2025
A Conductor’s Thoughts
Richard Emms, who has led the Stour Singers for half a century, has announced he will be retiring in May.
Starting with a small band of madrigal singers, he has grown the choir until it now performs with professional soloists and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire orchestra.
Here, Richard reflects on his decades leading this ‘unusually disciplined and expressive’ choir:
Where’s the choir? That was one of my first thoughts about Shipston when I settled here with my family 50 years ago. Shipston had – still has! – an excellent band, but there was no equivalent choir.
As Head of Music at Shipston Community School, as the High School was known then, I thought it right that I should address this lack, and so ran an evening class on madrigal singing. Great fortune: we had a perfectly - balanced mixed choir of 15 singers. The year after, I decided to work without fee; the choir snowballed and acquired its name, Stour Singers. During the first five years the choir was already attracting some very able singers and we reached the point where I thought: ‘We can tackle the big stuff.’ So after testing the ground with Vivaldi’s Gloria, we embarked on a performance of Haydn’s Creation, with orchestra and our own soloists....and the choir has never looked back. It had become, in effect, Shipston’s Choral Society.
Now, of course, we have professional soloists, most of whom appear on concert platforms and in opera houses across Europe, and we have a lively collaboration with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire which provides our orchestra. The 40-odd years between have been something of an adventure with huge highs and the inevitable lows. Barry Draycott and Richard Jenkinson at different times rescued the choir when I was ill. And then there was the dreaded Covid: we had 83 members before, and 30 after! But I notice the choir recovers all the stronger after setbacks, and it now has about 50 very committed members and a really business-like committee who run it. The choir’s performance last Christmas was unusually disciplined and expressive for an amateur choir – you wouldn’t guess they had not been auditioned.
And: there have been for me unexpected discoveries. Yes, I have set in motion a group who come together to make music. But it’s not just the music, it’s the people. Of course, it’s the individual skills and personalities they bring to the choir, but singing in choirs lifts the spirits, fires the imagination, promotes health (for some it has been a life-saver), and brings people together to make new friends. When I look at the choir from the rostrum, I see a complicated knot of groups of friends. That, and their enthusiasm, is what makes them such a joy to work with.
My dream was that the choir should become an established part of Shipston’s music culture. It clearly can stand on its own feet. We have found my very promising successor, Alex Silverman: a man, young, and of considerable musical gifts and charisma. This year in May is a good time to retire and hand over the choir in good heart. Perhaps my dream may have come true?
Tribute to David Burge
A true friend to Shipston was lost when David ‘Dick’ Burge died on 27th November, aged 87.
His long time commitment to having a Shipston museum, together with co-founder Mike Ashley, was the foundation of the Shipston museum we have today. He sometimes said with a smile: “As long as I live long enough to see the Museum re-open!”
So it was a very special day when he cut the ribbon to open the doors of our museum two years ago to see that hope realised.
Trustee chair Bekky Hillman paid tribute to fellow trustee Dick: “His passion for history and archaeology and his local knowledge was second to none. I hope that the museum and the Historical Society will remain a tribute to him and Mike, and we will try to maintain his values in everything we do going forward.”
At the funeral his children John and Helen who were over from Australia paid tribute to ‘Pops’. Then a poem, written by former colleague Frank Storr when Dick left consulting firm IDC to join Warwickshire Highways was read, including the lines:
No more the smile of cynicism, often wry
Behind those narrow eyes the wit -ah, how dry!
So practical his thinking, yet so deep
That many a time thought he had fallen asleep!
Local friend Pete Cox also paid tribute to this truly remarkable man: “Dick Burge—a man whose love for Shipston-on-Stour has left an enduring mark on this town and its people. Dick was more than a resident; he was a steward of Shipston’s history, a storyteller of its past, and a guardian of its heritage. Through his tireless efforts, he ensured that the stories, artefacts, and memories that define our town were not lost to time, but preserved to be celebrated for generations to come. “Dick was not content to merely collect history; he sought to bring it to life. Whether uncovering forgotten documents, cataloguing cherished artefacts, or sharing fascinating stories, his work was always a labour of love. He understood that history isn’t just about dates and events—it’s about people, community, and identity. Through his dedication, he made sure that Shipston’s rich tapestry of life, work, and culture would never be forgotten. Dick having just cut the ribbon
But beyond his remarkable contributions to history, Dick was a kind-hearted and generous soul. He had a knack for connecting with people, for listening and learning, and for sharing his enthusiasm in a way that inspired others. opening Shipston Museum - the realisation of his hope to see it brought alive again.
Thank you, Dick, for everything you have given us. You will always hold a special place in the heart of Shipston-on-Stour. Rest in peace.”