Rupert Jeffcoat

Rupert Edward Elessing Jeffcoat (born 23 June 1970, Edinburgh) is a Scottish organist, composer and Anglican priest. Married to Catherine Jeffcoat.

Early life

Jeffcoat was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. Although parts of his family are originally from Birmingham. One out of five brothers; one older and three younger. Jeffcoat became a choirboy from a young age, alongside his older brother.

Personal life

Married to Catherine Jeffcoat (2001), and the mother to their three children (2003), (2005) and (2018).

Work

He was a chorister at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal) Edinburgh, under Dennis Townhill before attending Glenalmond College as a music scholar. He later studied music at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he was also Organ scholar, studying under Peter le Huray, Peter Hurford, David Sanger, Robin Holloway, Hugh Wood and Alexander Goehr. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, aged only 20.

Early positions were with the Edinburgh International Festival (premiering operas by James MacMillan and Craig Armstrong), Ampleforth College, Yorkshire, deputy organist at St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham under Marcus Huxley, and with the Birmingham Bach Choir under Paul Spicer. He was appointed Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral in 1997 aged only 26, leading choir tours to Russia, Japan, South Africa, Europe and America. He then became Organist and Director of Music at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane in 2005 but left the post in 2010 following disagreements with the cathedral authorities.

His ordination to the priesthood was in St John's in 2006, having trained in Birmingham, UK at The Queen's Foundation, Edgbaston. He has also been published as a theologian by Epworth Press, in a symposium entitled The Edge of God (2008).

As a composer he has composed in numerous languages including Aramaic, Hungarian, Vietnamese, Welsh, Arabic, Maori, Dutch, German, Czech, Russian and English as well as the more usual liturgical languages (Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Church Slavonic). As an organist and pianist he has performed widely, recording with Emma Kirkby (music by Francesco Scarlatti) and giving recitals on some of the world's most prestigious organs such as Westminster Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Queen's College, Oxford, Sydney Town Hall, the Caird Hall, Dundee, and the Lambertikirche, Münster. Special achievements include two Firsts in music from Cambridge, prizes from the Royal College of Organists, and a Best Entertainment award from the Royal Television Society (for a BBC Songs of Praise programme).

Works

Compositions (Selected)

Jeffcoat has composed over 200 works, as well as numerous psalm chants.

  • 1998, Missa Jacet Granum for Canterbury Cathedral.
  • 2000, Here is my servant, composed for the National Service commemorating the work of the Home Front attended by HM the Queen, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prime Minister.
  • 2000, Third Service, a setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (in Gb and F# respectively) and broadcast frequently on BBC Radio 3.
  • 2000, The Prophet, a setting for choir, organ, trumpet and congregation of the translation by Ted Hughes of a paraphrase by Pushkin of a biblical text from Isaiah.
  • 2000, Laudate Dominum for two-part trebles, two pianos and organ, composed for the International Church Music Festival, Coventry.
  • 2000, Abun devashmayyo, a setting of the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic.
  • 2001, Mass for Oakham.
  • 2002, Advent Calendar, a setting for violin and processing choir of words by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.
  • 2008, Toccatarama!, a palimpsest of 26 French Organ toccatas. (The composers' dates are listed as 1835-1992.)
  • 2009, The Disciples Awakening for 12 string players composed for the Consecration of Brisbane Cathedral, 29 October.

Recordings
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