Tour Reports 2025

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Blackburn Cathedral - February 2025 

What a delight to for the OUCC to return to Blackburn Cathedral: a beautiful, calm and light building dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.

As usual, as many as could convened on Friday afternoon for a short practice – a time to meet each other again and introduce ourselves to the very welcome new members who joined us for this weekend. The company seemed larger than usual so it was quite cosy in the Song School!

In the evening, many of us enjoyed a meal at ‘Thira’, which must be the best Indian restaurant in Blackburn, if not in Lancashire. The staff always make us welcome and, to answer a request, we did give them a song, much to the amazement of the other diners. Others made their own arrangements, eating in the hotel.

Saturday is always a long day, but we were able to go through all the music, dealing with the tricky bits and counting like fury. The music chosen by our maestro was in parts challenging but achievable.  Pam made Ormskirk Gingerbread biscuits for coffee break dishing out some history behind the biscuits together with a recipe. What she will make next time for Lancashire… hotpot, butter pies, Scouse, who knows?

Saturday evensong is not a regular in Blackburn, except for events, so the congregation was made up of family members, two others and a man who wandered in and out, but we enjoyed singing Carter’s Hexham Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis written by her Shelagh’s late husband, Nigel. As Shelagh sang the introduction and solo it was quite emotional. It is the first time this setting has left Hexham. The service was led by Fr Neil, a Cannon at the Cathedral and Rector of St Lawrence in Chorley, a very accomplished musician.

Contrary to opinion, the sun does sometimes shine in Lancashire and Saturday was a glorious sunny day which showed off the best of the lantern windows, casting coloured reflections on the walls, an excellent photo opportunity.

Sunday came quickly and, with a run through the service booklet, we were off!  Lining up in the South transept, we were led to the West door to begin. Dean Peter gave the notices we then processed down the aisle to the choir stalls. Simon Russell, our organist for the weekend, made the most of the fantastic organ. The Eucharist went smoothly. In conversation after the service, we had many complimentary comments, everyone loving the Mathias anthem. The coffee/tea at the end of the service is always a time to meet the ‘locals’, who seem to be curious to know where we all come from. Lunch for some in Checks and Greys was a time to relax before we were off again. Evensong again with Dean Peter and James the Canon Missioner rounded off a wonderful weekend. Love Rutter or not, the Christiana Canticles are good to sing and the anthem, The Heavens are Telling, was enjoyed by everyone.

A thank-you must go to Ester and her team for arranging the OUCC weekends, to John our amiable and experienced conductor and friend and Simon for his magnificent organ playing making the Cathedral ring especially with his voluntaries and Gospel fanfare. We are all very grateful to them for giving us the opportunity to sing wonderful music to a high standard in a variety of beautiful surroundings.

Pamela S.V. Coates MA

St George's Chapel, Windsor - March 2025 

There is a moment towards the end of any tour when you are between a wonderful feeling that all the hard work is paying off as things have come together and a fear that you are tiring and it could all fall apart from a lack of concentration.  And all too soon, it’s over and you’re home wishing you could just do it all again with the benefit of all that you learned over the weekend. If you agree to do the write-up, at least you have a reason to revisit it all.

Seeing Windsor Castle getting closer, and thinking again, how wonderful Ester is in her arrangements and instructions, we found our way from the carpark and safely arrived at check-in of the centrally situated hotel. When you spot your first fellow chorister at the desk, you know the weekend of singing services is really here.

Windsor was bathed in spring sunshine, even if the wind still had a bit of wintry chill.  However, we happily settled for the cloudlessness of the blue sky setting off the stone of the Castle which had seen so many historic events.

Our first rehearsal was in the opposite direction – in the Mountbatten Room at the little gem of the Holy Trinity church.   It wasn’t so long since Blackburn, and a few new friends who had joined us there, had come again, which was lovely.  As ever the choir for this tour was a slightly different mix, so we still had fun setting out the chairs and finding who should be sitting where.  Will of course could only be at the keyboard, and John on his seat at the front.   A large choir on the list, but with some late arrivals, initially the second sopranos were surprised to find themselves outnumbered by the tenors, let alone the first sopranos!

We rehearsed there again on Saturday morning, sustained by Market Drayton gingerbread, (and speculating on the spices therein) as well as tea and coffee, and gradually John was helping us sing as a choir not a bunch of individuals. After lunch we went to the St George’s Chapel itself for the first time.  We had not only our gowns and music, but our ID all at the ready in slightly nervous anticipation, but in the end, after briefly checking us off the list, we went through the gate quite quickly.  We passed the famous steps to the West door, and went through the ancient cloister and down the steps to the Dungeon, where we were practising.  It was a bit dark, but that did add to its own special atmosphere.

Checking the rules with Marie (one of the Vergers) we had been made aware we were not to take water with us to the choir stalls, but were not sure about handbags.  Marie told us that we could take them into Chapel if we preferred, but that we could equally leave any belongings there, because, as she emphasised, ‘the Dungeon is VERY safe’.  We were left with the impression that she was not only referring to its historic thick walls, but no-one dared ask any more about it.

Assembling to rehearse in the stalls, we saw the memorial chapel where the late Queen Elizabeth II was buried with Prince Philip and her parents, and we remembered those state occasions, in recent years. It felt a particular privilege to be in this special place, with so many singing friends and share the psalms of hope and trust in troubled times, and hymns about our Good Shepherd.   On Saturday we sang the canticles by Rootham which were new to many people, though we had sung them a couple of years ago.  The Joubert ‘O Lord, the Maker of al thing’ was a wonderful piece with a Royal connection as it was a setting of Henry VIIIs words.

As Windsor had a Parish Communion without a choir, we had another run at Mattins.  We sang the Stanford Benedictus and Jubilate. (It being 101 years and one day since Stanford’s death, as someone noted). 

This weekend fell to include Mothering Sunday, so many of the choir were planning to share some of this special weekend with family members, but being in such an awesome place, John decided we couldn’t do without a bit of rehearsal on Sunday afternoon.  The Purcell anthem ‘Lord, how long wilt thou be angry?’ certainly shone with the extra work put in by the whole choir, and especially the sextet who sang the 3-part verse section. A reminder too, of what we needed to keep the Rose Responses on track for the final evensong.  The Grayston Ives canticles seemed a more straightforward setting than Rootham, but that brings its own test of togetherness. 

Every OUCC tour opens up something of the workings of the venue, but as we said farewell to St George’s Chapel, Windsor, we felt we had really appreciated being there for such a lovely weekend.

Gillian Hogg 

Lichfield Cathedral - August 2025 

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams”

Once again, John took on the challenge of producing liturgical music which would allow the listeners to be transported through our music making, to be able to contemplate the wonders and the beauty of God’s creation.

That said, when we found out that we were actually going to be singing at Lichfield pitch, which is higher than normal concert pitch … well.  It was obvious that we had all practiced so well at home, which is why our unaccompanied singing kept going a little flat – or at least back to our well-rehearsed concert pitch (and that’s my excuse!)  I have never heard Willow tell John that we were singing flat before – on more than one occasion!  The change from the rehearsal room to the glorious cathedral allowed us all to enjoy the majestic playing from Willow, which as always kept us perfectly (almost) in tune!

Singing with the OUCC allows people who are like-minded to join together and do what they love most – to sing to the Glory of God.  This reunion was no different.  We convened on Thursday 14th August, to find familiar faces and some new.  As always, newcomers were welcomed to the group.  After our first rehearsal, many of us ate at an Italian restaurant in the centre of Lichfield, to allow us to continue to renew old friendships and make new ones.  This was our eating place for the rest of the tour.  The food was good, if a little slow in arriving. 

Friday saw our first Evensong, when we sang the beautiful L’Estrange Responses, which seemed to go from strength to strength throughout the weekend.  The canticles Dyson in D posed a challenge in rehearsal, but as always by 5.30, we were there!

As Friday 15th August is a special date for the Blessed Virgin Mary, John had been asked for something with a bit of “umph” so the Dyson provided this in style.  The Bogoróditse Dyévo by Rachmaninov – well.  What can I say – sublime!  This was a treat even during the rehearsal, when we were singing scattered around the room.  Despite the heat, everything went well, and those who were in the congregation seemed to enjoy it.  Our day had been enhanced by Pam, who was celebrating a special birthday.  She had made us all a delicious cupcake which we all enjoyed with coffee – thank you Pam!

Saturday (thankfully a little less sunny but no less muggy).  Once again, the L’Estrange Responses with the canticles Watson in E and the anthem The Secret of Christ by Shephard.  Watson again, had proved to be a little tricky – but of course, as always, by 5.30 we were (nearly) note perfect!

Sunday proved to be the culminating point.  What a delight to lead the Eucharist – with so many in the congregation and they could sing as well!  John had said let the organ take the strain with the hymns, but the congregation proved themselves capable singers as well!  They were all very welcoming and were very complementary about our setting by Sumsion in F – notably the Sanctus and Agnus Dei.  The motet by Mathias, the Ave verum corpus, went well.  Whilst we were sitting outside waiting for the key to the rehearsal room, members of the congregation passed us and said how much they had enjoyed the music that morning and John and other members of the choir had received similar comments inside the cathedral.  It is also worth a comment here about the interesting sermon which exhorted us to get on and show our faith in action.

Sunday evening was possibly my favourite.  The Ives canticles are so cheerful and as for the Mendelssohn “Blessed are the men that fear him” – what a resounding piece to finish a wonderful weekend of singing.

Thank you to Willow – as ever the music from the organ loft was inspiring and encouraged us to greater (and more tuneful) singing. 

Thank you to Ester.  Without you, these weekends could not, and would not, run as smoothly as they do.  All the things you do behind the scenes make our lives so much easier. 

Thank you to John for leading us through a challenging but very uplifting range of music.  Your musical insights are gems of knowledge which we all enjoy.

These weekends are a time, when we are able to come together and just enjoy making music.  As I started, so must I finish - “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams”.

One last little thought – a paraphrase of the Bard!  “When shall we four voice parts meet again?”

Well – I know that Ester will be telling us exactly where and when we will be reuniting next year, so until then, thank you one and all.

Catherine Horrocks 

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