Festive note to lecture

Dr Andrew Gant will be returning to give the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society’s Christmas Lecture on Friday (December 8).

A composer, singer, choirmaster, church musician, university teacher and writer, he has directed many leading choirs including The Guards’ Chapel, Worcester College Oxford, and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal where he was formally organist and choirmaster.
Dr Gant lectures in Music at St Peter’s College and St Edmund Hall in Oxford.
Among his books is “The Carols of Christmas” described as; “a joyous account of the history behind our favourite carols”.
A man of many talents, he also set the text of former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion to music, creating ‘A Hymn for the Golden Jubilee’ as part of the 2002 Jubilee celebrations, at the request of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office at Buckingham Palace.
The piece was sung in many places across the world, as well as to Queen Elizabeth II in a concert at Windsor Castle.
He will be playing the organ during the evening.
The lecture will start at 7.30pm at Broad Street Methodist Church, Spalding with an admission fee of £5 per person at the door (free for students).
A spokesman for the society said: “All are welcome.”