Friday, July 26: Northumberland into Scotland
Today was our last day in the UK. We woke up in beautiful Durham and continued to head north, stopping at Alnwick Castle and Holy Island - also know as Lindisfarne. It was the site of one of the first monasteries in England and an important place of pilgrimage. It is associated with both St. Cuthbert and St. Bede. It was glorious and not something we will soon forget.
After a delicious fish and chips dinner we headed to Glasgow to our hotel.
After a delicious fish and chips dinner we headed to Glasgow to our hotel.
Thursday, July 25: Our day at durham cathedral
Today was the chance to sing at Durham Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was recently voted the most significant and important building in the U.K. The majesty and splendour of this cathedral is overwhelming and we began our day by taking a tour of it, which included the Galilee Chapel, St. Cuthbert's Shrine and of course the astounding nave.
Following our tour we prepared to sing an hour long concert, which took place in the crossing under the Doves of Peace art installation. The Choristers gave the European premiere of Sarah Quartel's 'Veni sancte spiritus' A Young Kim's 'Christ died for us'. The choir, though exhausted, did an absolutely magnificent job. We had wonderful audience who were very responsive to our performance. Afterward, an elderly gentleman, who had been a chorister at Worcester Cathedral in the late 1950s, told us that he was awed and deeply moved by the choristers tone and singing. He suggested that it was the finest treble singing he had heard in many years, reaching back as far as his days as a boy in the choir at Worcester Cathedral. Very high praise indeed.
After our concert we returned to the hotel, where some of us explored the city, some swam and some quite honestly just took a long, well deserved nap! Tomorrow we head to Scotland for our final day, before flying home on Saturday.
Following our tour we prepared to sing an hour long concert, which took place in the crossing under the Doves of Peace art installation. The Choristers gave the European premiere of Sarah Quartel's 'Veni sancte spiritus' A Young Kim's 'Christ died for us'. The choir, though exhausted, did an absolutely magnificent job. We had wonderful audience who were very responsive to our performance. Afterward, an elderly gentleman, who had been a chorister at Worcester Cathedral in the late 1950s, told us that he was awed and deeply moved by the choristers tone and singing. He suggested that it was the finest treble singing he had heard in many years, reaching back as far as his days as a boy in the choir at Worcester Cathedral. Very high praise indeed.
After our concert we returned to the hotel, where some of us explored the city, some swam and some quite honestly just took a long, well deserved nap! Tomorrow we head to Scotland for our final day, before flying home on Saturday.
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Wednesday, July 24: Day two at ripon Cathedral |
We began today with an early morning rehearsal at the Ripon Cathedral Song School. The early start, our earliest yet, was necessitated by a trip to Fountains Abbey this morning, which is UNESCO World Heritage Site. This glorious site, the home of one the most important and powerful Cistercian Monasteries in Europe at the time, was abandoned during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. It is a sight of profound beauty and visual interest, which completely absorbed our Choristers. Our guide Colin, led us through the fascinating history of the place and his incredible knowledge and energy kept our group's interest at a high level for over two hours.
After our tour ended, we had a quick bite to eat in the Cafe and then headed back to Ripon to prepare for Evensong. Today was our final service of the trip and because of this, all of our organ scholars participated in the service, although we must say, it got a bit crowded with all of us in the tiny organ loft. Our final Evensong included Bairstow's Service in E-flat, the challenging Archer atonal unison responses, and Sarah Quartel's beautiful anthem, 'Veni sancte spiritus'. After rehearsal it was increasingly obvious that choir was exhausted after their non-stop twelve day adventure, but they still sang splendidly. Their level of fatigue can be seen in the sleeping pics on the slideshow below. Those are pics of actual sleeping choristers, several of which simply collapsed on the floor after rehearsal in the cathedral and fell into a deep sleep.
After our Evensong - which was fabulous - we were sent off with the hearty good wishes of the Dean and Chapter, with thanks for two lovely days and an offer to return anytime we wished. The people of Ripon are a kind and genuinely welcoming community and we feel richer for having spent time there.
After dinner it was off to Durham, a Cathedral City we have dreamed of for six years!
After our tour ended, we had a quick bite to eat in the Cafe and then headed back to Ripon to prepare for Evensong. Today was our final service of the trip and because of this, all of our organ scholars participated in the service, although we must say, it got a bit crowded with all of us in the tiny organ loft. Our final Evensong included Bairstow's Service in E-flat, the challenging Archer atonal unison responses, and Sarah Quartel's beautiful anthem, 'Veni sancte spiritus'. After rehearsal it was increasingly obvious that choir was exhausted after their non-stop twelve day adventure, but they still sang splendidly. Their level of fatigue can be seen in the sleeping pics on the slideshow below. Those are pics of actual sleeping choristers, several of which simply collapsed on the floor after rehearsal in the cathedral and fell into a deep sleep.
After our Evensong - which was fabulous - we were sent off with the hearty good wishes of the Dean and Chapter, with thanks for two lovely days and an offer to return anytime we wished. The people of Ripon are a kind and genuinely welcoming community and we feel richer for having spent time there.
After dinner it was off to Durham, a Cathedral City we have dreamed of for six years!
Tuesday, July 23: Day one at Ripon Cathedral
Today was our first day at glorious Ripon Cathedral. This is the oldest cathedral in the U.K., being begun in 673 by St. Wilfred. The current crypt under the cathedral is all that remains of this early building. To say that Ripon and its Cathedral is one of England's best kept secrets is an understatement. Located in Yorkshire, Ripon is a small rural city of 30,000 inhabitants. In spite of its size it maintains its position as a city because it has a Cathedral, and what a Cathedral it is. This building is designed to show the power and majesty of the medieval church. It is monumental in size and in gravity, with soaring areas of glass and a majestic nave. The choir area is one of the most beautiful, we have ever seen, with a spectacular array of carved beasts and some very fine stone carving and woodwork. The Cathedral also contains a lovely late nineteenth-century organ which is very Victorian in its stop list. This is a challenging building to sing in because of the distance between the choir stalls, however our Choristers handled it with great skill.
After a morning practice and a meeting with the delightful Precentor, we decided to explore the town and sample some of Yorkshire's wonderful food products. Scotch eggs, Cornysh Pasties and Quiche were all on the menu, with delicious Gelato for dessert. Following this, we went for a walk along the Ripon Canal and the river that feeds it. It was nice to spend some time in nature and the kids really enjoyed the time outside.
One of the great surprises for today was that composer Christopher Totney found out we were in town, and that we were singing his music in the evening, and decided to pay us a visit. Chris composed the Durham Service, which we sing for Evensong at Met and he also composed the setting of Psalm 100 - ' Make a joyful noise' - which Carolyn and Rick Wood commissioned for our aborted trip to England in 2020. Chris was gracious enough to drive an hour-and-a-half to visit us and it was such a generous act. After the service he had some very kind things to say to the Choristers which meant a great deal to them. A very special day indeed. In fact, all of the comments from clergy, musician and town folk were very, very generous and the general content of the comments, distilled to their essence was that, this is an exceptional choir! We can't wait to go back to Ripon tomorrow!
After a morning practice and a meeting with the delightful Precentor, we decided to explore the town and sample some of Yorkshire's wonderful food products. Scotch eggs, Cornysh Pasties and Quiche were all on the menu, with delicious Gelato for dessert. Following this, we went for a walk along the Ripon Canal and the river that feeds it. It was nice to spend some time in nature and the kids really enjoyed the time outside.
One of the great surprises for today was that composer Christopher Totney found out we were in town, and that we were singing his music in the evening, and decided to pay us a visit. Chris composed the Durham Service, which we sing for Evensong at Met and he also composed the setting of Psalm 100 - ' Make a joyful noise' - which Carolyn and Rick Wood commissioned for our aborted trip to England in 2020. Chris was gracious enough to drive an hour-and-a-half to visit us and it was such a generous act. After the service he had some very kind things to say to the Choristers which meant a great deal to them. A very special day indeed. In fact, all of the comments from clergy, musician and town folk were very, very generous and the general content of the comments, distilled to their essence was that, this is an exceptional choir! We can't wait to go back to Ripon tomorrow!
Monday, July 22: On the Road Again
Today we left our beloved Norwich Cathedral to head north to Ripon. However, before we did we took a moment to find some quiet time in the cathedral, buy some heritage wheat/grain English sourdough bread and say goodbye to 'Budge' the cathedral cat.
With that we headed north to York, for a day of sightseeing in this beautiful city. Upon arrival, we had a delicious lunch in a famous pub called 'Fancy Hanks', where we were treated to more food than we could ever have eaten. Following this we took an amazing walking tour of the walled city of York, with our amazing and energetic guide Ken! Ken was without a doubt one of the fastest walkers we have ever met, and he kept us on our toes. We learned a great deal about walls: Roman, Norman and Early English and we were fascinated by the stories that go with them. We also visited the Shambles and various towers and ramparts. Ken was very interesting and we all loved our time with him!
Following our tour, we went to Evensong at the majestic, enormous and beautiful York Minster. The service was sung very nicely by a visiting choir from the U.S., but we could not help but notice that they only sang one of the Psalms appointed for the day...wink, wink!
We are now ensconced in our hotel in Harrogate, ready to get up tomorrow and head to Britain's oldest Cathedral at Ripon.
With that we headed north to York, for a day of sightseeing in this beautiful city. Upon arrival, we had a delicious lunch in a famous pub called 'Fancy Hanks', where we were treated to more food than we could ever have eaten. Following this we took an amazing walking tour of the walled city of York, with our amazing and energetic guide Ken! Ken was without a doubt one of the fastest walkers we have ever met, and he kept us on our toes. We learned a great deal about walls: Roman, Norman and Early English and we were fascinated by the stories that go with them. We also visited the Shambles and various towers and ramparts. Ken was very interesting and we all loved our time with him!
Following our tour, we went to Evensong at the majestic, enormous and beautiful York Minster. The service was sung very nicely by a visiting choir from the U.S., but we could not help but notice that they only sang one of the Psalms appointed for the day...wink, wink!
We are now ensconced in our hotel in Harrogate, ready to get up tomorrow and head to Britain's oldest Cathedral at Ripon.
SUnday July 21: Day Six in the Cathedral
There is an old military saying that bootcamp can only do so much to prepare a soldier for battle. Until they have been tested under fire they can't be considered soldiers. I think the same might be true for singers. You can practice all you want to, but until you have done a full day of singing in a great cathedral, you can't really call yourself a choir.
We began our day at 815 AM with rehearsal in the Song School in preparation for the Service of Holy Communion at 1030. Because today was the commemoration of the death of Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich and builder of the cathedral, there were many extra processions and pieces to rehearse in addition to our repertoire. This necessitated arriving in the cathedral to rehearse early. Because this morning's service was a Eucharist, the choir stood to the west of the Organ Screen, a place we had not sung before. Our repertoire for the morning including Benjamin Britten's Missa Brevis and 'O sacrum convivium' by Kenneth Leighton, challenging stuff to say the least. The distance between the choir and the organist is problematic at best in this configuration. There is a delay of perhaps a quarter of a second which made performing the Britten Gloria a real challenge, but the choristers rose to the challenge and in the end the entire service was splendid. Assistant Organist, Catherine Grey, FNCM, ARCCO, played the first two movements of Raymond Daveluy's challenging Third Sonata as the Prelude and Postlude. Her playing was truly spectacular.
Following an hour off for lunch we returned to practice for a Festal Evensong, again in honor of Herbert de Losinga. Once again, there were processions to practice in addition to our repertoire, which included Hylton Stewart's Service in C, the Aston Responses and Sarah Quartel's 'Veni sancte spiritus', which was composed for the Choristers as a gift. The service also included the world premiere of Gregg Redner's anthem 'Wait patiently for him', which was composed specifically for this service, with a text based on writings by Bishop Losinga. The choristers did some of their finest singing of the trip while performing Dr. Redner's anthem and they made the composer very proud.
The service ended with a performance of Britten's 'Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Victoria' played by Gregg Redner. A fitting end to an exhausting, challenging and truly transformative day. The comments at the end of the service were extremely generous, with many complimenting the Choristers on their remarkable singing and the quality of their tone. They were called professional both in preparation and execution and several people suggested that they could give many English cathedral choirs a run for their money. High praise indeed and words we will take back with us to challenge us to even greater things.
So it is with sadness that we end our time at Norwich Cathedral, a place of great beauty and profound hospitality. We have been made to feel very welcome. We have been challenged and blessed and most certainly we have been changed by our experience singing in one of England's greatest cathedrals.
We began our day at 815 AM with rehearsal in the Song School in preparation for the Service of Holy Communion at 1030. Because today was the commemoration of the death of Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich and builder of the cathedral, there were many extra processions and pieces to rehearse in addition to our repertoire. This necessitated arriving in the cathedral to rehearse early. Because this morning's service was a Eucharist, the choir stood to the west of the Organ Screen, a place we had not sung before. Our repertoire for the morning including Benjamin Britten's Missa Brevis and 'O sacrum convivium' by Kenneth Leighton, challenging stuff to say the least. The distance between the choir and the organist is problematic at best in this configuration. There is a delay of perhaps a quarter of a second which made performing the Britten Gloria a real challenge, but the choristers rose to the challenge and in the end the entire service was splendid. Assistant Organist, Catherine Grey, FNCM, ARCCO, played the first two movements of Raymond Daveluy's challenging Third Sonata as the Prelude and Postlude. Her playing was truly spectacular.
Following an hour off for lunch we returned to practice for a Festal Evensong, again in honor of Herbert de Losinga. Once again, there were processions to practice in addition to our repertoire, which included Hylton Stewart's Service in C, the Aston Responses and Sarah Quartel's 'Veni sancte spiritus', which was composed for the Choristers as a gift. The service also included the world premiere of Gregg Redner's anthem 'Wait patiently for him', which was composed specifically for this service, with a text based on writings by Bishop Losinga. The choristers did some of their finest singing of the trip while performing Dr. Redner's anthem and they made the composer very proud.
The service ended with a performance of Britten's 'Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Victoria' played by Gregg Redner. A fitting end to an exhausting, challenging and truly transformative day. The comments at the end of the service were extremely generous, with many complimenting the Choristers on their remarkable singing and the quality of their tone. They were called professional both in preparation and execution and several people suggested that they could give many English cathedral choirs a run for their money. High praise indeed and words we will take back with us to challenge us to even greater things.
So it is with sadness that we end our time at Norwich Cathedral, a place of great beauty and profound hospitality. We have been made to feel very welcome. We have been challenged and blessed and most certainly we have been changed by our experience singing in one of England's greatest cathedrals.
Saturday, July 20: Day Five in the Cathedral
Today was a day of very hard work. We arrived at the Cathedral at 850 for a three-hour choir practice, which was used partly to prepare for today's Choral Evensong, but also for tomorrow's mega-liturgical day. The choir worked very hard and we feel good about what we are singing for the next two days.
Another unusual aspect to today's service was that four different organists played various parts of the service. Our two Senior Choir School Organ Scholars, Grace and Siu played music by Mendelssohn and Vierne for the Prelude. Dr. Gregg Redner played the service and Associate Organist A Young Kim, FRCCO (ChM) played the Mendelssohn c minor Fugue for the postlude. We were very tight on practice time and it took monumental efforts on everyone's part to make sure people arrive at the correct time for practicing - which was brief at best - but it all came off beautifully. The choir sang Bairstow in E-flat, the Neswick Preces and Responses, George Dyson's 'I will worship', and several monumental Psalms. They sang splendidly and they continue to amaze us, with their ability to perform under pressure, in spite of being very tired.
Following Evensong and some photos in the Cloister, we ate dinner at 'The Belgian Monk', an authentic Belgian country restaurant, famed for its' splendid country fare. The meal was filling and something new for most of us. The mussels particularly were delicious. The restaurant is famed for its mussel dishes and serves 660 pounds of mussels each week.
Tomorrow is a huge day for the choir with Communion at 1030, followed by Evensong at 330. It will be a monumental undertaking, but we are ready for it!
Another unusual aspect to today's service was that four different organists played various parts of the service. Our two Senior Choir School Organ Scholars, Grace and Siu played music by Mendelssohn and Vierne for the Prelude. Dr. Gregg Redner played the service and Associate Organist A Young Kim, FRCCO (ChM) played the Mendelssohn c minor Fugue for the postlude. We were very tight on practice time and it took monumental efforts on everyone's part to make sure people arrive at the correct time for practicing - which was brief at best - but it all came off beautifully. The choir sang Bairstow in E-flat, the Neswick Preces and Responses, George Dyson's 'I will worship', and several monumental Psalms. They sang splendidly and they continue to amaze us, with their ability to perform under pressure, in spite of being very tired.
Following Evensong and some photos in the Cloister, we ate dinner at 'The Belgian Monk', an authentic Belgian country restaurant, famed for its' splendid country fare. The meal was filling and something new for most of us. The mussels particularly were delicious. The restaurant is famed for its mussel dishes and serves 660 pounds of mussels each week.
Tomorrow is a huge day for the choir with Communion at 1030, followed by Evensong at 330. It will be a monumental undertaking, but we are ready for it!
Friday, July 19: Day four in the Cathedral and a trip to Cambridge
We had an absolutely spectacular morning at Cambridge University. We learned a ton about this historic town - one of the great universities in the world - from our two splendid guides. The highlight of the day was no doubt the time we spent in the magnificent King's College Chapel. This is without a doubt one of the greatest church buildings in the world, and everyone was overwhelmed by its ethos and history.
Our trip back to Norwich was a bit challenging. We had intended to be back by 315 so that we would be able to rehearse and warm up in the song school before practicing with the organ in the cathedral. Unfortunately, because of traffic we did not make it back until 410 and by the time we got gowned and into the Quire in the Cathedral is was after 430. This gave us only 30 minutes to prepare for the service. Of course, our magnificent Choristers handled it in stride and the service came off splendidly. One of the highlights of the day was singing Christopher Totney's magnificent setting of Psalm 100 - one of the Psalm's for the day. This anthem was commissioned by Carolyn and Rick Wood for our cancelled 2020 UK trip, which was cancelled because of Covid.
Following Evensong, we were the guests at a reception in the Cathedral Cloisters - the largest and perhaps the finest Cloister in all of England. It was wonderful to get to spend time chatting with the Precentor and other members of the Cathedral Chapter.
Our trip back to Norwich was a bit challenging. We had intended to be back by 315 so that we would be able to rehearse and warm up in the song school before practicing with the organ in the cathedral. Unfortunately, because of traffic we did not make it back until 410 and by the time we got gowned and into the Quire in the Cathedral is was after 430. This gave us only 30 minutes to prepare for the service. Of course, our magnificent Choristers handled it in stride and the service came off splendidly. One of the highlights of the day was singing Christopher Totney's magnificent setting of Psalm 100 - one of the Psalm's for the day. This anthem was commissioned by Carolyn and Rick Wood for our cancelled 2020 UK trip, which was cancelled because of Covid.
Following Evensong, we were the guests at a reception in the Cathedral Cloisters - the largest and perhaps the finest Cloister in all of England. It was wonderful to get to spend time chatting with the Precentor and other members of the Cathedral Chapter.
THURSDAY, JULY 18: dAY THREE IN THE CATHEDRAL
Today was our third day singing for services at Norwich Cathedral. We are really getting into the swing of things now, and understand the fine points of the way that things function here. It is a very exciting and welcoming place to be.
Following a delicious breakfast, we headed off to the Song School for a big morning of practice, during which had to get two Evensong Services ready - one for today and one for tomorrow. We will be in Cambridge tomorrow morning, so we wont have time to rehearse our service music for tomorrow evening. Our plan is to take our music on the bus and rehearse while driving.
After a vigorous rehearsal, we headed off to have a tour of the Cathedral Quarter of Norwich. Our guide was a retired teacher, who was very funny and VERY irreverent. As you can see from the image of him in front of 'the finest flint house is England', he was very excited by the topic. Norfolk has no natural building stone, so all of the houses are made out of split flint. It creates fascinating buildings, and our guide taught us all about the technique of building with the substance. We had a fun morning, after which we got lunch at the market.
One of the nice things about travelling with an adventurous spirit is that you can find yourself in some pretty amazing places doing some pretty amazingly, unexpected things. Today we had a superb example of this, as a group of our choristers ended up in the tower of a thirteenth-century church, learning all about 'change ringing' which is the practice of tolling the bells in every possible combination, without repeating any of the tolls. It turned out the Church of St. Peter Mancroft is the birthplace of change ringing and the most historic venue related to the subject. We were invited by the director of the change ringing choir there to 'give it a go'. It was a challenging - much harder than it appears - and exciting chance to do something we never expected to encounter. What a cool experience.
After our ringing experience, we returned to the Cathedral for a bit more rehearsal, and then after changing into our uniforms returned to the Cathedral to sing our third Evensong, which include Davison's St. Francis Canticles. Once again, the choir was superb and the service concluded with a spectacular performance of Mendelssohn's Prelude in c minor, played by Met's Associate Organist, A Young Kim, FRCCO (ChM).
We had a fun time eating dinner at 'The Giggling Squid', a famous Thai restaurant right outside the Cathedral's Erpingham Gate. Erpingham, a native of Norwich, developed the long bow which allowed the English to defeat the French at the Battle of Agincourt. Erpingham also appears in Shakespeare's 'Henry the Fifth'.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! We are so proud of this amazing group of young people. They continue to astound and delight us with their kindness to each other, the way they care for and look after each other, and their positive good spirits. It has been a flawless and joyous trip thus far.
Following a delicious breakfast, we headed off to the Song School for a big morning of practice, during which had to get two Evensong Services ready - one for today and one for tomorrow. We will be in Cambridge tomorrow morning, so we wont have time to rehearse our service music for tomorrow evening. Our plan is to take our music on the bus and rehearse while driving.
After a vigorous rehearsal, we headed off to have a tour of the Cathedral Quarter of Norwich. Our guide was a retired teacher, who was very funny and VERY irreverent. As you can see from the image of him in front of 'the finest flint house is England', he was very excited by the topic. Norfolk has no natural building stone, so all of the houses are made out of split flint. It creates fascinating buildings, and our guide taught us all about the technique of building with the substance. We had a fun morning, after which we got lunch at the market.
One of the nice things about travelling with an adventurous spirit is that you can find yourself in some pretty amazing places doing some pretty amazingly, unexpected things. Today we had a superb example of this, as a group of our choristers ended up in the tower of a thirteenth-century church, learning all about 'change ringing' which is the practice of tolling the bells in every possible combination, without repeating any of the tolls. It turned out the Church of St. Peter Mancroft is the birthplace of change ringing and the most historic venue related to the subject. We were invited by the director of the change ringing choir there to 'give it a go'. It was a challenging - much harder than it appears - and exciting chance to do something we never expected to encounter. What a cool experience.
After our ringing experience, we returned to the Cathedral for a bit more rehearsal, and then after changing into our uniforms returned to the Cathedral to sing our third Evensong, which include Davison's St. Francis Canticles. Once again, the choir was superb and the service concluded with a spectacular performance of Mendelssohn's Prelude in c minor, played by Met's Associate Organist, A Young Kim, FRCCO (ChM).
We had a fun time eating dinner at 'The Giggling Squid', a famous Thai restaurant right outside the Cathedral's Erpingham Gate. Erpingham, a native of Norwich, developed the long bow which allowed the English to defeat the French at the Battle of Agincourt. Erpingham also appears in Shakespeare's 'Henry the Fifth'.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! We are so proud of this amazing group of young people. They continue to astound and delight us with their kindness to each other, the way they care for and look after each other, and their positive good spirits. It has been a flawless and joyous trip thus far.
Wednesday, July 17: A day in Norfolk
In cathedral terms, today was the choir's quiet day. In other words, today was our day off and we took full advantage of our lack of schedule. We began the day with a trip to Aylsham to board the Bure Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad for the nine mile trip to the beautiful town of Wroxham. For many of us it was our first trip on a steam locomotive and the trip was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Once we left the train, we headed to the Norfolk Broads for a boat tour of Fen Country. This is a very bucolic series of inner lakes, which were created by the Vikings as they removed the peat from the ground - peat was dried and used for heating. The Broads are a breathtaking area of outstanding natural beauty and we had a chance to see much wildlife including an interesting number of rare seas birds.
After our time on the Broads, we headed to the town for lunch. What better thing to have then stunningly fresh fish and chips. Some of the choristers chose to avoid the fish lunch and instead headed to McDonalds, which was fine because a fed kid is a happy kid. Following lunch we headed to the seaside town of Gorleston Beach where we braved the 20 degree temperatures and windy, partly cloudy conditions to swim in the 15 degree waters of the North Sea. As with our 2018 trip to Chester and our adventures in the Irish Sea, we were the only people in the water. We had an amazing time and learned that we have some very good swimmers in our choir. Following dinner at The Cliff Hotel, we returned home to Norwich, tired but full from an amazing day together.
After our time on the Broads, we headed to the town for lunch. What better thing to have then stunningly fresh fish and chips. Some of the choristers chose to avoid the fish lunch and instead headed to McDonalds, which was fine because a fed kid is a happy kid. Following lunch we headed to the seaside town of Gorleston Beach where we braved the 20 degree temperatures and windy, partly cloudy conditions to swim in the 15 degree waters of the North Sea. As with our 2018 trip to Chester and our adventures in the Irish Sea, we were the only people in the water. We had an amazing time and learned that we have some very good swimmers in our choir. Following dinner at The Cliff Hotel, we returned home to Norwich, tired but full from an amazing day together.
TUESDAY, JULY 16: Day two in the CathedrAL
Today began with a rehearsal in the Cathedral Song School, a very successful modern integration into what was a degraded portion of the cathedral close. The rehearsal room has every modern convenience and is a real joy to sing in each morning. After a couple of hours of rehearsal - during which Senior Organ Scholar, Grace Zuo, CRCCO and Dr. Redner got to explore/ play the newly renovated cathedral organ - we went out for a bit of exploring in the old city. We found a number of wonderful used book, antique, stamp, record and stuffed bear stores. The surprise purchase of the day was when one of choristers showed us a book she had bought on International Law. We continue to be amazed by these kids, and we learn more about them every day!
After lunch at a lovely sandwich shop, we returned to the cathedral for a guided tour of this magnificent building, which was build by the Normans during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. One of the fascinating facts we learned was that all the stone used to build Norwich Cathedral was brought by barge to the city from Normandy, France. Our wonderful guides led us through some fascinating history including discussions about the Despenser Retable, the parents of Anne Boleyn, who are buried in the Presbytery and the brass baptismal font which was formerly a 'Rolo' chocolate caramel cooking vessel. All in all it was a fascinating afternoon.
After our tour we returned to sing evensong in the cathedral choir. with the prelude and postlude expertly played by Grace Zuo. The choir had to sing five Psalms tonight which was a real challenge. The remainder of the music was by Ian Wicks and Cecilia McDowall. Of particular interest was learning that the composer of the Preces and Responses for the evening - Peter Aston - was an honourary Canon of Norwich Cathedral, which we did not know.
All in all it was a great day!
After lunch at a lovely sandwich shop, we returned to the cathedral for a guided tour of this magnificent building, which was build by the Normans during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. One of the fascinating facts we learned was that all the stone used to build Norwich Cathedral was brought by barge to the city from Normandy, France. Our wonderful guides led us through some fascinating history including discussions about the Despenser Retable, the parents of Anne Boleyn, who are buried in the Presbytery and the brass baptismal font which was formerly a 'Rolo' chocolate caramel cooking vessel. All in all it was a fascinating afternoon.
After our tour we returned to sing evensong in the cathedral choir. with the prelude and postlude expertly played by Grace Zuo. The choir had to sing five Psalms tonight which was a real challenge. The remainder of the music was by Ian Wicks and Cecilia McDowall. Of particular interest was learning that the composer of the Preces and Responses for the evening - Peter Aston - was an honourary Canon of Norwich Cathedral, which we did not know.
All in all it was a great day!
Monday, July 15: Our first day at the Cathedral
Today was our first service at Norwich Cathedral and it will always be remembered as the day The Choristers of the Metropolitan United Church Choir School grew up and became a professional choir. What facilitated this maturation? Well today, our choir sang a completely a cappella Service of Choral Evensong in one of England's great Cathedrals. Not only did they sing, but they sang flawlessly, and with great understanding and panache. Following the service we were resoundingly praised by the Cathedral staff and members of the Cathedral Chapter for what was a truly beautiful job. In fact the Precentor told us that it felt like 'we did this everyday.' Truly high praise from a man who hears beautiful singing every day.
Our repertoire for the Service was:
Bruce Neswick - Preces and Responses in 4 parts.
Sarah McDonald - Faux Bourdon Service in 4 parts
Psalm 69 (yes, all the verses) to Gregorian Chant
Ave Maria - Gpdfrey Ridout
The beauty of the service was rounded out by A Young Kim's splendid performance of Bach's 'Piece d'Orgue' and Chorale Fantasia on 'Valet dir ich geben'.
Singing this spectacular music in this spectacular setting was one of the highlights of our young choir's life. It was a day we will not soon forget. We can't wait for tomorrow.
Our repertoire for the Service was:
Bruce Neswick - Preces and Responses in 4 parts.
Sarah McDonald - Faux Bourdon Service in 4 parts
Psalm 69 (yes, all the verses) to Gregorian Chant
Ave Maria - Gpdfrey Ridout
The beauty of the service was rounded out by A Young Kim's splendid performance of Bach's 'Piece d'Orgue' and Chorale Fantasia on 'Valet dir ich geben'.
Singing this spectacular music in this spectacular setting was one of the highlights of our young choir's life. It was a day we will not soon forget. We can't wait for tomorrow.
SUNDAY, JULY 14: A Day of Rest
Today was an acclimitization day, and for that reason we used today to get used to the time change. After a long and much needed sleep, we awoke, refreshed and hungry for a delicious full English breakfast. We spent the day exploring the environs of Norwich, which necessitated a good deal of walking. All of our choristers handled the challenges of today with great aplomb and it was wonderful to see them all acting as a very tight unit, caring and supporting each other. To say they had fun would be an understatement.
We began the day by walking to the spectacular Plantation Garden, a very beautiful project built in an abandoned flint quarry. One of the interesting aspects of this region is that many of the buildings are constructed of flint, and this garden uses the architectural salvage of many older buildings from the cities history in its construction.
Following our visit to the garden, we went to spend sometime in the massive Roman Catholic Cathedral, where we heard some beautiful singing and observed the Catholic mass at its finest. This was followed by a trip to the charming Norwich Market, where we enjoyed lunch.
We ended our day by attending Evensong at the Cathedral, where we had a chance to hear the combined Cathedral Men, Boys and Girls Choir sing a lovely Evensong. These service included the Benediction for Graduating Choristers, which was a very moving and emotional thing for many of us, as we realized that this day will eventually come for everyone of us. Following the Service we were welcomed warmly by the Cathedral Dean and many members of the congregation. Tomorrow we begin the work of singing services at the Cathedral, a day which will include five hours of rehearsal, as we prepare for a fully a cappella evensong. Bring it on!
We began the day by walking to the spectacular Plantation Garden, a very beautiful project built in an abandoned flint quarry. One of the interesting aspects of this region is that many of the buildings are constructed of flint, and this garden uses the architectural salvage of many older buildings from the cities history in its construction.
Following our visit to the garden, we went to spend sometime in the massive Roman Catholic Cathedral, where we heard some beautiful singing and observed the Catholic mass at its finest. This was followed by a trip to the charming Norwich Market, where we enjoyed lunch.
We ended our day by attending Evensong at the Cathedral, where we had a chance to hear the combined Cathedral Men, Boys and Girls Choir sing a lovely Evensong. These service included the Benediction for Graduating Choristers, which was a very moving and emotional thing for many of us, as we realized that this day will eventually come for everyone of us. Following the Service we were welcomed warmly by the Cathedral Dean and many members of the congregation. Tomorrow we begin the work of singing services at the Cathedral, a day which will include five hours of rehearsal, as we prepare for a fully a cappella evensong. Bring it on!
Saturday, July 13: At long last we are here!
It is truly hard to imagine that after six years of waiting, and three cancelled trips, we have finally arrived in Norwich, England. Our amazing Choristers dealt with the demands of travelling like battle-hardened veterans. Not once was there a complaint and to say we were impressed with their maturity is a gross understatement.
After arriving at Gatwick, we met our coach and headed up the M11 to Bury St. Edmunds, where we ate lunch and had a chance to see the cathedral there. It is a lovely little town and we all enjoyed our visit.
After arriving at Gatwick, we met our coach and headed up the M11 to Bury St. Edmunds, where we ate lunch and had a chance to see the cathedral there. It is a lovely little town and we all enjoyed our visit.
Back on the bus, we headed to Norwich which is a truly beautiful city and an absolutely spectacular Cathedral. After checking in at the Maid's Head Hotel - England's longest operating hotel at 800+ years - we had a lovely dinner and went to explore the cathedral where we will spend most of our time rehearsing and singing over the next week. What a magnificent building it is!
Friday, July 12: Off to england
Today, after six years of waiting, the magnificent Choristers of our Choir School left for their trip to England. We arrived safely at Pearson Airport and are now waiting to board for our overnight flight to Gatwick.
We were particularly excited to see Norwich streaming link on YouTube, for our two services on Sunday, July 20. The Sunday Communion Service is a Festal Service for the Feast of Herbert de Lothsinga, the first Bishop of Norwich and the man who began the building of the Cathedral. This service will include the world premiere of a new anthem by Gregg Redner, based on words drawn from de Lothsinga's writings, which will be sung by the Choristers at the Bishop's tomb in the choir.
We were particularly excited to see Norwich streaming link on YouTube, for our two services on Sunday, July 20. The Sunday Communion Service is a Festal Service for the Feast of Herbert de Lothsinga, the first Bishop of Norwich and the man who began the building of the Cathedral. This service will include the world premiere of a new anthem by Gregg Redner, based on words drawn from de Lothsinga's writings, which will be sung by the Choristers at the Bishop's tomb in the choir.
July 1-5: An intense week of Boot Camp
Prior to travelling to England, the Choristers have had an intense week of Choral Boot Camp to prepared them for the rigours of singing eight services in seven days at Norwich Cathedral. During Boot Camp the Choristers have sung eight services - six services of Choral Evensong and two Matins Services - and a full choral concert in five days. I think we can truly say that they are well prepared for this epic adventure.
After a long and challenging week, during which we sang all of the music for our trip in the guise of Choral Evensongs and Communion Services, it is now time for a bit of rest.
Our next post will be on Friday, July 12th. See you then!
Our next post will be on Friday, July 12th. See you then!