now boarding

Christmas carol concert and supper with the livery company

I originally thought that the medals some of the boys wore signified experience or ability; in fact they are presented by the different city livery companies; the Worshipful company of Ironmongers, Musicians, Goldsmiths all have incredible long histories within the City of London and more recently with the Cathedral.

Tom's livery company is the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers, the 46th livery company and they provide support for the Choristers in general and Tom in particular, which is signified by their medal which he wears.

From Wikipedia

The 108 livery companies are nominally trade associations based in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade or profession. The medieval livery companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling, for instance, wages and labour conditions. Until the Reformation, they were closely associated with religious activities, notably in support of chantry chapels and churches and the observance of ceremonies, notably the mystery plays.

Some livery companies continue to have a regulatory role today (for example, the Scriveners), and some have become inoperative except as charitable foundations (for example, the Longbow Makers). Most livery companies, particularly those formed in recent years, are primarily social and charitable organizations. The active livery companies play an important part in social life and networking in the City of London, and have a long history of cultural patronage, and control of the City Corporation (which still functions as a Local Authority with extensive local government powers).

The medal Tom wears on Sundays, Saints days, feast days and for concerts.

The Company invited us and Tom to their Christmas Carol service at the nearby St Botolphs-without Aldersgate and then supper at Plaisterers' Hall. It was a rare evening out from School for Tom, although he did miss a rehearsal for Handel's Messiah.

The Plaisterers also support the Choir of Peterborough Cathedral who performed at the Carol service; and a very good job they did too. Sitting next to Tom was one of the very rare occasions I've heard him sing out; he doens't tend to 'sing on demand' and the last time I sat next to him in Church was probably a year and a half ago. He's really confident with his singing - and has some power there too.

After the service we walked just across the road to supper at the Plaisterers' Hall, interesting in itself as it's constructed as an old hall within a very modern city office complex, but does show off their craft wonderfully.

The supper was only a notch or two away from being black tie, actually quite formal but luckily in a very relaxed way. The other guests were extremely warm and welcoming. Tom handled the small talk like an old pro, answering many qustions abouty the choir, school and the Cathedral.

We were sat between the Master in Waiting, and his wife, and to my left the previous Dean of St Pauls, John Moses which was of course both very interesting and entertaining. 

We bagan to run out of time (Tom needed to be back in bed) so the Master Plaisterer made a quick presentation of a Christmas gift voucher and we were on our way.

All in all a wonderful night; and if the offer comes your way, accept!

 

How Alastair Cook went from choirboy to sporting hero

Here's another article on the current most famous Choirboy from St Paul's.

From the Mail.

For five years, Alastair Cook performed in the famous choirstalls, and the acute sense of discipline that was required has permeated through to the phenomenal efforts of concentration that have been breaking Australia's will in the Ashes.

That is the view of his father Graham, who has been in Adelaide to witness Cook's latest heroics, and the connection is also made by his first cricket coach at St Paul's Cathedral School, which England's opener attended as a boarder from the age of eight.

Tim Roslin, the school's former games master who now lives in Sydney, feels that the habits absorbed as a highly trained chorister can only have helped.

'There's no doubt that it was a highly disciplined environment and it needed to be, because the boys would be up at 6am every morning to practise their singing and only had one day off per week,' recalls Roslin.

'Although singing was the focus of the school there were lots of other things going on. I never had a problem getting the boys to play cricket, although sometimes the people running the choir weren't always so happy.' 

The complete story is here.

I wonder who's wearing that medal now?

 

Chorister Cook

We celebrate the recent double century by England's Alastair Cook during the first test match of the Ashes (235 not out to be exact). All the more interesting that he was once a Chorister at St Paul's.

Here are some of the things the press have been saying:

From the Independent.

 "What I have is the ability to grind out runs. I don't know fully where it comes from but I think it might be the music, being eight years old and being away from home and having to be disciplined. I think it has a massive influence. I don't really like talking about it but I have managed to score runs at every level."

The music is, of course, a reference to Cook's time as a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral between the ages of eight and 13. It taught him discipline and independence and it might have taught him how to open the batting for England. "They were probably the hardest five years you could ever expect an eight-to-13-year-old to go through," he has said.

"It teaches you to be independent. It was bloody hard work, 24 hours a week singing, eight to nine in the morning at choir practice, then school, then four to six for a service and more practice. It wasn't Mickey Mouse, it was proper stuff and we were the best choir in the world. The concentration was the best thing about it, you couldn't make a mistake." 

 From the Guardian.

"Cook arrived at Bedford School on a music scholarship aged 13, having spent the previous five years at the St Paul's Cathedral Choir School in London – singing as a treble in Holland, Brazil and once with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. But he quickly changed his priorities.

"You could see as soon as you saw him batting, and how quickly he saw the ball, that he was a natural," said Randall. "At that age they're learning technically, and I could only take him so far as a young boy. He was never one of those flamboyant players. But there was one time before he'd even played for the first team that he scored a century against them – for the MCC, when they'd turned up one player short."

 

From the Telegraph

Cook's success at cricket was all the more surprising in that he arrived at Bedford on a music scholarship from St Paul's Cathedral Choir School in London, where academic work - and certainly sport - for choristers would often take second place to rehearsing and performing music. Cook appeared as a soloist on a CD of 18th-century music by Blow, Boyce and Handel.

Andrew Morris, head of Bedford music, recalled that Cook arrived as an expert chorister and showed clear ability on the clarinet, piano and, later, the saxophone. He said: "I am happy to report that he made progress in all these areas and showed himself to be an innate musician, possessing a natural gift for phrasing and nuance.

"Indeed, it is my view that, were it not for his huge strength in cricket, he could have been a successful professional musician."

Talking to the current sports master and head of boarding, he says that the choristers often make the best cricketers in the school as, during the spring and summer, they can spend all their free time out in the playground batting, bowling and just playing. 

 

O Adonai and Advent

And now begins Advent; starting with two Advent processional services and culminating in two services on Christamas day itself via Handel's Messiah and Britten's Ceremony of Carols. All this in addition to the daily rhythm of Cathedral services. No wonder that the nurses work overtime to ensure that absences are kept to a minimum.

These additional services, ceremonies and concerts are hugely popular and the usually unfurnished North and South aisles are set out with seats for the few thousand who will attend, listen and worship.

The first Advent took place last night and our favourite Anthem is the Antiphon, O Adonai.

The choir breaks into two; boys and men's voices, each under the north and south transepts. Tom explained the boys' rather unique improvised performance.

"... the piece has a section which is is divided into five phrases, when the conductor brings you in you sing one phrase, whichever one, and you must have a five second break in between. You keep singing in your own order, so say you could do phrase two, phrase four or phase one then phrase five. When the conductor puts his hand up, you complete the rest of the phrases, then stop."

"... There's a solo at the beginning, and he sings all five sections of the phrase all through, then we start our orders, then once everyone's stopped, the soloist sings another solo but higher. Last night Hugh hit a top C, and that was quite amazing."

"The vicars Choral just sing the whole piece altogether, straight through."

Technically it might sound a little tricky, messy even but the experience is awesome. Add the natural acoustics of the dome, a deep and resonant bass solo and the result is truly breathtaking.

 

 

 

 

The Lord Mayor's Show

Not sure if you'd class this as a perk of the job or 'just another day at the office' but every year, the Lord Mayor's Show parades through the City and right past the Cathedral so that the new Mayor can be blessed by the Dean on the Cathedral steps.

The boys quite literally get a grandstand view of the parade before popping their surplices and medals on for the brief ceremony; they're joined by the School Chamber choir plus the Dean and Chapter in all their finery.

After the parade there's a funfair in the churchyard for those boys who stay in and for those lucky enough to be able to pop home, it's a 1pm-7.30 leave.

Worth a coming down to watch plus the Cathedral's open all day for sightseeing at no charge. Here are just a few pictures...

 

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New term, first post

Oops. Blogging is a bit of a responsibility, and I've been rather slack since the beginning of term.

To be honest it does feel like we've got into a bit of a groove and this first half of Autumn term has been very brief, 5 weeks? Then a 2 week half term and now we're in the home straight to Christmas.

So; what's been going on?

Well, the beginning of term we had a small hiccup - seems to be normal for Tom, the going back to school, boarding and the Cathedral, especially after such a long holiday.

Tom's now a 2nd desk. He's been promoted and now carries his own music, sings more complex parts and generally has more responsibility. Tom actually leads in the Sunday Eucharist procession and leads out Evensong. I'm guessing he's seen as a safe pair of hands. This also means he wears his medal on Sunday's and high days. Tom is sponsored by the Worship Company of Plaisterers, the 46th livery company in the City of London, and wears their medal.

He was commended in his grade 1 cello and received a merit in his grade 1 piano. It's a good start.

Packing away in the dorm with help from his sister

First Night of the Proms

Towards the end of the year, in fact at the last weekend but one, comes the opportunity for the boys to sing at the first night of the proms. This year it was Mahler's 8th, the Symphony of a Thousand; alongside Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall.

It's optional, but say Yes.

It makes for an even busier last few weeks, many additional hours of rehearsal but it's worth it.

Get tickets for the performance through the Cathedral, or failing that, watch it on HD. You won't be disappointed; and the boys? They love it.

 
St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abbey choirs, plus a choir from Sydney Australia and the Crouch End chorus.

 
The boys, close-up.  

 
Singing with seasoned professionals.

 
... and demanding conductors.  

Orchestral Mass and the growing choir...

Great to see the Probationers 'acting up' in to the full choir and what a weekend too. Saturday was the School Summer Fair, albeit bracketed by two rehearsals whilst Sunday was the second orchestral Mass.

I remember when Tom spent his first weekend in the Cathedral, very exciting for us and especially for Tom as all of the parts of the jigsaw puzzle began to fit into place. New timings, arrangements and for us, the beginning of weekend services at the Cathedral.

We actually missed the summer fair on Saturday as we had a family wedding, one of the few reasons that Choristers are let off their duties. Pity to miss the fair (Tom had planned a stall with one of his mates), although early reports are that we did well and all had a good time. As a member of the school PTA I had organised the raffle tickets as this was one of the few tasks that could be completed in advance of the day. The fair is our main fund raising activity of the year and the raffle key to that; although looking at the numbers the children's stalls actually raised more than the raffle (and their efforts go straight to a Children's charity).

Due to the wedding, we had a very early start Sunday as Tom needed to get back for a 09.15 rehearsal. Because the 11.00 service was with orchestra, the rehearsal took place in the School hall (not the smaller Cathedral rehearsal room); and as mum took him back she was able to take a little peek at the session from the gallery. In the two years Tom has been at St. Paul's, we've never seen a rehearsal; it really does happen behind closed doors. The boys are in School Uniform (no tie) and the gentlemen are the professional Vicars Choral who provide the Alto, Tenor and Bass. Hugely talented all of them and along with the organist and Director of Music makes St. Paul's Cathedral Choir one of the finest in the World.

   

The mass was Mozart's Missa Solemnis in C (K.337) as part of the July series celebrating the genius of Mozart, performed with the City of London Sympnonia. Truly remarkable and awesome, especially given the setting under the great dome.

Two of the boys sang solos, standing, metaphorically, head and shoulder with the male Vicars Choral soloists. Amazing to see how these young lads of 11 and 12 years of age take this in their stride.

In a break from our tradition of sitting closest to the Choir on Sunday mornings (for the Eucharist they sit under the dome, not in the Quire), we sat directly opposite them across the dome so they were singing straight at us, as it were. It might have looked something like this. 

After a wonderful lunch in the Crypt restaurant, it was off to Evensong at 3.15. Along with Tom's Uncle (himself an ex-Chorister) and Nannie and Gramps, we sat in the quire stalls with a great view as the Choir took their places. Now with 5 or 6 probationers acting up, there were 12 boys on Decani; room for a few more, but not many. The Pros in their black Cassock and stiff white Ruff looked very wonderful; and in September they'll receive their white surplice and be made up to full Chorister just like Tom did last year.

Was 3rd desk, now promoted to 2nd desk.

What awesome news today.

After the excellent performances of the Monteverdi Vespers on Tuesday, The Director of Music wrote to us to say that Tom (yr. 4)along with the two other boys (yr. 5) that started together as Probationers nearly two school years ago to be made up from 3rd to 2nd desk choristers. 

As he says...

This is another little rite of passage for a Chorister and a sign that they have reached another milestone in their career (here at St. Paul's). In practical terms it means very little change. They will sing Evensong on Fridays with the other senior Choristers and on Tuesdays their rehearsal their rehearsal will start at 0810 rather than 0750.

There are no 3rd desk exeats in the summer term but I should also point out that they will not be eligible for these from next term onwards. We do still arrange full chorister exeats from time to time as detailed in the Chorister Diary each term.

From tomorrow onwards they will also be able to wear their medals on Sundays and special days.

Thank you very much for all the support that you have shown to the Choir and the School.

...

Medals? Desks? Details to follow; I'll need to ask Tom.

Doctors, Dentists and Haircuts.

Some of those tasks you take for granted are not easily factored into the life of a Chorister family, not for us anyway. Regular health check-ups and haircuts need to covered off outside of the school week or during holidays and that takes a little organisation and perseverance; During those precious weeks I'd guess that the last thing Tom thinks of is a visit to the Dentist for a check-up.

For obvious reasons the Choristers are registered with a GP local to the Cathedral and the two nurses on duty are extremely competent and there's always a fluorescent orange first aid backpack close to hand. Should, however the boys need to visit a doctor when they're at home, they'll need to register as a visitor, even though they may have been to that Doctor since birth.

Tom still has his local family dentist which he needs to attend during holidays; there's an arrangement for emergencies when boarding although I'm not sure of the detail. One thing that we do need to look out for is that his brushing regime at school is a good one. 

Curiously a good haircut has been the thing to catch us out. Although the boys don't have regimented haircuts that we've seen at one or other Cathedral, the school is quite hot on neat and tidy so whilst day boys can get away with longer hair, that's not an option for the Choristers. I'm not sure that very short suits them either, at the end of the day the Cathedral is quite conservative. One time the school even took Tom and Angus out to a local 'salon' such was the state of their hair. We were billed for the pleasure of course.

So this morning, much against his will (for these were precious hours on Saturday leave), I took him to a local barber for a 'short back and sides, but not too short'. A little chocolate bribery may have been involved but the experience was very good all round (phew!)

From top to bottom, inside and out, he is every inch a Chorister.