<Madden>

Nick work Nick

4/9/2009

Nick Madden (1995-99) has no plans to end his British OE any time soon.

And why would he? With a home in the walls of Windsor Castle, with access to the British Royal Family’s personal golf course, with membership of the Royal Household Cricket Club and with ‘‘the best job in the world’’, the former Dunedin tenor and St Paul’s chorister is nicely set up.

Nick Madden, in Dunedin last week, wonders how a broken leg will fit with his upcoming ‘‘walk on’’ part in an opera in Paris; (from top): St George’s Chapel, the view from Nick’s front door; Horse Shoe Cloister, where his three-level apartment is; Windsor Castle.

Nick is one of 12 lay clerks at the College of St George’s Chapel and sings for the Queen at least five times a year.

Windsor Castle is where the Queen and Prince Phillip spend 80% of their year and Nick is often called on to sing at royal baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries and private dinners.

It took three months for his security clearance to come through but the wait was worthwhile as he now has access to the castle grounds, where the royals roam with their corgis, golf clubs, children and grandchildren.

Last year, Nick sang a solo written by his father Richard (1966-71) as part of the thanksgiving service for the late Sir Edmund Hillary, who was one of the chapel’s 25 Knights of the Garter.

In April this year Nick was married in the chapel to another former St Paul’s choir member, Elisabeth Tyrrell, and the couple have free use of a four roomed home in the castle walls. He describes the job as ‘‘part time’’ but he is required to sing eight times over a six-day week. He also performs in some other musical engagements.

Singing on the weekend had restricted his availability for the Royal Household Cricket Club, which plays on a picturesque ground not open to the public. And he is one of the 34 members of the golf club run by Prince Andrew, whom Nick describes as a ‘‘golfing nut’’.

Nick began singing as a member of St Paul’s Cathedral choir in Dunedin. He progressed to a position at Ely Cathedral in England in 2003 before winning a place at St George’s two years ago. He is the only non-English lay clerk having been one of 48 tenors put through a rigorous audition that tested not only singing ability but the applicants’ suitability in the eyes of the other clerks.

The audition came down to two and now, as long as he looks after his voice, he can continue in the job as long as he wants. One lay clerk has held his job for 35 years.