laughter at this point!) It is a tremendous privilege to sing for HM THE QUEEN and The Royal Family and the experiences I have had will stay with me forever.
Is there a piece in particular that evokes very deep feelings in you?
There are many! One in particular is the Missa Brevis by Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina, a composer born in Palestrina, Italy and known throughout the Western world as the Prince of European Renaissance Music. He was also a Priest and Organist and when you sing his music, Palestrina catapults you into a deep and fundamental spiritual place and makes you realise what it means to believe in God and what it is to be a Christian through the power of his music.
Is there a piece you dream to sing and why?
Monteverdi Vespers 1610, is a very demanding and challenging piece! Monteverdi was a unique and very important composer in the history of Western music, working in 16th century Italy, who bridged the gap between music of the 16th century and that of the later Baroque period. Another piece is Thomas Louis Victoria's Lamentations, specifically the set for Holy Saturday. I have never had the chance to sing these two pieces in a concert or a service and it would be a dream come true for me. For me the music and texts of these two pieces specifically get to the very heart of what it means to be a true worshiper of God and of the struggles, which Jesus had to face and endure.
As one grows professionally, the vocal technique is refined. Do you ever feel the need to explore other singing worlds or do you feel connected only to the choral singing?
I never grow tired of the music I sing, which is incredibly rewarding and spiritually nourishing. For me this type of music gets to the very heart of my soul and allows me to express my inner self. I would like to develop my solo career a little further specialising in pieces written by Monteverdi, Handel, Haydn and of course the grandmaster of Baroque music JS Bach!
Tell us about the very special experiences, which are the most significant in your career.
The two most significant experiences I have had as a singer are to perform for HM THE QUEEN at Windsor Castle, here in the UK, and in 2000 singing at a private audience for His Holiness The Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of St Peter and also singing a solo on his private radio station called Radio Vaticana. I remember we were touring Rome with Lichfield Cathedral Choir and we were wearing three pieces suits for all our concerts in Rome during a very roasting hot July. We were sweating buckets, suffering a lot the blazing heat but loving every minute spent in the Eternal City! It was a fantastic experience!
It is known that music helps to face the greatest challenges of life. How would you describe the music you sing? Could we compare it to an instrument of spiritual healing or to an instrument that helps approaching the divine?
Music is definitely one of God’s greatest gifts and to sing music written by composers such as Palestrina and Bach does transport you out of the earthly plain and into a different spiritual dimension, one which has no boundaries. Music has the power to speak to and communicate with the listener in such a unique way, often without the need for explanations/words and exposes the listener to feelings of comfort and security. This has never been so important as it is now since the Covid-19 pandemic began. I personally feel that music is a healing balm for the soul!
Chichester has a long and renowned musical tradition. What prompted you to try to get to this very cathedral?
Chichester Cathedral Choir has a huge standing and reputation within the choral singing world and is known as a place of musical excellence and of producing some amazing talent. The Cathedral Choir is the smallest in the country, which brings with it, its own unique opportunities and challenges and it is for these very reasons that I have wanted to be a part of this choir for over 20 years now.
How would you encourage those attracted to choral singing to take their first steps?
I would encourage those attracted to choral singing to take their first step by getting involved with their local church choir or choral society and experience for themselves the power of making music together as part of a group and the joy of singing. There are many opportunities if you want to take your singing further, such as applying for Choral Scholarships at Cathedrals or applying to music conservatoires to train as a professional singer.
We were able to listen to you a few months ago during the interview on local BBC radio with Sarah Gorrel, you were also interviewed for the SUSSEX LIFE magazine…you are often invited to sing for many concerts. Describe your emotions, your feelings in this moment of your life.
I would describe these feelings and emotions at this point in my life as being one of completeness and fulfilment, the realisation of achieving a long desired and held ambition.
Sussex Life and article about Mark Draper
Before saying goodbye, we wanted to ask you if you have ever thought about transmitting your experience and knowledge through teaching.
Being able to share what I have learnt both as a singer and musician with others, specifically through the medium of teaching surely has to be one of the best ways in which I can impart the experiences and skills I have learnt to others. It’s a way in which I can give something back to the community and this idea has long since fascinated me and remains in my mind's eye as a potential avenue to pursue in the future.
Do you want to add your thoughts, a reflection to share with us and our readers?
Life is so short and we only get one shot at it! All we have to do is to decide what to do with the time that is given to us. Carpe Deum! Seize the day! Follow your dreams, pick yourself up when you fall and you will find the true delights and opportunities that await you.
We thank you so much for your time Mark. We wish you to achieve all your goals and make your dreams come true. Soon!
Art-Waves.com
MARK SINGS
at minute: 12'50'' / 18'19'' / 31'30'' / 37'38'' in the following video:
at minute: 12'50'' / 18'19'' / 31'30'' / 37'38'' in the following video:
An article about "Southern Cathedrals Festival":
https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/news/southern-cathedrals-festival-goes-online-first-time-70-years
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