This Saturday, 3 November, I’m going to be singing Patrick Hawes’  Te Deum in Rochester Cathedral as a member of Rochester Choral Society.  The Jubilation Concert, as it’s called, is going to be extra-special, as we’ve the privilege of performing the UK Première of Patrick’s work.

Patrick will be conducting the work at the concert.  He came to Rochester to take a rehearsal recently and it was marvellous. To have the real-life guidance of the composer of a piece of music doesn’t happen very often since the composers are usually long dead!

English: Rochester Cathedral as viewed from the top of Rochester Castle. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There’s a World Première, too, of David Briggs‘ Mosaique Sonata for Organ Duet. The organists are Roger Sayer (our musical director) and Charles Andrews. So if you’re in the area next saturday, 3 November, the performance starts at
7 pm.  COME ALONG!  We’re also singing Walton‘s Coronation Te Deum (composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth (II)) and Parry’s I Was Glad and Blest Pair of Sirens (or as one of my fellow choralists calls it –  Best Pair of Nylons).  The Parry pieces were performed during the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Patrick was gracious enough to autograph my score. Call me an ageing groupie if you dare. And although I did tell someone I would be flogging it on Ebay, that was a joke!

Ann