Blackburn Cathedral
- Richard extended the provision of choral music at daily Evensong by forming new choirs to spread the work load
- He established the inclusion of top professional orchestras and period ensembles in worship and as Artistic Director of an imaginative and externally funded concert series
- He launched the Friends of Blackburn Cathedral Music to enhance the reputation and profile of the music at the Cathedral, to promote and support musical events and to provide bursaries to choristers
- In conjunction with Blackburn with Darwen Music Service, Lancashire Music Service and Sing Up, he founded the Cathedral's Music Outreach Project. MOP has three different strands which can help children discover their voices (school visits, outreach concerts and Lantern Voices, a children's choir which meets weekly at the Cathedral). MOP currently works in partnership with over fifty schools in Lancashire and is self financing
- Richard started an externally funded Choral Scholarship Programme for gap year, undergraduate or post graduate students
- He co-ordinated the restoration and enlargement of the world class Walker organ, in collaboration with adviser David Briggs and a working group that was tasked with raising the necessary funds
- He began a dialogue with a local school which is soon to become the cathedral's choir school
- The choirs toured to USA (twice), Germany (three times), France (three times), Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Ireland and Malta
Testimonial by Canon Chris Chivers relating to Richard Tanner's work at Blackburn Cathedral
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