Annual Report for 2006

In 2005 the girls attended on 84 occasions including 50 services, which includes weddings. We finished the year with 24 girls including 5 probationers.
On Palm Sunday we performed all of Pergolesi Stabat Mater with soloists and I was very pleased with the girls' achievement. Around the same time we also took part in a charity concert for Raleigh International in Tring, singing a wide variety of music.

Four girls passed the Deans Award - Bernice Cutler, Rachael Sygrove, Rebecca Indge and Iola Finch; two girls passed the Bishops Award - Emma Kesterton and Hannah King.

In the summer our two head Choristers Diane and Alice left for university to study teaching and radiography. Both were excellent leaders in the choir and very reliable, they had served 9 and 11 years, Alice was the last of the pioneers of the girls choir. 16 girls including a number of ex Choristers went to sing at Derby Cathedral for a few days in August. As well as excellent services in the cathedral we performed a varied programme for a concert in Spondon Church. We were lucky to be allowed to camp in the primary school in Spondon and we all had a great time. The trip included a day out to a theme park as is our tradition, and three girls were brave enough to be dropped from a height of about 100 feet on a bungee, all strapped together face down!

In the autumn term we were again very busy and took part in a recording session for Three Counties Radio as well as the usual Advent and Christmas carol services and the Ceremony of Carols on Christmas Eve.

I am again very grateful to Martin Hart for attending most girls choir rehearsals, as well as Ray Barlow and Joe Kendrick. Special thanks are due to Eleanor McKeand who comes to choir every week and has taken in hand all the girls robes and various labelling and organisation tasks, which is an enormous help.

Marie Price