We’ve spent the past two weeks exploring new repertoire for our concert in June, but last night returned to a distilled section of our Crypt Concert programme to prepare for a lunchtime concert a week on Friday.

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Having spent the previous weeks looking at works by Schutz, Gorecki and Tippett, last night was time to resurrect pieces from the concert last month, ahead of the concert at St Peter’s. Floating through the first piece of plainsong and through into ‘Dawn,’ it felt like we were finally home again. Two weeks sojourning amongst new repertoire, and we’d finally come back where we belonged.

It’s a testament to how much we’d prepared for the previous concert that all the pieces were recalled near-perfectly; there was some dynamic scope to remind the group to explore, but the pieces were all there, as they had been in the Crypt. Returning to a selection of the pieces for next week, it made me realise how much work had gone into the Crypt concert, and how lovely it was to go back to it.

There’s a feeling of relaxation amongst the group, now that the pressure of the previous concert has been lifted; last night, the Choir sang with a new-found freedom, more assurety, than in previous rehearsals. Having performed them publically, we now know we can bring them off, and so we’re performing with a greater sense of accomplishment.

The concert next week (details here) is shared with the debut performance by the University Sirocco Ensemble, and will be a light-hearted way to bring this term’s music-making to a close. We’re looking forward to it…