"So, what did you do this weekend?"
"Oh, not much ... I just sang at the Royal Albert Hall."
"Right... Sorry ... You did what?!"
That was the conversation I had on Monday morning a few weeks ago after the Songsters had taken part in this year's annual Gospel Arts Concert. I did point out to my colleague that I was only one of 700 people singing, but he was still amazed ... perhaps even more so!
We received the invitation to join the massed chorus way back in November last year. I was keen for us to take part as an opportunity to work towards such a big event, and also to sing music we wouldn't usually have any chance to learn and use.
The music duly arrived and we started "note bashing." Some of the pieces we took to easily, others were more, let's say, challenging. We had just one rehearsal with our fellow Songsters from the surrounding area before "the big day."
"Oh, not much ... I just sang at the Royal Albert Hall."
After a rather too optimistically timed coach trip down to London, we rushed up to the lofty heights of the gallery in the Royal Albert Hall to dump our belongings before hastily taking our places — just in time — for the massed rehearsal. We found ourselves in the company of fellow Songsters from every part of the UK and Ireland. I sat next to the bass section from Morriston in Wales, and we were joined by others from all over Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
The concert itself seemed to be one of the best of recent years, and you may well have read the reports in "Salvationist" already. I'm not going to repeat those details, but my personal favourite item was the song "My simple prayer." This was arranged from the brass band Baritone solo "Donegal bay" written by Paul Lovatt-Cooper. Paul's parents were officers but he's currently a percussionist for the Black Dyke band and a well-known composer in brass band circles. Stephen Cobb, the head of the Music Ministries Unit and the bandmaster of the International Staff Band, had approached him regarding the desire to use it in the concert — about which he was both surprised and touched — and Rob Little produced some beautifully suited lyrics.
So, overall was it worth all the extra effort and hassles? I certainly believe so. And I hope you enjoy some of the songs we learned as we continue to use them in the weeks and months to come.
Neil Winton, Songster Leader
