Leading from the front: interview with Nick Cabot

He has also managed a career in conveyancing which began with Le Gallais and Luce in 1974, Jenners, Crill Canavan, and Ogier and which sees him currently at Andrew Begg and Co.

Nick (59) is relaxing in his sunlit Trinity farmhouse and taking time out from reharsals with the Jersey Island Singers for their forthcoming performance of The Crucifixion (see right) to talk about his music career which he manages to run alongside his full-time day job.

He comes from a musical background and his life in music was set at an early age when he started to learn the piano at five years of age, being taught by his great-aunt Vera, who was deputy organist at Trinity Church.

‘When I was about ten I started playing with other people and singers, and playing for the odd family service,’ said Nick. ‘From 17 I was more formally deputy organist at the church, and in July 1992 I became full-time organist and choir director, and have been doing it ever since,’ said Nick, whose parents ran a small farm in Trinity. There is also a connection to the well-known musical Luce family, including Percy Luce, who was an organist at Ebenezer.

Nick went to Victoria College, where he had piano lessons with music master Ken Parry. ‘I was also taught by Margaret Vine and Leonard Herivel, who was the biggest musical influence on me – he was the most amazing musician,’

Nick reached Grade 8, but admits that he would never be good enough to take it any further. ‘I just started to play with singers and choruses more, and found I really enjoyed working with them,’ said Nick, whose interest led him to continue his studies on summer courses at the Royal School of Church Music. They set me really high standards, and working with the church choir taught me a lot.’

And his experience in conducting led to two offers he found hard to resist. ‘In 1994 I was asked to become conductor of both the Jersey Island Singers and of the Harmony Men. It was awful having th chose which one, so I thought I’d do both, rehearsing one after the other on the same night.’

Ultimately, the pressure eased when the Jersey Island Singers changed nights.’Because of my success with those, I was invited to form a chorus for the Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and become chorus master,’ he said, ‘and shortly after that, to add to my woes, somebody had the brilliant idea of starting the Jersey International Choir Festival – which then wrecked my life for years and years!

This dedication to music was rewarded when he was made an MBE in 2006. ‘That came totally out of the blue,’ said Nick. ‘I’ve got the DVD and I’ve been invited so many times by Women’s Institutes to give a short talk on The Day I Met The Queen. So I’ve seen the DVD more times than I care to mention!

‘I was delighted more for my parents, because it meant a huge amount to them. They were amazed as well. The sad thing was that neither of them was fit enough to go to London. But they had the DVD.’

Nick eventually had to stop his association with The Harmony Men in 2005 because his parents were getting frail and needed more help. His father died in May 2013 and his mother died just over a year later. Both were in their 80s.

But even now, Nick’s musical life is very busy. ‘Between Jersey Island Singers and Trinity Church, I have the Symphony Chorus summer production, which is a sort of Liberation celebration and is going to involve me putting together a small chorus.’

And on top of all this frenetic musical activity, Nick has just found out that he has to deal with health problems as well, because two months ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. ‘In real terms it’s no big deal because I’m not ill in any way, shape or form,’ he said. ‘I’m just going to have something done about it. It’s basically a choice of treatment.’

He has decided to get on with the next few months of busy musical schedules first, as the doctors have said there is no problem in waiting.

‘I’ve got these two major concerts coming up, I’ve got a lot of weddings in the spring and we are singing in St Malo Cathedral in early July. And then the Symphony Chorus are singing just before the Battle of Flowers. After that, I’ll sort out my treatment and be out of circulation for a little while.’

For now, however, the work will continue as before. ‘We’re just about to do The Crucifixion as well, said Nick, who only came to realise he liked Stainer’s work in the last few years. It’s funny, because I came to it late, and then discovered I love the work. It’s a little archaic, but it communicates with an audience extremely well. It has wonderful melodies, is very dramatic and has two great solo roles for a tenor and a baritone.

‘It really communicates the real Good Friday story in a direct and accessible way, and it is that which takes it to another level.’

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