Parkside, Burnthill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2HX
Mob: +44(0)7866 770360
E-mail: ece@paulspicer.com
Website: www.englishchoralexperience.co.uk
NEWSLETTER No.10
Dear Friends
It has been wonderful to restart all our choral activities and to enjoy some really terrific and purposeful courses since I last sent a newsletter round at the beginning of the year. It has been lovely to reconnect with many of you and to feel that we are at last moving on again.
We had a really great few days in Cullercoats after Easter singing in the gorgeous acoustic of St. George’s church from which we emerged to blue skies (if accompanied by a rather cool wind!) and the sight of the beautiful sandy beach stretching almost as far as the eye could see. Many of us took our packed lunches to sit on benches overlooking the sea or down to the beach. In the evenings we were spoilt for choice with so many really excellent places to eat both at Cullercoats, a little further on at Whitley Bay and the extremely stylish village of Tynemouth. The choir was excellent and we remained Covid-free – as have all our courses I’m happy to say.
Naughty Knickerbocker Glories at the local pub – a great way to light up a smile!
A happy band of diners at the amazing ‘Spanish City’, Whitley Bay
Spanish City restaurant and complex recently restored with its amazing dome
We intend returning next year but probably later in the year as we hope that we can start our return to France after Easter (12-19 April).
Last month we returned to St. Cross Hospital in Winchester for a terrific weekend of Bach family motets which was challenging and showed the necessity for real preparation and note learning before these weekends. We were very fortunate in the beautiful weather and we enjoyed the use of the beautiful garden at lunchtimes. We will be returning next May (6/7). I am working out repertoire at the moment and booking will follow a little later in the year. If you want to come please put the dates in your dairies now.
I need to give you advance notice that prices will rise next year as St. Cross have decided to nearly double their charges. I have asked them to make small annual rises in future which are more easily manageable than a huge price hike all at one time.
Thanks to Katharine Minchin as ever for organising the evening meal at St. James’ Tavern which is always so good and such excellent value. A great way for us to unwind after a hard day’s work.
The beautiful St. Cross, Winchester
Next, of course, comes Abbey Dore from 17-23 (24 for Consort) of July. This is now full except for some places still open for tenors. We really do need a couple more tenors and if anyone feels they would like to join or knows some suitable tenors who would like to sample the magic of Abbey Dore please do pass the word around and suggest that they book up as soon as possible.
Abbey Dore 2021
I am really looking forward to this week as it will really be a celebration of a proper return to normal numbers and of course will see the premiere of my cantata, Oceans of Eternal Thought, commissioned by members of the courses and written during the lockdown.
One of the real pleasures of getting back to normal is the return of the multi-media exhibition which will be a great feature of the Abbey Dore week. Merryn Lloyd has worked hard to bring this together and full details will be available on the website very soon.
In case anyone is interested, the day after Abbey Dore finishes (Monday 26th), Dyson’s Quo Vadis is being performed at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival in the cathedral in the evening and I am giving a talk about it at 5.30 beforehand. A number of you will remember that we sang the first part of this huge work back in 2008. That was quite an undertaking! Do visit the Three Choirs website if you are interested.
On the 17th and 18th of September the upper voices return to Orford in Suffolk for another weekend of glorious music making in the beautiful surroundings and acoustic of St. Bartholomew’s church rich in its history and its connections with Britten and the Aldeburgh Festival. This course is still open for booking on the website.
The 2021 Orford contingent
In October (8/9) we return to Gregynog Hall in Wales after a long break.
This beautiful place in its extensive estate has a truly outstanding music room with a lovely acoustic to support our singing. We will be rehearsing a programme of music by composers associated with the hall which will give it a special feeling of connection with the place and its extraordinary place in the history of music in Wales. This course is open for booking on the website.
There is much to look forward to and I’d be really grateful if people would use their social media platforms to advertise the courses and say how much you have enjoyed them (if you have!). It’s important we keep bringing new singers into our family of courses.
I very much look forward to seeing all of you who have booked up for Abbey Dore in July and then onwards from there.
Have a wonderful summer.
