A LEADING light in a top Kidderminster choir was thrown out of an internationally famous music festival at Worcester Cathedral for impersonating Hitler - in front of German singers.

David Barclay is facing the music after his outburst during a rehearsal with a German choir led to him being ejected from the Three Choirs Festival.

Mr Barclay, musical director of Kidderminster Male Voice Choir, has apologised for his behaviour, admitting that his actions were "inappropriate".

The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was a theme of this year's Three Choirs Festival, held between July 26 and August 2.

So Mr Barclay's conduct - in which, while impersonating the Nazi leader, he is said to have talked of "removing their clothes and showering them" - is particularly embarrassing for organisers of the prestigious festival.

Besides his Kidderminster choir role, Mr Barclay has been director of music at Pershore Abbey and principal cantoris tenor lay clerk at Worcester Cathedral.

Ironically, the lyric tenor is noted for his renditions of German music, including works by Bach and Schumann.

A letter from someone who witnessed the incident said: “Worcester Cathedral, host of the Three Choirs Festival is harbouring a racist.

“David Barclay, who sings with the Cathedral Choir has been suspended for impersonating Hitler in front of our German visiting singers and talking of ‘removing their clothes and showering them’.

“Witnessed by many of us, he was dismissed from the festival and faces a hearing regarding his future in the choir.”

It went on to say: “Many things in the past are swept under the carpet, the Cathedral are happy to deal with this behind closed doors but we feel this should be made public.”

The outburst came during the 287th meeting of the three choirs of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester, which featured a joint commissioning with Chemnitz Opera of A Foreign Field, by German composer Torsten Rasch, which aims to move ‘beyond reconciliation’.

Mr Barclay said in a statement: “I’m very sorry for any offence I caused during the Three Choirs Festival.

“I completely understand why what happened was inappropriate.

"I have apologised to the festival organisers and to the Cathedral and would like to offer my heartfelt apologies to all those who were present.”

The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, Dean of Worcester, said: “A member of the Three Choirs Festival chorus was dismissed from the festival after highly offensive remarks were reported.

“The person concerned has also been disciplined by the Cathedral. The Cathedral does not condone racism in any form, and deeply regrets the offence caused to those who witnessed it.”

Mr Barclay, aged 42, was born in Nottingham, where he sang as a treble in the parish church choir.

He went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, under the Scottish tenor William McAlpine.

His first appointment was in Liverpool as a lay clerk at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, where he began teaching singing at St Edward’s College.

Early in 2005 he was appointed director of music at Pershore Abbey.

His most recent appointment is that of principal cantoris tenor lay clerk at Worcester Cathedral, which began in September 2008.

He became musical director of Kidderminster Male Voice Choir - formed 110 years ago - in 2005.