No more murder at the Cathedral

The Anglican cathedral at Wakefield in Yorkshire has been in our sights for all the wrong reasons over the past few weeks.

First, a director of music felt so bullied he quit the church for a career in finance.

A precentor was suspended, then banned from church office for ten years.

Finally, this weekend, the Cathedral has confirmed two new appointments – a director of music and an assistant director.

James Bowstead, who has been Interim Director of Music since January, will take up the role of Director of Music at the cathedral from September … He will be joined by Alana Brook as Assistant Director. Alana … has frequently been ‘loaned’ to us by Lincoln Cathedral on Sundays and on other special occasions. Alana is currently Assistant Organist at Lincoln, but prior to that was organ scholar at Ripon Cathedral, so she knows the Diocese of Leeds well.

Peace, at last?

We hear internal murmurs about the recruitment process.