‘On Christmas Eve 2012 Alan Greaves, a church organist from Sheffield, was attacked as he walked to church for Midnight Mass. Sadly, he died a few days later, and soon after we heard of this I happened to come across a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Bethlehem Star, that affected me in the light of this tragedy. I decided to set it in his memory.’ Bob Chilcott

Oxford University Press has been inundated with requests from choirs who would like to sing Bob Chilcott’s very special carol, “The Bethlehem Star”. As they can’t get it printed in time for rehearsals before Christmas, they have worked with Bob to make the printed music available free until Christmas Eve 2013. They are encouraging choirs to print out the carol and sing it at Midnight Mass in memory of Alan Greaves.

The carol is available from the following website, choirs are being encouraged to join in and perform this at Christmas in memory of Alan. http://global.oup.com/uk/music/choral/bethlehemstar/