1999 was another busy year for the girls. A few have left, finding the higher
level of commitment hard to maintain alongside their other activities. Among
their number we were sorry to say goodbye at Christmas to one of our Head Choristers,
Aimée Brazier, who has numerous other musical commitments and yet has
been an excellent musical example in her four years as Head Chorister. Emily
Swain is her successor as the new Cantoris Head Chorister, Katie Oliver is promoted
to Deputy Head Chorister and Catherine Anderson to Cantoris Team leader. Emma
and Victoria Rouse are the two new Deputy Team leaders. We now have a smaller,
very committed group of girls, about 28 in number, which gives the advantage
that we can all rehearse together and give the youngest girls a chance to learn
by a steady trickle from the experience of the older girls.
The year began very early with evensong for the girls alone at St. Alban's Abbey, where they really sang very well. During the first part of the year I took a few weeks off for maternity leave and Laurence Notley very kindly agreed to run the choir for a while; we are all very grateful to him for taking on an extra evening's rehearsal in an already full week and the girls learnt much during that time.
Attendance was again excellent, 65 attendances were possible, including 29 services (not counting weddings or the singing week). Two girls attended 100% of the services expected of them, and average attendance for everything was over 80%. Leah Stevens was admitted as a full Chorister and numerous other girls received new ribbons. We now have one Bishop's Chorister (purple), one Dean's Chorister (green), six Choristers (red), thirteen Senior Singers (dark blue), five Junior Singers (light blue) and two probationers, 28 altogether. Six girls began working for their Dean's Award and are due to be examined in March.
In the summer holidays fifteen of the girls went off to Hereford to camp in a church hall, cook for themselves, swim, ride, ten-pin bowl and also sing in the Cathedral and Malvern Priory. Some of the services were sung by the girls alone and some with the altos, tenors and basses of the Priory Choir. The girls worked incredibly hard and thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the same time. The Eucharist on the Sunday morning was quite moving, with thirteen (two had to leave early) girls leading an absolutely packed Cathedral and the singing their anthems so well even I could not fault them! I think every member of the choir and the adults who were with us was approached by a member of the Cathedral staff or congregation to say how wonderful they thought the girls singing had been and what good ambassadors they were to a Cathedral that has no girls choir of its own. The singing week could not have taken place without the hard work, babysitting and support of Ros Stark, Mary McKeand and Liz Stevens, plus Ray Barlow organising the financial side and I would like to thank them all very much.
Advent and Christmas were again busy, with our now traditional Advent Carol service again inspiring all those who took part, the tree lighting, a fun filled concert and the main Carol Service too. We all look forward to the challenges of the coming year.
Marie Price