now boarding

Admission of Choristers

Story date: September 6 2009.

This was a truly awesome service, very beautiful and full of emotion. (tip: make sure you get there early for a front row seat). this was pretty much how it went.

1. The choir process in as normal, but our three Probationers wait behind in the south aisle, still only in their cassocks (the long black robe) and ruff.

 
 

2. The service starts as normal; but today not only are the probationers installed up but there is also the installation of the new headmaster, which starts proceedings.

3. With the headmaster duly installed and after a Psalm and the first lesson, the boys process in and one by one are presented by the new head to the Dean who takes them by the hand and admits them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

"The Lord preserve your going out and your coming in: from this time forth for ever more. Amen"

4. Then I think the most touching part;  the Choir master hands a surplice to the head chorister who 'vests the new Choristers in the surplices'. Wonderful, the head chorister symbolically helping his new team members with their dress of office.

After the service we had the all too rare opportunity to take photos of our boys on the Cathedral steps (tip: if you ever get the hint of such an opportunity, be prepared and grasp it firmly!). Then a brief reception in part of the crypt which was a lovely opportunity to chat with some of the Cathedral staff, Choirmaster and even Wandsmen... but by this time Tom just wanted to go home; it had been a really heavy week and he was exhausted.

Homesick

Story date: September 4 2009.

Tom had an uneasy start to his first year, often manifested in homesickness. After a long and very family-filled summer holiday, returning to school was never going to be easy, both for him and the rest of the family at home. Just like last year we put off visiting for the first few days and collected him at the weekend.

 I guess all boys respond to leaving home in different ways; Tom gets homesick but it doesn't last. On talking to the nurses and other CPs (always a good idea), we learn that other and older boys are effected too. Still, when a tired and tearful chorister doesn't want to 'go back to school, it's really tough.

On reflection, his first week was also affected by an additional friday evening concert the boys performed in town. This was certainly 'extra-curricular' and an amazing occasion, but the boys were tired. Friday is normally a lighter day (no evensong for 3rd desks), giving them a break before the full-on weekend; but this first Friday was different and it meant no visiting was possible.

Saturday I collected him and he was home for a few hours (this would turn out to be the weekend pattern) and I'd take him back for Saturday afternoon Evensong. Then Sunday would be very special, at Evensong he, along with his two fellow Probationers, would be 'made up' to full-choristers...

The second steep learning curve.

This first month has been a real roller-coaster. Right from the very first evening back we were thrown curve balls and had many new issues to deal with. Some of these we knew a little about (like Tom boarding the whole week) and some unknown (the impact of staffing issues).

Even with the hindsight of a year as probationer parents, nothing could really prepare us for a second steep learning curve a year on from our first. Sure, many things are the same but a new headmaster and our boy being made up to be a full-time chorister presented possibly  a steeper transition into his second year than we had anticipated.

One year on...

Story date: September 1 2009.

Wow! Tom's back to school tomorrow so that means the start of his second year at the Cathedral School.

It's a cliché I know, but time has flown and Tom's quite a different boy 365 days later. He's much more self-assured, no tears and he's talking enthusiastically about his duties as a 3rd desk chorister - although he's understandably not looking forward to returning to school after nearly 8 weeks off, but then who would?

 
 

We've not packed a thing although this time tomorrow night he'll (hopefully) be fast asleep in the dorm. We're all SO much more relaxed but of course we're going to miss him like stink.

The school will have a new Head, there'll be some new staff and some that have left we'll miss. 

His prep will be trickier, he'll be at home maybe only one evening a week, which itself will mean more trips into town for visits. Is it all working out?

Apology

Yup I know - cardinal sin of a blog and all that but with everything going on this year I've not managed to post for about 2 months.

But I will attempt to bring now boarding up to date over the next couple of weeks...

Concerts, concerts, concerts

Last week saw a brief series of concerts for the boys and girls. Sadly Tom's mu and I couldn't attend them all, that seems to be the way as we try to squeeze everything in.

On the wednesday there was a performance where the children in year three played various instruments. This was in school time and Tom's mum went along. Tom's being playing Cello for less than nine months now but still managed very well.

Then after school on Friday, years 3,4,5 choristers and pros gave a brief concert - short, relaxed and with a glass of wine afterwards (as always), the aim was to get the boys comfortable with performing in front of an audience, and especially to get the boys used to performing solos. 

The 12 boys sang a selection of pieces, here are a few examples:

Consider yourself (from Oliver) by Lionel Bart

Silent Worship by Handel

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square b y Manning Sherwin

The Cloths of Heaven by Thomas Dunhill

I bought me a cat by Copland.

It was a lovely broad range of material - now I'm not an expert but there were some classic singing pieces and what I'd describe as show tunes.

Tom had what many thought was the most difficult slot, singing first with Consider Yourself which he deliverd beautifully. He was joined by everyone for the last verse, which was clever as it gave everyone a good warm-up and 'broke the ice'.

It was interesting to see and hear how Tom had developed since we last heard him solo (at our small Church last Christmas). Those year five boys were clearly more advanced - technically and, given their physical age, most had a better set of lungs!

What we find amazing is that at this age there appear to be no nerves, no stage fright, all without being over confident. Sadly I think, nerves are what we pick-up though later life although of course they can be a good thing.

And to show their thanks, the head chorister presented their singing teacher with a well deserved and huge bouquet of flowers. 

Then Monday was the Summer concert at one of the many local city churches. Sadly we didn't manage to get to this. It featured several choirs, orchestras and music groups. 

It's lovely how much the school supports music, not just the roots of the choir and the cathedral but also giving every child a great opportunity to express themselves through music.

That was the first weekend in the Cathedral

SSo this was going to be a fairly important test for all of us. For Theo - how would he deal with staying at school all week and the weekend? For us, how would we cope with him not not being at home for seven nights? And practically, what would this new style weekend be like?  

First observations were that this was a bit of a success.

I visited Friday evening after supper and he was really happy - I guess those few occasions of not being able to collect him at the normal Friday time of 3.40 actually paid off - this sense of stepped preparation clearly works. In fact, and this is always a good sign, he told me "You can go now Daddy".

We didn't go up on Saturday morning ('normal' visiting or leave is from 10.00 - 15.00 CHECK!!! ) but as it was our wedding anniversary, we visited after supper (en route to an evening out). This time the boys were settling in for a movie and we spoke only briefly - clearly he was more interested in the entertainment than us. That said he was quite happy and comfortable; 'tuck' was going to be brought to them ;-)

There are often activities planned at the weekend - that will need to be a separate post - and clearly that arrangement works well, and is easier in the summer with the better weather. Luckily there is a huge variety of activities available close by and his time they visited one of the larger modern art galleries in town.

We weren't too sure of the visiting 'procedures'. We had thought we cold visit after the Sunday Eucharist, be with him the afternoon for the few hours until Evensong (mercifully earlier at 15.15 on a Sunday) - but this was not to be the case.Clearly after years of experience, the school believe it's better the boys have the afternoon to chill' before Evensong, in preparation for an evening at home.

Of course we're learning so much at this time and it's a wee bit strange to have your weekend dictated by the school and the choir's commitments. Strange only in as much as we're not used to it.

So come Sunday afternoon, we were all really excited and arrived in good time to take our places in the quire (this Cathedral refers to the quire as the place where the choir perform - but other churches refer to choir stalls etc. etc.

I've been at Evensong and sat in the congregation but that's nothing compared to the experience of sitting in the quire. The sound is so much better - particularly being able to hear the trebles with so much clarity. One of the year 8 boys solo'd in Nunc Dimitis (CHECK!!!) which was beautiful; his parent's were obviously very chuffed.

You sit up high and can look diagonally at the choristers, so siting in Cantoris you can see the choir on Decani.

Unfortunately since we last visited, Tom had switched sides as it were so we only saw him as he processed in and out. We'll know next time! 

He looked great, not yet in a white cassock, flanked by two of the older boys, processing beautifully. Awesome!

It was also lovely to be with the other chorister parents - and there were a good few of them along with younger siblings.

After the service we collected Tom from school and pretty much drove straight home. The the evening few by, upper, a movie then off to bed fr an early 5.40 wake-up tobe back at school for 07.30 'sigh'.

The weekend was full of other activities too, ballet and party for his younger sister, our wedding anniversary on Saturday and on Sunday, I ran a youth talk at our local church - so it seems we can successfuly juggle - given plenty of organisation and a little luck!

First weekend at the Cathedral

This weekend see one of those significant 'step changes'. As part of Tom's move towards becoming a full-time chorister, he'll spend all this weekend at the Cathedral just as the made up choristers do.

This means no coming home on Friday; staying up all day Saturday and Sunday until Evensong when he can come home. During which time, these will be his services:

Saturday Evensong at 5pm

Sunday Sung Eurcharist at 11am

Sunday Evensong at 3.15pm

Plus there are several rehearsals peppered throughout both days.

Of course there'll be lots for him to do - playing around mostly and a little prep. He will have a good time. I'm sure he will be homesick. The thing is we know we're just going to miss him so very much too. Mum, his sister and me - we're all feeling quite low. And of course this is what (all being well) it will be like come September.

Of course we're going up to visit him - I'm up this evening (Friday), then mum and me are up Saturday evening (after which we're off for a nice meal) and Sunday we're up for lunch time, to attend Evensong then to take him home for just the one night.

Too much information?

Or not enough. Since the deputy took over as acting head, we've seen an increase in the amount of communications school to parents.  Have to say on the whole it's all good. There's lots going on and for us lots still to learn. Below is a brief note from Easter, for year 3 eyes only.

I like this - there was a parent's concert the other week, organised by the PTA. I was amazed at how many musically  gifted parents there are, mind yo it makes you realise how musical ability is genetic. Anyway, this below is a voucher for a glass of wine at the concert. Hand-drawn by the schoolcholdren.

And finally, here's a joke found on a whiteboard in the boarding house, so written by a chorister. Made us laugh. More on the theme of communication son.

More acting up and communications

More great news this week. All four of the probationers acted up on Monday; which was good for them all as a unit (although there are two year threes, one year four and a year five amongst them).

Apart from Paul who only started at half-term, they've all had since last September together.

Then Tom acted u again tonight - so that three times in just over a week.

One of the nurses, Tom's tutor group teacher (who leads a choir) and one of the gaps all said how well Tom's doing; academically, chorally and boarding. The nurse then went on to tell me how next half term (that's the last 4 weeks of the school year) will see the Probationers acting up alternate weekends; which means staying up at school Friday and Saturday nights.

I told Tom this and he wasn't at all happy ("I want to leave before I get made up") which we've not heard for a while. Stupid me, we should have broken it to him more gently.

Mind you, it did make me wonder just when the school was going to inform us of these two weekends. I did get the sense that we the parents have to be proactive and ask the questions. The Chorister Handbook might map out the first year and the major milestones.

Maybe that's what the blog cold do?