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Personal Message from Andrew
It’s been a funny old month, has January. It’s a time when I expect to get back to normal routines of Cathedral and College, services and practice. Instead, at the beginning of the month and right out of the blue, I received an invitation to speak in a debate at the Literary and Historical Society of University College Dublin. The debate was on the motion: This House believes that Reality Shows destroy Television. It was a great honour for me to be asked to speak at such a prestigious debating society. I’d never been asked to do anything like that before, but I suppose that the Society thought that I would be well qualified to speak against the motion, having been a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent. It was a bit nerve-racking, especially as I had just 10 days to agree, sort out my diary and prepare the speech. I don’t like to boast but our side, a TV producer from Australia and I, won the vote overwhelmingly. There are more details in A Month in My Life . Next month I hope to be able to include some video of the debate, which the Society took. I’m very grateful to the Society for giving me the opportunity, for making the flawless arrangements and for proving such hospitable hosts.
Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Music. There’ll be more of that next month.
In the meantime, best wishes.
Andrew x
Welcome Welcome
A Young Man's Journey and the Development of the Voice
Here you’ll find the continuing story of Andrew Johnston and his amazing gift – that unique voice.
The story starts with Andrew’s career as a chorister and what he owes to Carlisle Cathedral.
Then we tell how Andrew shot to with his TV appearance on Britain’s Got Talent and the hit CD that followed.
That brings us to where we are today and how Andrew’s voice and career are developing
We keep the story right up to date with Andrew’s own blog There, month by month, you’ll be able to find the
latest news of Andrew’s training, performances and new music.
We’ll also be bringing you regular new features. On the site at present, there’s Keep a look out for other new
features in coming months.
Fame 
Fame
AJ achieved national and international fame when he appeared on UK television’s Britain’s Got Talent. The unique quality of his voice, its clarity and his pitch-perfect reach earned him a recording contract with Sony, resulting in the hit record ‘One Voice’
Debut album 'One Voice' - available from Amazon.com
"has truer talent than hordes of his musical elders.....the vulnerability of this One Voice makes for a haunting musical experience" Kate Leaver JoongAng Daily
News and Music A Month in My Life
January 2011
After all the excitement and rush of Christmas, I was looking forward to a slightly quieter time in January. It didn’t quite turn out that way!
5th January – After the short post-Christmas break, Choir term started again. It’s good to be back.
8th January – Out of the blue, I received an email inviting me to speak at a debate at University College, Dublin! The invitation was to speak in opposition to the Motion: This House Believes that Reality Shows Destroy Television . Panic – I had only 10 days before the debate to be held on 18th January! Quick- check the diary, clear the deck of appointments, prepare speech. In the meantime……………..
14th January – First day back at the Junior RNCM. I had a really good tutorial with my vocal coach, Jeff Lawton.
16th January – Fitted in a visit to my orthodontist
17th January – Worked on my 3rd assignment for the Open University. This was to compose some music to the words of a poem, from A.E. Housman’s collection: A Shropshire Lad. This poem is known by its first line: Loveliest of trees, the cherry now. (See Footnotes for the full poem.) I’m rather pleased, even if I say so myself, with how it’s turned out. Watch out, Vaughan Williams!
18th January – Flew from Newcastle to Dublin. Debate in the evening.
19th January – Flew back to Newcastle where Mum picked me up. Then on to Cathedral and afterwards Jujitsu. Some busy day, that was.
21st January – College again, and another really good session with Jeff who gave me some more vocal exercises to work on.
25th January – Burns Night. Celebrated by all good Scots folk such as Mum and Grandma who’s with us at the moment. That means Haggis with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes). Some say that Haggis is a very old Scottish dish – a kind of round sausage casing filled with oatmeal, minced meat of various kinds and spices and pepper. Others say that it’s really a creature found on Scottish hills: small and hairy with two long legs on one side of its body and two short ones on the other side so that it can run round the contours of the mountains at great speed. Some say that the proper way to eat haggis is with lots of Malt Whisky; others say, just throw the haggis away and drink the whisky. By the way, do you know the difference between whisky and whiskey?
26th and 27th January – worked on my OU assignment and another composition I’m preparing, plus piano lessons.
28th January – Away to College in Manchester.
Click here for details of the Choir's normal schedule.
Did You Know 
DID YOU KNOW?
The normal weekly schedule for the
DID YOU KNOW?
AJ is developing into something of a jujitsu expert – after only 2 years he has already achieved his his black belt.
Cathedral Choir
Press here to find out
DID YOU KNOW?
AJ likes to cook
Here for his latest recipe
DID YOU KNOW? Andrew is a member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain
choir schedule The Choir of Carlisle Cathedral Normal Weekly Schedule
Monday 4.15 Chorister & Probationer Practice (girls)
4.50 Full Practice
5.20 Probationers leave if not staying for Evensong
5.30 Evensong (girls and lay clerks)
6.10 Probationers leave
6.15 Chorister Practice (until 6.45)
Tuesday 4.15 Chorister & Probationer Practice (boys)
4.50 Full Practice
5.20 Probationers leave if not staying for Evensong
5.30 Evensong (boys and lay clerks)
6.10 Probationers leave
6.15 Chorister Practice (until 6.45)
Wednesday 5.30 Evensong sung by Youth Choir
Thursday 4.15 Chorister Practice (girls)
4.50 Full Practice
5.20 Probationers leave if not staying for Evensong
5.30 Evensong (girls and lay clerks)
6.10 Probationers leave
6.15 Chorister Practice (until 6.45)
6.30-7.30 Carlisle Cantate rehearsal (compulsory for probationers)
Friday 4.15 Chorister Practice (boys)
4.50 Full Practice
5.20 Probationers leave if not staying for Evensong
5.30 Evensong (boys and lay clerks)
6.10 Probationers leave
6.15 Chorister Practice (until 6.45)
Sunday 9.15 Chorister Practice (boys or girls as indicated on the termly schedule)
9.50 Full Practice
10.30 Sung Eucharist (boys or girls and lay clerks until 11.45)
12.15 Chorister Practice (until 1 pm)
1.45 Chorister Practice (boys or girls)
2.20 Full Practice
3.00 Evensong (boys or girls and lay clerks)
music 
Music
Listen to the last recording made Xmas 2010.
Listen here "Andrew ................... always had this intense passion for singing and particularly the type of music we sing at the Cathedral. He is 100% focussed on what we're doing ................. really feeling the intensity of the experience .......... feels it deep inside him, it's wonderful to see somebody enjoy music to this extent" [Jeremy Suter, Master of Music, Carlisle Cathedral]
Recipe Andrew's Favourite Recipe
So far this winter here in Carlisle has been rather mild – a lot of rain and some high winds, but not much in the way of snow and frost. Now in the last few days it’s got really wintry, and when it gets cold there’s nothing like some good hearty soup. This one’s easy (always the requirement so far as I’m concerned), cheap and quick to prepare. Oh, and by the way, it’s very tasty, too.
Leek and Sweet Potato Soup
(Makes four servings)
What you need
A large pan
A food processor (or blender)
Ingredients
1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 2 leeks, chopped
3. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
4. 40 fl. oz (1 litre) good vegetable stock
5. 1 sweet potato (approx 7oz/200g), peeled and cubed
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Sauté the leeks until lightly brown.
2. Sprinkle the ground cumin over the leeks, and then add the stock and the potato cubes to the pan.
3. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
4. Allow to cool before blending in the processor.
5. Heat the soup until piping hot.
6. Serve with crusty French bread.
Now that’s what I call yummy!
Your culinary skills are remarkable AJ
Footnotes Footnotes
A Shropshire Lad was first published in 1896. Housman had to put the money up himself to get it published, after several publishers had turned it down. However, it found great favour with the public, particularly in the years of the First World War when the quiet, rustic themes of the verses contrasted with the death and destruction of the war. The folk-song rhythms also found favour with many composers, such as George Butterworth, Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Ireland.
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.
Now, of my three score years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.
And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
The Literary and Historical Society of University College, Dublin was founded in 1855 and has enjoyed a distinguished history. No less than 6 of Ireland’s 11 Taoisigh (Prime Ministers) have been members of the Society, along with Ireland’s most famous novelist and poet, James Joyce. The Society has attracted many famous speakers including former South African PM, FW de Klerk, Naom Chomsky, John Hume and Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Comments Picture Gallery
Me climbing through a pipe
Borrowed a chorister sweatshirt
Little Jujitsu move on my lay clerk friend :)
Carlisle Cathedral Choir in the Basilica, Lisbon, Portugal
Go carting in Portugal
jujutsu pics 
2.2 Caro Mio Ben (Thou all my Bliss) was composed by Giuseppe Giordani in the late Eighteenth Century. Or was it? Some have said that the song first appeared fifty years before his birth, while there are other champions of the idea that it was actually composed by his older brother Tommaso. But the generally accepted theory is that it was Giuseppe who was the real composer. It wouldn'’t be surprising, for he was an important Italian composer of that age, with over thirty operas to his name, along with oratorios and sacred music. Among his greatest successes was his 1787 0ratorio, La Distruzione di Gerusalemme (The Destruction of Jerusalem) which is usually accepted to be the first sacred drama ever to have been presented in a theatre (Teatro San Carlo in Naples). His fame spread throughout Italy and he found posts in Naples, Florence and Modena. At one time he was even maestro di cappella in two churches in Fermo simultaneously, while also continuing with a demanding output of compositions. It’'s surprising to learn that he accomplished so much before he died at the relatively early age of 47.
Caro Mio Ben has long been popular with a wide range of singers from bass to tenor (including Gigli and Pavarotti) and even noted sopranos such as Cecilia Bartoli.
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