Ripon Cathedral's majestic choral traditions set to soar to new heights with Project Phoenix

The choral works of composers ranging from England’s Benjamin Britten and Herbert Howells to Irish-born Charles Stanford have undoubtedly stood the test of time.

But for Dr Ronny Krippner, their musical scores are now set to provide an inspiration for a new generation of choristers in the 21st century.

Dr Krippner has been appointed as Ripon Cathedral’s new director of music, and is embarking on a mission to breathe new life into the ancient venue’s choral tradition.

He is helping co-ordinate the cathedral’s aptly-named Project Phoenix, allowing the choir to rise to new heights in the wake of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Krippner told The Yorkshire Post: “The choral tradition of England is the envy of the world, and it is a real treasure to have the music featuring in daily services.

“We do, however, need to see how we can reinvent this tradition, and keep it as relevant as possible in the 21st century to make sure it goes from strength to strength.”

The initial aim of Project Phoenix will see a major recruitment campaign launched to sign up new choristers for Ripon Cathedral Choir, which currently features 27 children and six professional adult singers.

Dr Krippner told The Yorkshire Post that he hopes to firmly re-establish two separate choirs, one featuring the singing talents of boys and the other being an all-girl ensemble.

Girls make up about two-thirds of the current choir’s membership, and Dr Krippner is keen to boost the number of boy choristers during the recruitment drive.

It is also hoped that the choirs will be opened up to older children to become choral scholars, widening the demographic from the current age group of eight to 13-year-olds.

Dr Krippner said: “Covid has had a profound impact on many choirs which have really suffered due to the lockdowns, meaning they have been unable to practise and recruit new members.

“What I would like to see is us promoting the musical excellence we already have here at Ripon, and show people just what is on offer here.”

Dr Krippner, 41, who is married to his wife, Audrey, and has two children, three-year-old Sophie, and Hugo, aged one, has taken on the role of the cathedral’s director of music from his predecessor, Peter Wright.

He is now working with Canon Michael Gisbourne, who as the Cathedral Precentor is responsible for worship, music and liturgy, and the Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend John Dobson, to develop the plans to expand the choir.

Dr Krippner, who is originally from Bavaria in Germany and came to the UK to pursue his musical career, said: “The first time that I walked into the cathedral, I simply thought – what a stunning place of worship.

“There is so much history associated with the cathedral, and I do feel truly blessed to be given the opportunity here.”

As a teenager, Dr Krippner’s love of choral music was inspired following a meeting with an English organist in his native Germany.

Born and raised in the town of Marktredwitz in Bavaria, Dr Krippner attended a course run by Roger Sayer, a former organist at Rochester Cathedral, at the age of 16.

After coming to England 18 years ago, Dr Krippner held positions at cathedrals in Bristol, Exeter and Newport, and was the assistant director of music at St George’s Church in London’s Hanover Square, where George Frideric Handel was once a member of the congregation.

Prior to joining Ripon Cathedral, he was the director of choral music at both Whitgift School, an independent school for boys, and Croydon Minster for nine years.

Ripon Cathedral’s choirs can trace their history back throughout 1,300 years of musical heritage at the historic place of worship in North Yorkshire.

Saint Wilfrid, who founded the cathedral, first introduced a choir from Canterbury Cathedral in the seventh century.

Ripon Cathedral’s crypt which Wilfrid built in 672 is the oldest surviving structure of any cathedral in England.