March 21, 2016

Heading to Wellingborough

This morning we'll all be converging on the SPS studios in Wellingborough for the last two days of our Christmas recording. This comes after a busy few days in Italy, France and the UK. Chris B was eulogising in his most recent 'blog about Paris, where we sang on Thursday evening. Over the last few years, thanks to our French manager Philippe Maillard, we have performed at the Salle Gaveau about once a year. As ever the audience was wonderfully welcoming, as they were in Versailles on Friday, where we sang in the Théâtre Montansier. Backing onto the beautiful gardens of the Chateau, this theatre was opened in 1777 in the presence of Louis XVI and his wife Marie-Antoinette. We were joined in France by Pat, my successor, making his first trip with the group.On Saturday we flew back to London, and then drove to Oswestry, in the lovely county of Shropshire, a return visit after about seven years. Despite the fact that it coincided with the last England game of this year's Six Nations (that's rugby), there was a packed church for our concert (England were playing France, and needed to beat them to achieve the grand slam, which I'm glad to say they did, having already won the championship after their previous game the week before).I must head off now to drive to Oxford to pick up Chris B on my way to Wellingborough. Once there, we will be back in Christmas mode, despite the fact that it's actually Holy Week.