Similar Timothy Dudley‑Smith, Graham Kendrick, Gordon Stewart, Stuart Townend, Kristyn Getty | ||
Dr Noël Tredinnick FRSCM (born 1949) is a British composer, organist, orchestrator, and conductor, notable for his many contributions to several hymnals, his regular appearances on the BBC's Songs of Praise, and as the founder and conductor of the All Souls Orchestra which performs annually at the Royal Albert Hall and throughout the UK under the banner of 'Prom Praise' and 'Prom Praise for Schools.' Tredinnick's organ works have been performed by several respected performers including George Thalben-Ball, Nicolas Kynaston, and Gerard Brooks. He is currently Director of Music at All Souls, Langham Place, and a Professor of conducting, orchestration and music studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
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Tredinnick's arranging style combines traditional hymns and Christian songs with harmonies from jazz and modernist music, making frequent use of accidentals. His trademark sound is euphoric, uplifting and spontaneous, with an inclusive feel. He is generally regarded as one of the UK's foremost church musicians.
Tredinnick has been involved with the Jubilate Group for many years, which is concerned with updating old-fashioned language in hymnody and for publishing new musical resources for congregations; he is now a trustee for the group.
Education, degrees and awards
Education: Chelwood Nursery School 1951-1953, Goodrich Road Infants School 1953-1956, Rathfern Road Junior Mixed School 1956-1960, Southwark Cathedral 1960-1965, St Olave's and St. Saviour's Grammar School for Boys 1960-1967, Guildhall School of Music and Drama 1967-1970, Institute of Education, University of London 1970-1971
Degrees: GGSM (1st class Hons) - Guildhall School of Music and Drama 1970, PGCE - Institute of Education, University of London 1971, DMus - Lambeth (c/o Oxford Univ) 2002, FRSCM - Salisbury 2009
Susan Owen Medal for Drama 1966, School Organ Prize 1968, Sir August Manns Prize for organ playing 1969
All Souls Orchestra
In 1972 Tredinnick was appointed Organist and Director of Music at the prestigious church of All Souls, Langham Place, in the heart of the West End of London: a post he still holds. He founded the All Souls Orchestra on the instruction of the then Rector, hymnwriter Michael Baughen, and has since conducted the orchestra at many important Christian events, services and festivals in the UK and internationally. The orchestra is well known as a unique voice in Christian worship, providing uplifting accompaniments to hymans and popular songs as well as performing classical works in a Christian context.
Tredinnick is well known for his expansive, expressive and personal style of directing and coaxing, as well as for his persuasive eye-contact and personable manner. He has conducted the Orchestra alongside several notable singers and songwriters including Cliff Richard, Keith and Kristyn Getty, and Stuart Townend. The Orchestra performed alongside Richard on a BBC Songs of Praise episode entitled 'The Gospel According to Cliff.'
He continues to work with important Christian artists, both established and new, including Paul Baloche, Christy Nockels, Matt Redman, Graham Kendrick, Noel Robinson, Reuben Morgan of Hillsong, and famed classical soprano Joanne Lunn.
Other work
Tredinnick has released a recording of operatic arias for soprano with Vania Vatralova-Stankov and the Sofia Symphony Orchestra. His arrangements of traditional hymns continue to be popular in the Christian community, with favourities including his setting of 'Danny Boy' and his final verse arrangement 'Love Divine All Loves Excelling'. These arrangements use chord voicings to adjust the music and emphasise the emotional quality of certain words or themes.
Tredinnick was responsible for much of the congregational music at former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey's enthronement in April 1991 at Canterbury Cathedral. He introduced a more contemporary language to a service, which up to that point, had primarily embraced a more traditional language. Tredinnick believes that new music is the natural result of faith. He has written that, 'Creativity goes hand in hand with an alive experience of the Lord as Christians express their own love and share their faith in words.'