Tour Reports 2022

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St Mary's Cathedral Edinburgh - April 2022 

This tour was to the Episcopal Cathedral of St Mary. The cathedral stands surrounded by robust stone houses in the Coates area to the west end of Edinburgh, close to Haymarket. In 1870 the Misses Barbara and Mary Coates, devoted Episcopalians, left a legacy in the shape of land and money for the building of the Cathedral, a soaring Victorian Gothic church designed by George Gilbert Scott.

As we gathered on Thursday evening for a quick run through with some of the music, it was so pleasing to meet friends (I will not say old!), catch up on news and renew friendships. We come from all points of the UK and from many varying backgrounds but we are a friendly, happy, fun- loving group who are prepared to work very hard at the music to provide the best performance that we can.

Friday, and some healthy folk walked from the hotel to St Mary’s, whilst others caught the bus. We quickly worked out the bus system which we found an excellent service. The song room, when we got in, was the coldest room we have ever experienced. Two small heaters were found but made little difference, we kept our coats on and soldiered on. Well, the Cathedral was no warmer - icy does not quite describe it. We provided our own crucifer, Shelagh, and there was no verger until Sunday Eucharist. It would have been good to be offered tea/coffee by the cathedral but this was not forthcoming, we just relied on our flasks of coffee.

We wondered if we would have a congregation, we need not have worried, Evensong saw a few people but Sunday morning Eucharist was certainly a very good attendance.

The music I will not report on, only to say that as we slowly get back together and with some valuable new comers to the choir, the familiarity with the music helped us to learn to sing together again.

Some members did not stay in the hotel but the ones who did met for dinner each evening. We were given our own space and felt that the buffet was a good idea if at times we were not sure what we were eating and the staff didn’t help, they obviously had not been told what each dish was or contained. But when you are hungry and worked all day we just accepted it.

Saturday and John was feeling generous, he decided that we had worked hard on Friday and deserved to have the morning off so that we could go into Edinburgh to see the sights. Why go all that way just to be in a cold church? However, the temperature in Edinburgh, and the wind were simply freezing - fresh from the east and not pleasant, yet in a sheltered spot the sun was quite warm. We reconvened again and went through music for evensong and the Sunday Eucharist.

Sunday is always a busy day, in the short break there is time to get some lunch. At this point I was told by messages from home that the bus from Edinburgh to Carlisle would not be in time for me to catch the train link to Preston. I am not usually taken to panic but this meant that I had to miss evensong and travel earlier.

This has been a very enjoyable weekend, we are now looking forward to Ripon in the Summer and Blackburn in February. I recommend Blackburn – it’s always warm in there as there is underfloor heating, and everyone is so welcoming (not that I am biased!). I may add it has a very good cafe, Checks and Greys, for meals and drinks, and the Premier Inn is just behind the cathedral in Victoria Square.

As a choir, we thank Ester and her team for arranging these visits, Will for his excellent organ skills and John for his friendship and superb musicianship… and patience.

Pamela Coates MA

Ripon Cathedral - August 2022

We were last here 7 years ago, in 2015, when we stayed in the Ripon Spa Hotel, with its landscaped garden and Croquet lawns maintained to International Competition standards. It is at present undergoing renovation (which was perhaps needed), and because it is not easy to find hotels which can accommodate a group of our size, this time we were in the Unicorn Hotel – in the Market Place, and claiming to be the oldest Coaching Inn in Ripon.  It was nevertheless cheap, clean and cheerful, breakfast was easy and apart from the first night having travelled varying distances to Yorkshire, in the evenings we mostly ate out in this delightful city.

It did not take us long to renew the friendships that have built up over the years and to 'catch up', all of which tends to glue us together to perform to the high standards we set ourselves.  John Naylor nudged us gently and subtly throughout the week-end to produce our best in front of the clergy and congregation when it mattered.  The Eucharist, as now done in cathedrals post-pandemic, was streamed live on the internet.  Will, shoeless occasionally, played for us all with skill and imagination and an universal appreciation goes to Ester for the weeks of administration behind the scenes to get us to Ripon.

Rehearsals were in the Cathedral Hall requiring a number of steep steps to negotiate to and from the cathedral which would have tested Edmund Hillary.

I must mention the weather.  Edinburgh 4 months ago was as cold as the North Pole; at Southwell shortly before (not an official OUCC tour) we sought sanctuary in the cathedral from the hurricane force gales outside and now in Ripon--------boy, was it hot.  The whole country was melting in an unprecedented heatwave and Ripon was no exception. Basses and tenors were excused wearing jackets and yet the sopranos and altos seemed to cope with calm composure (how do they do that?)  However, even with doors open, we could not escape it.  Rest breaks were mandatory as were liquid refreshments.

Saturday was interesting for two reasons.

First, unbeknown to me, and the others probably, it was race day at the Ripon racecourse situated not far outside the town.  We were out of the hotel by 9.00am for rehearsals but in came the whole world and his tattooed wife for some stiffeners at the bar before staggering off for the first race.  I returned briefly at lunch time to force my way through a bear garden on the ground floor and then forced my way out again.  They had obviously lost on the races during the afternoon as they had disappeared by the evening. 

Secondly, and peacefully, at 9.00pm the Ripon horn blower was 'Setting the Watch' in the market square opposite our hotel.  This tradition, going back a few centuries, is performed every evening here.  He sounds his horn at the four corners of a listed obelisk and declares the town is safe for the night and then confirms it to the town mayor. 

Oh, the music, I nearly forgot.  Apart from known pieces, we had 3 new ones from Hooper, Howells and Andrew Mildenhall, one of our basses.  The first 2 needed special care whilst Andrew's composition sung on Sunday was simplicity itself which was perfect whilst the congregation was taking the sacrament.  It was very well received and rightly so.  Maybe the cathedral school will add it to their repertoire.

Before finishing, I must mention Peter Wood for leading us in the various Responses and Catherine Osborne for also leading us in the Byrd ‘Teach me O Lord’ solo which, daunting as it might have been, was not obvious to us.

Patrick Hay 

Tewkesbury Abbey - September 2022

This tour was originally booked for the Lydian Singers but it became more of a ‘Mixolydian’ tour as it had become apparent that it would be necessary to augment the group with other singers. Similar situation had happened in February with the visit to Southwell Cathedral.  For both these tours, invitations were sent to the OUCC members and good numbers of our singers responded.

Organising this visit was a combination of OUCC and Lydian arrangements.  The Lydian tours were always DIY as regards booking accommodation.  For Tewkesbury in particular, there is no hotel large enough to take a large group but several pubs with rooms and B&B establishments. As for the music, most of the OUCC members already had much of it, the rest was available in the Lydians music library or as legitimate CPDL copies.  Considering the composition of the choir, it was decided to re-brand the visit as an OUCC event, with the singers wearing the OUCC gowns.

So we all turned up for the first rehearsal on Saturday at noon, Simon Russell being our accompanist for the weekend.  From then on it was the usual pattern of rehearsals in the Parish Hall and in the Abbey.

Sunday afternoon the choir was augmented by two young singers (students).  They both made a valuable contribution – and it has sparked an idea about exploring the possibility of the OUCC sponsoring a couple of young singers on future tours. 

Thanks as always to John and Simon for their musical leadership, and also to Patrick and Arthe for dealing with the gowns.

Ester Harries 

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