After the seemingly endless restrictions on singing during the pandemic, it has been wonderful to get back to singing on a regular basis (for both choir and congregation) and over the last year we have made the most of our freedom, returning to our usual routines. We continue to rehearse weekly (on Friday evenings starting at 7pm), now up by the organ rather than with the piano, which we all prefer.
We sang Compline throughout Lent for the first time since we were cut off in our prime in March 2020, and took the decision to sing in the crossing, under the tower, which gives us more space and has proved a much nicer spot to sing in.
The choir also sang Bob Chilcott’s lovely settings of hymns from his St John Passion during Sunday services in Lent, and during the year we have enjoyed working our way through a number of anthems in the ‘Flexible Anthem Book’, which accounts for the inevitable occasions when some parts might be missing.
Having sung anthems for Harvest and for the service of welcome for our new Priest in Charge, at Christmas we sang for the carol service at Stowell for the first time since 2019 and of course at St John’s, where we enjoyed preparing four carols – and having the first choir party for some while too!
As I said last year, none of us will ever take singing for granted again; the unfair stigma it was given during the pandemic has made us appreciate what an important part it plays in all our lives, and, when many choirs are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic numbers, I’m delighted that all the choir members have returned to sing.
Rachel Willetts