The weekend

I went down to Surrey to stay with my friends , Lynette (Aussie) and her husband Bob (a pom!)
Bob's son i s the assistant organist at Rochester Cathedral and we drove down there to hear him play for Evensong with the 'Voluntary choir' ( it was half term and the boys were on holiday) It was very nice and the standard was that of Christ Church S. Laurence. Had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Rochester .
Sunday was an amazing day- Lynette sings in a very good choir at St Michael's Croydon( their director, Robert Sholl is Australian ) and I was priveleged to be allowed to be one of the sopranos for the day. My sight reading skills were sorely taxed for the Mozart 'Missa Brevis' in B but I actually surprised myself and managed. The anthem was by Bairstow 'I sat down under his shadow' which is in my repetoire so no worries there.
Then some of the choir went back to Anne Fleming's for lunch. Her husband Michael, who died about 3 years ago, was the former choir director , a brilliant musician and one of the stalwarts of RSCM who has nurtured and trained innumerable church musicians from all over the world. Had a beautiful English roast (pork) and amazing interaction with some very proficient musicians, including Nic Edwards who had lived in Sydney and worked for Opera Australia for 18 months.He sang at St JamesKing St and is now going to go freelance as a composer, next year.
Then, having been suitably fed and watered (or should I say , wined) we went back to church and sang Evensong - Howell's St Paul's Service (another sight read) and 'My eyes for Beauty pine' (another Burwood choir piece)