... The Older (though not Wiser) Girls ...

We are all very much looking forward to the tour. Many of us have been to different parts of America, but few to New York, therefore it is wildly anticipated. We know from previous tours that they are great occasions to get to know one another even more in different situations. Also the opportunity to socialise in a less formal environment with other people, as well as your close friends is always looked forward to. The Rector is always good value on tour!

The singing part is of course tiring and strenuous but the result at the end of a performance is one that polite words cannot describe.

For a few of us this will be our last ever tour with the choir and this is one thing we are a little less excited about. We know from previous tours that a final performance always evokes high emotions however hard you try to keep them contained. We will just make it the best ever tour we have been on and grasp every opportunity with open ... arms.

Anyway, we hope to enjoy ourselves immensely and have as much fun possible, whilst being highly professional :) It will be FABULOUS! xxxxxx

J.L., J.D., T.T. & K.M. (Girl Choristers)

A boy chorister writes ...

It is my first time going to America and it is going to be the hottest tour I have gone on so far and the best tour I've been on, I am looking forward to the water park in Canada. It is going to be chaos at the airport. We've all been given new ruffs which are more comfortable than the old ones, but thicker so they're very hot. Mr D says it's going to be very hot which I won't like at all. O.G.K. (I'm on the left!)

Fries on the Side

The concert went really well so we're now hard at work learning and perfecting all our music - there's lot to learn as we have loads of concerts and services planned for when we're out there. It's getting exciting now, and we've had all the meetings and lists of what we need to pack and take with us. I'm looking forward to tasting an American McDonalds - apparently they taste really different from ours! M.G. (First-Year Girl Chorister).

... one month to go ...

We've just finished our pre-Tour concert at the beautiful Comper Church of St Mary's, Wellingborough, where they had to bring in extra chairs to accomodate our audience. Many thanks to Fr. Robert Farmer, Roger Smith, and the Churchwardens for allowing us to use their resonant and glorious Church. The concert went very well, especially Bednall's Psalm 150; we now know which pieces will be in our concert programmes and have learnt all the choral pieces for the services (which are different) ... still waiting on hymn choices from some Churches - worrying as the well-known hymns in North America are not well-known in the UK. Jazz Mass is now on for the concert at Trinity Church Wall Street - Mr Pinel waving and Mr Dunleavy on piano. More medical conditions and food allergies are coming out of the woodwork - weeks after the deadline for our insurers. I've never known anyone with an allergy to men before. We're still having problems with our Rochester venue and may end up spending an afternoon there with nothing to do - ho hum. Two more weeks in rehearsal, then a break, then we're off!!!