Monday 19 September 2016

Summer of 2016

Not a cloud in the sky. Photo by J. Ireland

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to sing in a variety of venues and this summer we were thrilled to sing for a week in Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire. 


View from the back of the procession. Photo by J. Ireland. 
The acoustics were amazing throughout the Cathedral and it felt comfortable to sing there, particularly from the choir stalls. 
Jonny's view! Photo by J. Ireland
However,  during a tour of the building we learnt that there were many different spaces that choirs throughout time had been expected to sing from, including right at the top of the tower..! The photo below shows the beautifully painted ceiling and the panels of angels, seen from the ground. In days of old, the panels were opened and the young choristers sang from there.


A climb up the spiral stairs, and a walk across the roof gave us a lovely view across the fens.

A few brave souls making their way to the tower. 
John and Lorna looking out on the right, and Amanda bottom left

Once we reached the top, the guide opened some of the wooden panels, which allowed us to see just how enormous the Angels are (see above) as well as a great view back to earth (below). 


View from the tower. The centre of this photo shows the Choir Stalls where we sang every day. 
The photos below show the lovely choir room where we rehearsed.


Geoff's arrival! 
We were accompanied by Luke Bond who drove up from Truro to play for us.


Quartet rehearsal, photo by J. McDonald

This year we added a lunchtime concert to the programme. We worked hard all week to prepare, and on the morning of the concert we rehearsed for the first time in the Lady Chapel, a white interior in beautiful contrast to the colourful architecture throughout the rest of the Cathedral. It was an incredible experience - there was a long reverb and we could hear ourselves and each other so clearly that it was a little unnerving. We had a full audience for the concert, the acoustics of the Lady Chapel greatly adding to the experience.

       It was a very hot day though, so some members were glad to cool off afterwards..!!

A little extra ventilation. 

A choir trip is great fun and spending so much time together is bonding and great for the voice. Singing every day means a rehearsal in the mornings to prepare for Evensong, with plenty of time to relax in between and sample the local tea rooms!


 


Our next performance is our 30th Anniversary Concert on October 21st, in St Molua's Church Belfast. More details to follow. 












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