Wolds Diary: Proud contribution to international choral premiere

On Saturday, I went to the rehearsal of the battle concert at All Saints Pocklington. With five choirs, we were duly directed where we were going to be in the church, how to get there and where to stand. My place was upon a raised dais at the back with the rest of the tenors. This took time. Then on the Sunday we had the first rehearsal with the whole orchestra.
Dominating the skyline: Morleys magnificent town hall. Picture: John CliftonDominating the skyline: Morleys magnificent town hall. Picture: John Clifton
Dominating the skyline: Morleys magnificent town hall. Picture: John Clifton

It was the East Riding Symphonia and we sang through all that we were to do and then in the evening the concert took place. The church was full, even having members of the audience in the two balconies. To say it was a resounding success was an understatement. It was dramatic, poignant and different - an international premier and I was privileged to be part of it. It told the story of the Battle of Stamford Bridge, 950 years ago. I also enjoyed meeting members of other choirs, including a choir from Norway.

On the Monday, I had a great walk with the dogs. We went for miles on the Hudson Way quite early in the morning. Then it was back to everyday matters. I needed to have a good clean up in the house and then of course in the evening it was choir practice, this time starting to sing carols for the carol concert. It was a change in the style of music and rather a welcome one.

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On Wednesday, I drove over to the fine town of Morley on the other side of Leeds to give a talk there. I admired Morley’s magnificent town hall and headed off to a very posh hotel, with the most dramatic views to the south, where I joined the ladies of the Luncheon Club for a delicious meal and to give my talk. It went well and I was in delightful company there. Once home it was out for a quick walk with the dogs doing some chores and then off to a Deanery Synod meeting at the delightful and old church of John the Baptist at Wilberfoss. Bishop John of Selby was speaking and it was an interesting evening. By the time I got home I was tired.

My new murder mystery novel comes out this week and I needed to deliver some information about it to various outlets. I also need to post a couple of copies to friends.

On Thursday, my handyman came around and tackled the huge hedge on the perimeter of my garden and he returned the next day to tidy the garden for winter.

I went to a rehearsal of HMS Pinafore in the evening and on the Friday, my godson, his wife and their adorable son, Alexander, who is almost two-and-a-half-years-old came to stay together with their dog who used to be mine many years ago.

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Before they arrived that evening I had to sort out a problem. I had purchased a new phone a couple of weeks ago and had been provided with a replacement sim card for it. Something was obviously very wrong with either the card or the phone. I had to go back to York to the shop and complain.

The phone was a cheap one and not up to the job but they refused to take it back and merely replaced the sim card which they said was faulty. I tried to buy a better phone, but they didn’t have the advertised one in stock, so I went across the road to another company, and they not only directed me to their other shop a few hundred yards away, the chap there programmed the new phone for me and did all the things I asked. I got back in time to clean the house before my family arrived.

Little Alexander is utterly delightful and on the Saturday, we went to Burnby Hall Gardens where he had a wonderful time feeding the fish in the lake. In fact, we had to stop him trying to go in and swim with them.

On the Sunday, they came with me to church. My godson is a professional singer and organist and his wife has a good voice so they joined the monthly choir with us and at one point I was told that little Alexander was conducting one of the hymns!

After church, we went to a good pub in Wilberfoss and had a carvery meal. The new licensees were so welcoming and helpful and the food was delicious.

It was such a wonderful week.

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