In the morning the girls sang at a Church called All Saints. It was quite a small Church but the people there were very nice. We sang Missa in simplicitate by Langlais and The Best of Rooms by Wood, and a lot of musical surprises that we hadn't expected. A highlight of being there was the food that we had. We were provided with snacks (bagels, biscuits & muffins). After the service there was also a meal where there were a variety of quiches, salads, chicken and other things. We also had fresh fruit salad which included strawberrys, grapes and different types of melons. Afterwards they gave us ice cream sandwiches and we also all got goodie bags [ed: the Boys and Men sang to a big congregation at St Thomas Church Fifth Avenue where they had sung ten years earlier - you can hear the results on http://www.saintthomaschurch.org/Stream.html].
In the afternoon the girls met up and sang with the boys and men and sang at Grace Church on Broadway. We sang a small concert and I thought it went well. The Lady [ed: Associate Rector] at the Church thanked us when we were finished and bought us all ice creams from the ice cream truck she had arranged to be parked outside. I was thrilled to have ice cream even though the hot climate isn't seeming so bad. They invited us back to sing their Sunday services next time we were in the United States, and their Choir Manager was really interested in what are doing at All Saints.
For dinner the Donaghue family, together with some of the other adult supporters cooked jacket potatos with different fillings, salad and then more mixed fresh fruit salad afterwards. There was also a singing competiton that followed. It was fun because we could choose any piece we wanted so long as it wasn't a "Church" piece. I enjoyed the performance of the group that came first and was pleased that the group I was in - singing Eric Clapton's "Tears from Heaven" - came joint 2nd! C. McK.
