Monthly Archives: May 2014

inside the Masonic Hall

I’d never been in a Masonic hall before, but Bath’s was used for a series of late-night concerts in the Festival. These were informal, in that you could take your drink into the concert hall and the seats were unreserved. … Continue reading

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Shopping songs

I was very proud to see my youngest child performing along with others in his class in the Bath Festival in a free lunchtime concert of music written for children by Peter Maxwell Davies and Alasdair Nicolson, the Festival’s director. … Continue reading

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See Australia!

Some of us in the Erleigh Cantors felt that Tourism Australia should have sponsored our concert at St. Peter’s Earley, because of its potential for subliminal advertising. One piece we performed was Bob Chilcott’s setting of the Ave Maris Stella … Continue reading

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Violetta’s back-story

One of the most poignant moments in the current (actually 20-year-old) Royal Opera House production of La Traviata comes even before the curtain rises; during the overture, images of 19th-century poverty-stricken girls are projected on it, to suggest Violetta’s origins … Continue reading

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When our families are broken, when our homes are full of strife

The above text has just been added to the list of inappropriate/tasteless things I’ve sung at weddings (most singers I know have such a list). It was the first line of a verse of a hymn we sang during the … Continue reading

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