I didn’t take much part in the Christmas season, but I returned to Gloucester Cathedral for a session singing from ‘100 Carols for Choirs’ while visitors to the Cathedral strolled around during an open evening. Mostly carols that were well-known to me, although I don’t think I’d ever sung ‘Mary’s lullaby’ by John Rutter before.
In the absence of any other volunteers I put myself forward for the Once in Royal solo. I’ve done this just once before, in my village church when I was in my mid-twenties. A chance to find out that you can be heard all over the Cathedral without having to put in a great deal of effort. But I do see why at King’s the boy who sings it only learns at the last minute that he’s been selected – it doesn’t give any time to become nervous. It is less anxiety-inducing of course when you aren’t starting off the whole event and there aren’t millions listening to you.