December 22, 2018

The Road Home: En Route to Washington, DC

Today is going to be a day to remember.To start with, today is the last of the 137 concerts we’ve given this year, all over the world, to celebrate The King’s Singers‘s 50th anniversary. Covering cities as far apart as Auckland, Tokyo and Los Angeles, it’s been such a privilege to represent all the King’s Singers who have gone before us, and to share the joy of a cappella music to anyone who would listen. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us and made this touring dream a reality. Then there’s the fact that tonight’s concert is in one of my favourite buildings in the entire world: the National Cathedral in Washington DC. It’s becoming a bit of a tradition for us to give our last concert in this amazing space every other year, and I cannot wait to be back here in years to come. But for me, the most momentous part of today is that two of my colleagues, after 10 and 15 years respectively, will be giving their final King’s Singers concert. My journey in The King’s Singers starts with Tim and Chris (in fact, Tim was the first King’s Singer I met, in the toilet before my first audition - and it’s set the tone for a decade’s worth of friendship perfectly). I’ve stood next to Chris - my low voice counterpart - for almost a thousand concerts (I don’t think I’ll make as many fifths with anyone else, ever). I’ve looked across to Tim’s wonderfully animated face just as many times. Thank you both so much for all that you’ve given to the group, and for all that you’ve taught me. I am genuinely so grateful to have shared the first part of my journey in this group with you both. And I’m also so grateful that we really get to celebrate together tonight. To both of you, I wish you the happiest futures, with perhaps slightly more regular lives with your families at home. Right. It’s time to drive from Williamsburg to Washington, so I’d better go. Here’s to a wonderful year, two wonderful King’s Singers careers, and to (I hope) many more to come. And that’s it! I wish you all very happy holidays, surrounded by the people you love the most. From us, it’s over and out - until next year. xx