THE choristers of Winchester Cathedral are celebrating after a track featuring their voices helped a former chorister to win a Grammy Award for the Best Soundtrack for Video Games and other Interactive Media.
The music for the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor video game was composed by Stephen Barton, who’s the son of two Church of England clerics and attended the Pilgrims’ School as a chorister within the Nineties, and by his colleague Gordy Haab.
Mr Barton commissioned the choristers to contribute to the soundtrack in 2022; it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, in London. Accepting the award in Los Angeles on Sunday, Mr Barton praised the choristers for his or her “smooth jazz chords”, and said that their involvement had been a “special moment” for him. He posted his congratulations on X/Twitter: “So pleased with the boys and the large part they played in among the most emotional and wonderful moments in the sport.”
Winchester CathedralChoristers of Winchester Cathedral on the Abbey Road crossing
Afterwards, Mr Barton said: “It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to have the opportunity to have the choristers join the very small variety of musicians who’ve recorded official music for the Star Wars musical universe. They were, as all the time, consummate professionals, effortlessly taking to the world of studio soundtrack recording, click tracks, and a few very difficult music to learn and record extremely fast.”
The track had already been heard by “tens of hundreds of thousands of individuals”, he said. “We have heard players describe their moments as ‘breathtakingly beautiful’ and ‘spellbinding’. For me, it was only a joy to have the opportunity to return full circle, and it absolutely jogged my memory that the majority of the abilities I exploit every day as knowledgeable musician got here from being within the choir and at Pilgrims’ [School], and that the choir is world-class, as ever. . . Huge due to them and the staff. We are all very pleased with their work.”
The director of music at Winchester Cathedral, Andrew Lumsden, said: “This is incredible news for all of us on the cathedral and the Pilgrims’ School, but particularly for the choristers. They are thrilled to have won the award and are over the moon with excitement. It can be very exciting that we’ve got similar projects already within the pipeline.”
The winning track may be heard on: youtube.com
