Dear Singers
A very happy new year to you all!
Several people have asked whether I’m planning anything special for the Choir’s 30th
anniversary. We’d thought about going to Ripon (where we started), but as many of you will
know, the Choir School there closed last summer after 50 years.
Anyway, Michael Stoddart has offered us several vacation dates at Newcastle Cathedral, and
I’m happy just to do what we’ve always done, namely support our local cathedral whenever
we have a suitably balanced group of singers available.
There are two Sundays in Eastertide, 7th and 14th April. I’d be happy for us to sing on either
or both, and in each case for two services or just the morning. Sometimes we’ve sung on two
successive Sundays, the first as a smaller ‘warm-up’ for the second.
Looking further ahead, there are two Sundays in July (21st and 28th), three in August (4th, 18th
and 25th), and two in September (1st and 8th). Obviously, 25/8 would be part of our usual long
weekend, with Brinkburn the previous day, but again I’d be happy to accept other dates if and
when people are willing.
I’ll gladly book university accommodation again for the summer. It was sad when cheap
residential school facilities started closing (and Kenton Lodge has now closed completely –
we were the last people to stay there in 2005); but I now regret the three ‘restricted’ summers,
2006-8, when we cut numbers down and billeted singers locally. I should have taken the
university option sooner, and the higher cost has not in fact been much of a problem.
Janet and I haven’t done anything about local ‘small choir’ events recently; the arrival of our
grandson in October rather altered our perspective! However, I will look into possibilities for
this year, besides cathedral dates. Please let me know about those, so that I can start choosing
music; and please also tell me if your availability changes. My heart sinks when a telephone
conversation begins with ‘Oh Kieran, I meant to tell you…’.
Anyway, many thanks for your continued support, and I’ll keep you informed of our progress.
Janet and I are happy to hear from any of you at any time.
All good wishes,