Dr Richard Shephard was a composer, whose fine and accessible church music was widely broadcast by the BBC and hose musical theatre for children – including The Wind in the Willows and The Selfish Dragon – was a delight.
For Markenfield Hall he wrote the choral setting of Alcuin’s poem to St Michael for its Chapel dedicated to the Archangel, and devised the text and music for Markenfield’s Carol Service in aid of a different charity each year.
Formerly a distinguished Headmaster of York Minster’s Choir School – Alcuin was his predecessor there in C8th – on retirement he raised the vast sum of money needed for the restoration of the Minster’s Great East Window.
This achieved, he became Chairman of the Ryedale Festival, working with people and with music; all of which gave him the greatest pleasure.
He had the gift of friendship, and will be much missed, much remembered.
DC.
We have a moat 