Rochester Cathedral
Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th February 2024

Programme

Saturday 28th December

10.00am Welcome, registration and coffee
10.15am Workshop 1
11.30am Coffee
11.45am Workshop 2
1.00pm Lunch
1.45pm Rehearsal in Quire
3.15pm Evensong
4.15pm Tea
6.30pm Dinner

Sunday 29th December
8.30am Rehearsal
10.00am Coffee 10.30am Choral Eucharist
Noon Sunday Lunch (optional extra, select on the booking form)
1pm Rehearsal
3.15pm Evensong

What will we sing?

We will be singing all the musical components of the Eucharist service and of a traditional Book of Common Prayer Evensong: the hymns, psalms, sung responses, canticles and a Mass setting, and three choral anthems.

Messe brève No 7 in C Gounod
Ave Verum Corpus Elgar
Quem Pastores Laudavere Trad. arr. Praetorius
Ich steh an Deiner Krippen hier Gerhardt/Bach
Short Service Farrant
Canticles in B flat majorStainer
Responses Tallis

Who can take part?

This will appeal to anyone used to singing traditional four part sacred music in a choir. There is no audition, and you do not need to be an expert sight reader, but you do need to be able to read music well enough to learn your part in advance, a very important part of a one-off choral occasion such as this. A full set of rehearsal videos will be posted at the bottom of this page and participants are encouraged to use these for easy regular part-learning in the weeks prior to our visit.
You must do the homework and learn your part before we meet.
Those who arrive and are under-prepared and uncertain have a negative impact on our performance.

What does it cost?

The cost is £ 149 per person. This includes Saturday lunch, Saturday tea/coffee break, Saturday evening dinner with wine, soft drinks and tea or coffee, (unrestricted but subject to reasonable consumption per head), and Sunday coffee and tea at break times. It also includes a printed set of all the music.

This year for the first time there is a lower rate of £75 for any singer aged 25 or less. Sunday lunch is an optional extra, details of which are on the Booking form.
Travel and accommodation is left to individual arrangement.

Download Booking Form here.

Can I bring a friend or partner?

Non singing friends, relatives and partners are welcome. If they wish only to attend the services these are open to the public at no charge. There is a reduced charge indicated on the Booking Form for any who wish to join us for the meals and refreshments.

What do I wear?

During the workshops and Saturday evening dinner you may dress casually.
For the service, everyone must wear black. For the ladies this means black dresses, or black tops and skirts or trousers, black shoes, and discreet personal jewellery. Tights may be black or natural. For the gentlemen, black shirts open at the neck, black trousers, socks and shoes, and black jackets or jumpers if worn. Dinner jacket components are acceptable.
It could be quite cold in December so bring warm wear. Black jumpers or cardigans may be worn, even black coats if needed.
There is not much time for changing immediately prior to each service.

Preparation

Because we will be meeting as a full choir only on the day, it is very important that everyone prepares in advance as much as necessary to be able to sing their part on the day with few or no stumbles over the notes.
I will place rehearsal videos for each part for each piece here, which you can watch and sing along with as an efficient and easy way to practice your part as often as you feel you need to.
This is extremly important - plan to sing through each item at least 5 or 6 times, either using the part-learning videos published here or on your own.
Do not arrive under-prepared and unable to sing your part reasonably accurately and confidently.

If you need accommodation, this is left up to individuals to organise. If you are planning to come, you may wish to book accommodation early, in order to get the best rates and good availability.

Download Booking Form here.

If you would like to know about future events like this send me an email at phil@withcheerfulvoice.org.uk.

Music files and practice videos for Rochester

Singers are not required to print and bring scores, as a printed book will be provided.