Choir Open day 2008
On a lovely sunny February afternoon we met to welcome a host of visitors for the annual Southwell Minster Choir Open Day, in this 900th anniversary year.
It began in the school hall with opening words by Paul Hale (the Rector Chori) and the Dean, and Simon Bell (the Assistant Organist) was introduced. Former choristers James Beddoe and Edward Turner also said a few words, and Edward treated us to an impressive demonstration of the new school organ.
We then set off on a tour of the new Minster School. After looking around various of the impressive facilities (sports halls, workshops, arts facilities, to name but a few) we stopped to admire the music department en route to the Junior Department, where the choristers and other juniors are taught.
One of the classrooms in the Junior Department
We all then assembled in the Recital Hall, where we were first introduced to the Junior Department teachers. The choristers sang two pieces, Light of the World by John Dankworth and The Lord is My Shepherd by Howard Goodall. Following this, Simon Bell taught all the boys two rounds which all evidently enjoyed greatly, the visitors all singing with great enthusiasm.
After this we all moved to the Great Hall. Many of us, making the most of the crisp February weather, enjoyed the short stroll across from the school. The visiting boys remained in the Great Hall while the other visitors were given a guided tour round the Minster by one of the Stewards, Mrs. Glenys Herbert. While in the Great Hall, the visiting boys practised the pieces for the subsequent Evensong. The choristers assisted the visitors through the pieces accompanied by Simon Bell on the grand piano and under the watchful eye and leadership of Mr Hale.
Minster choir & visitors at the Open Day
Having run through the pieces for the evening’s service there was a question and answer session with each chorister outlining an aspect of the chorister’s life (covering everything from the social life to the pay scale!) and then the visitors were able to ask questions of their own. These were wide-ranging and covered such topics as “What is it like to sing in a cathedral choir?” and “What makes a great choir boy?” The choristers also explained the virtues of trips to other cathedrals, most recently Leicester and, last year, Rochester—the enjoyment of singing in new venues and with other choirs, and, obviously, the food! There was also discussion of past choir tours, and the imminent tour to Southern Italy this May, where the choir have the opportunity to sing in some amazing venues, and during the day get to go off on trips and see the sights.
After the practice, the pieces were performed for the parents as they returned from their tour, and then it was time for tea! All the singing had built up some healthy appetites and the food, provided by the parents of the choristers, soon vanished while everyone chatted and recounted their experiences. There followed a presentation of the Southwell Minster Choir DVD ‘A year in the life (example)’, which illustrated the diversity, richness and opportunity of the boys’ experience. (For anyone who might want a copy of this DVD they are available from Paul Hale, or by phoning the choir hotline on 01636 817360.)
The choir boys were also hungry!
A short while later we met together in the Minster quire for Evensong. An extra row of seats had to be brought in to accommodate the visiting boys as the choir swelled to around 150% its usual size. The choir sang beautifully (as always!) with the support of the visiting boys. The visitors, who had practised so hard and sung so well, even sang the closing phrase of The Lord is My Shepherd unaccompanied by the rest of the choir.
As a fantastic Open Day drew to a close the visiting boys processed out of the quire with the rest of the choir at the end of the service as parents and the rest of the congregation stood and watched. It was the end of a very special day.
Article by Mark & Angela Edmondson-Jones
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