Another busy year for the girls with 33 services and over 40 separate practices
as well as numerous weddings. We finished the year with 31 girls, having started
four new probationers in January 2003 and four more in September. Some of the
senior girls have joined me in feeling very old when we realise that these girls
joining now where not actually born when we joined the choir!
We broadened our repertoire to include secular and lighter music for a lunchtime concert for St Augustine's lunch club and for a short recital as part of 24 hours of music for Midsummer Day at Hendon St Mary.
We gained a further three Dean's Chorister awards in the summer - Emma Kesterton, Hannah King and Susannah Matthews. At the end of the year Leah Stevens passed the prestigious Gold Award of the Royal School of Church Music, one of the first in the country to take this new award, which requires very high standards of musical ability and knowledge as well as liturgical knowledge and quite a lot of written work, a practical exam, viva voce and testimonials about her attendance, experience and reliability written by clergy and me. Congratulations to all these girls as they worked very hard for their awards, especially Leah who had no specific preparation from me for this but worked through it all largely on her own.
We said 'Goodbye' to Catherine Anderson in September as she left for University after the longest treble career in Priory history! Catherine joined the choir around the age of six and stayed right through to eighteen. She was a loyal and committed Chorister and Head Chorister. She was succeeded by Katie Street as the new Decani Head Chorister.
The Autumn Term was particularly full this year. As well as our usual preparations for Christmas we were asked to take part in a premiere of another choral work by Richard Morrison; 'The Word' is based on John's Gospel with additional passages from English Literature of a variety of periods. The music was written for adult choir, girls choir, organ, piano and strings and ranged from quite avant garde to lighter music. It was very hard work for the girls but they sang extremely well and many of them have commented how much they enjoyed it and what a great experience it was. Many of the professional musicians involved have told me they thought the girls were excellent.
We were delighted at last to be able to purchase our new robes with money raised through our own effort and donations as well as a grant from the local authority. I hope you will agree that the girls now look much more professional in robes they can be proud of. Robes are not just for decoration - how a choir looks very much affects their identity. With a uniform that is in good condition and fits properly they will work even better as a team.
Thanks are due as always to those without whose help the running of the choir would be very different - Ray Barlow, Joe Kendrick, several parents who attend practices each week, the Head Choristers and other leaders within the choir and not forgetting those who help to look after my own children during services!
Marie Price