Summer School 2010 in Adelaide

[admin]

Anyone going to the 2010 summer school this January, why not use this forum to tell the rest of us what's happening there? Just post your updates to this thread!

[Gemmster]

Day One - Sunday 3rd January 2010

FINALLY arrived in Adelaide after my train from Sydney was cancelled due to floooding! (Ended up hiring a car and driving to Adelaide. Took 16 hours - on the back of a night shift this is NOT a good idea if anyone else considering the idea!)

St Mark's College is a lovely old building which is placed just next to St Peter's Anglican Cathedral. There is a small chapel, and a larger room for dining. The reherasals are held in the music room of the Cathedral.

Anyway, today the Summer School opened with a Welcome Service at Boughton Place Uniting Church. Again a lovely old building with a fantastic (although sharp with an out-of-tune mixtures stop) organ. We sang an anthem, Anglican Chant, four hymns ("Come in Come in New Year" Gibson/Murray, "Not Far Beyond the Sea, nor High" S S Wesley, "O Thou who Camest" SS Wesley and Charles Wesley and "Christ is Made the Sure Foundation" Purcell). The anthem was "Blessed be the God and Father" S S Wesley which I must admit sounded fantastic from where I was standing. I have never sung that piece with as many men as we had tonight, and the recit sections were just fantastic.

The service was sung on just an hour's rehearsal, which just shows what you can do when you have 180 experienced church musicians. The Musical Director, Dr Jeffrey Smith from Grace Cathedral in San Fransisco, was warm and friendly and very clear in his instructions in how he wanted us to sing. I look forward to working with him more over the week.

Tomorrow the Summer School starts properly, with a long day planned ahead.

[Gemmster]

Day Two of the Summer School.

The day started at 0730 with Holy Communion at St Peter's Anglican Cathedral. The Lady Chapel was packed which was lovely to see. There's a beautiful painting in the Lady Chapel which I highly recommed people to go and see. It's of a lady carrying a large piece of wood but the shaddow reflects a cross. Very clever.

After Holy Communion was Daily Devotions (a short time of reflection prior to the rehearsal). The rehearsal was full on with us rehearsing lots of different pieces. I'll say this for Dr Smith - he certainly knows how to get through lots of music very quickly.

After that we broke off into small groups for tutorial time. I went into the Intermediate Organ class which I found very useful. The Adelaide Cathedral (Anglican) organ is just beautiful and if I play my cards right I might get to play it in a service in March when I come back on a choir tour.

Next was another tutorial session - this time handbells. This is one instrument that I don't play (yet!) and the experience was just thrilling. It was very different from any instrument I have played before and very challenging when it came to reading the music and working out which note you had to play when. Although it sounds simple, just playing two notes but at the right time is actually quite tricky.

Another full rehearsal after that with more copious amount of music to learn. Most of this stuff I don't know so it is all sightreading. I'll post all the titles of what we are doing some other time when I'm not typing so late!

The last event of today was a panel of people discussing questions on church music. The question at the forefront of everyone's mind was how to save Church Music from total oblivion. We also discussed the issue of Clergy wanting to reduce the amount of singing the choir does, the issue of encourage youth as well as question of what is your favourite hymn. Very interesting to hear the different opinions of people. Although without doubt it was felt that Church Music is a good thing and something that needs to be preserved.

In our own ways, God willing, we shall all assist in that task.

[Gemmster]

Day Three

Another fun filled packed day.

The day started with Holy Communion at St Peter's again this morning (there was also a Catholic Service offered in the Chapel at St Mark's). After which I went for a walk up the hill to North Adelaide to acquire Pepsi Max (my drug of choice).

The general rehearsal was in fact not a general rehearsal, but a divided one: a smaller group of us broke off to learn some extra music - mainly polyphony - to sing later on this week.

My tutorial today was another session of Intermediate Organ. I got a chance to play the wonderful Adelaide Cathedral organ (4 manuals, full pedal board, WONDERFUL reed stops). Stupidly I only bought music to learn and not anything to actually perform in front of the class. But luckily another member of the group had also just done his 7th grade exam and had a couple of the same pieces as I learnt, so I borrowed his music and played a Buxtehude piece. I've played it better I have to admit but the experience was great. I've been asked to play it again on Saturday for a Masterclass run by the Musical Director so I shall make sure I get some practise time before then!!

The second tutorial group was a lecture and practical session on early music. It was interesting to hear an opinion on how to perform Early Music - some of which I agreed with and some I didn't. But that's the wonder of Church Music - there are so many different ways of performing it and no real right or wrong. I'm sure God enjoys it either way!!

Another general rehearsal after that with more music for a service tomorrow after which there was a very pleasant concert at the Cathedral. The first half consisted of organ music - focusing on Australian composers ("Promenade" by Rosalie Bonighton, "To His Servant Bach God Grants a Final Glimpse: The Morning Star" by Graeme Koehne and "Mr Purcell's Procession" by June Nixon) and New Zealand composers ("Tuba Tune in E flat" by Richard Madden) and finishing with Prelude and Fugue in D BWV 532 (Bach). After the interval we had a wonderful rendition of Handel's Organ Concerto in g minor by Handel followed by Handel's "The Ways of Zion do Mourn - Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline".

Tomorrow we experience a different church and perform another service. Stay tuned for the result!

[Gemmster]

Day 4 - Wednesday

So much music, so little time!

The day started usually with 0730 Holy Communion and Daily Devotions. Then there was another split rehearsal where we solidified some work on Polyphonic music. I learnt some interesting tricks during this rehearsal - such as how to cut of sss cleanly (drop the jaw!) and how to keep the pitch on repeated notes (think sharp, try to sing a quarter tone up - you'll actually be in tune).

Next was an interesting presentation on chosing music for church - the lecture discussed some issues to consider such as singability, theological contect, suitability for the skills available, etcc.

There was then an organ recital by Dr Jeffrey Scott which unfortunately I couldn't get to as I was meeting the Dean of Adelaide (ex-priest of All Saints' Ainslie) for a catchup. Perhaps someone who did go to the recital could report on it for me!

Our focus then moved to Bethlehem Lutheran Church - a nice warm 35 min walk with robes and surplus over my shoulder! We had another lecture before our reherasal - this time on the first 1000 years of music and Gregorian Chant.

We then sang a rehearsal for our evening service and had a quick break.

The service tonight was the Liturgy of the Gifts and I have to say that I found it absolutely inspiring. The prelude wias Prelude and Fugue in G major BWV 541 (Bach) after which the service opened with the hymn "This is my Father's World" (Malcolm Williamson). The Kyrie was from Mozart's Missa in honorem Sanctissimae Trinitatis K167 and the Our Father was by Kedrov. We then sang the hymn "Come to Us Creative Spirit" (Proulx) before introducing the Gospel with a Russian Orthodox Alleluia (very yummy). The reflection on the Gospel was "Mulier quae erat in civitate" (A woman that was in the city) which described the gospel story of the woman washing Jesus' feet with very expensive oil. We then sang a very simple but effective liturgy and then finished with Colin Mawby's Psalm 150, Pachelbel's Magnificat (no 13 in D) and closed with the final hymn "When in our music God is glorified" (Stanford). The postude was the absolutely stunning "Toccata in D" by Marcel Lanquetuit.

The only slight issue was singing in full robes, surplus and hood (and medal) in 38 degree heat. But it was worth it.

Tomorrow is a day out in the Barossa Valley. Something very different!!

[Gemmster]

Day 5 - Thursday - Day in the Barossa Valley

One word. HOT.

But fun.

Sleep in today as there was no morning Mass. We all met for the buses at 0830 which then took us on a pleasant hour's trip. The tour was basically a circle - two buses went one way around and two went the other - so no one church was too crowded.

The first stop was Tanunda where we say the Town Hall organ project. Very interesting. The 19th century organ which used to be housed in the Town Hall is currently being restored here. A slow but rewarding project. So far there is one rank functioning and it sounds fantastic.

After Tanunda we went to St Thomas' Church, Stockwell where we met the Kruger organ (in case you didn't know this area of the world was settled mainly by German people, so all the churches tend to be Luthern and the organs in them are typical small German type instruments). The Kruger organ is just one manual with a small pedal board. Even from where I was sitting I could hear how slow and heavy the action was. By this time it must have been mid 30s and pity the poor performers who either played the organ or sang for a one hour concert.

We then moved on to Faith School Tanunda (Lutheran) for lunch, and then departed for Greunberg, Holy Cross Church (again, Lutheran). This organ was probably the better of the two instruments in terms of sound, but it was only one manual with no pedals. The other problem was that in the heat it was getting sharper and sharper, so the poor oboist who played the last item on the programme was battling against a pitch of around 452.

We had then planned to go to the Whispering Wall, Cockatoo Valley however in the heat the council had closed the area (apparently risk of fire is too high - and you can see how big a risk it would be - everything is so dry that there would be nothing stopping a flame once it lit).

We arrived back at St Mark's by 6pm and had an hour or so to get ready for the Formal Dinner. I didn't go to this so again someone who did may have to fill us in. At first I thought it must have been a real party but then I realised I was listening to the cheers of the Adelaide Oval, where Australia was playing in a 20 20 match!!

Tomorrow - a long day and lots of hard work by the look of the programme. Can't wait.

[Gemmster]

Day Six - Friday

It was with great sadness that the death of one of our group, Margaret Macpherson, was announced this morning at Morning Devotions. She passed away last night, suddenly and we hope peacefully. She was one of the main organisers for the 2011 Summer School in Bathurst, so it has all come as a complete shock. Our prayers go out to her family at this time.

More rehearsals this morning followed by our final organ tutorial. Today we were introduced to different repertiore which we might consider learning to play during services. This was invaluable and I certainly found some gems in the examples we were given.

This afternoon we trundled down (in the 40 degree heat) to Pilgrim Place Uniting Church to prepare for our Tenebrae service tonight. There was a magnificent organ in the church but sadly all our repertoire tonight was unaccompanied.

Instead of shopping and dinner, I went up to the North Adelaide Baptist Church to practise for tomorrow's Masterclass. The organ's great, and in very good condition considering it's age and history.

Tonight's service of Tenebrae was amazing. I've sung Tenebrae services before, but this was really special. Whether Margaret's death made it more poinient I'm not sure but the choice of repertiore was excellent.

The service is one of darkness, where we remember Christ's death through readings, psalms and music. The church starts in light and ends in darkness. It's very powerful.

The music tonight opened with Batten's "Haste Thee O God" and the responses were made up of some of the Victoria Tenebrae Responses and some Healy-Willan Tenebrae Responses (new to me but very good and useful), finishing with the most soul touching rendition of Bruckner's "Christus Factus Est". For the loud noise which came at the end of the service, some percussionists from the Elder Conservatorium played which moved me even further. It was simply wonderful. It certainly confirmed my vocation to me.

Tomorrow we have the organ Masterclass and a couple of final rehearsals before tomorrow night's service and Sunday's Mass.

[Gemmster]

Day Seven - Saturday

A totally new experience for me tonight - but I'll get to that in a minute.

This morning we had Communion as usual but with a requiem element added. It was great to see so many people there.

Two sets of rehearsals followed Daily Devotions where we realised exactly how much music we had to go that we didn't know too well. The second rehersal was in situ at St Peter's where we discovered how difficult it was to fit in a choir of 150 to an area that normally fits a choir of 30 at the most!

Anyway, more realisation that we didn't know all the music we were supposed to but we could only do as much as time allowed so we did our best and offered the rest up.

A very hot walk up the hill to North Adelaide Baptist Church for the organ Masterclass where we realised that two of us were both playing the same piece. As such, I didn't play and we would have run out of time in any case. However, I have an open invitation to turn up to Grace Cathedral and play at any time!!! ( People shouldn't say things like that to me because I will take it seriously and appear!)

Next was a very long and very very hot walk down to the Catholic Cathedral (about 30 min walk) to hear the youth choir sing Catholic Mass. Managed to sit right where the sun was shining in the cathedral so nearly melted! The choir sang some interesting music (Mass Setting was Colin Brumby) and they did the Alleluia in a different and interesting way. The impressive thing was that the Homily was literally 3 mins long (I had hardly got my homework out and he had finished!!). An entire Sung Mass done within the hour. That's why the Catholic Church keep their parishioners! (That and Catholic guilt, which doesn't hurt either!)

The main service for us was the Service of Light (as in the Easter Eve service) which followed on from Tenebrae last night. It didn't start until 2100 but by then it was well and truely dark. The cathedral lights were all turned out to the point that we really couldn't see a THING. There's something very spooky about having a large choir sing in the darkness.

Now the problem arose that as I mentioned there was a lot of music we were due to sing tonight that we didn't know very well. Add in the complicating factor that we are in the dark, save a mechanical candle (yes, mechanical) and things turn VERY interesting. The repertoire included Bruckner's "Christus Factus Est" (not too bad because we did it last night), a plainsong psalm (which was a total disaster because only half the choir could see the conductor so the rests were a joke), David Hurd's "O Night that is Brighter than the Day" for double choir, Jenny McLeod's "Light of Lights Beholden" and Colin Brumby's "Christ our Light Shine Forth" (not exactly your most popular and well known works are they?!). I have NEVER been so grateful for the lights to be turned back on again. Very spiritual if you think about it, because if we had to do all our singing in the dark think how impossible it would be. Laudate Dominum also for the organ, which accompanied us during some of the more dodgy bits.

Once the lights were switched on we ploughed through Becky Llewllyn's "Carol of the Font" (no excuses here because the lights were on. Maybe it would have been better if they were still off!!) then we finished with the Kyrie and Gloria from Mozart's Mass in C K167. The poslude was the amazing Mozart's "Fantasia in F Minor". Stunning (apart from the two cyphers which just wouldn't die!).

Special mention must go to Graeme Bell, who sang the ENTIRE Exultate by candlelight (I've never heard the entire thing sung before, and certainly not with pitch that good). Also to the fact that he managed to carry on regardless of the fact that he spilt hot wax all down himself as he pulled the Easter Candle off the stand.

Tomorrow is our final service - Mass at St Peter's Cathedral - and then a final lunch and goodbye (for those of us not staying on for National Council on Monday).

[Nigel Poole]

Thank you for all your posts from the Summer School, Gemma. Sounds like you covered an enormous amount of music!
I've really enjoyed reading your accounts, and I hope others have too.
Enjoy the remainder of your heatwave!
- Nigel Poole
(somewhere in snowy Germany, at 0° Celsius)

[Gemmster]

Day Eight - Sunday - Final Day

One final service today - High Mass (Holy Communion) at St Peter's Anglican Cathedral.

I felt right at home today as the service was a high church Anglican service. Candles, incense, sung responses etc. + Stephen Pickard presided and preached, which was very interesting.

The music was the last of what we had learnt - Mozart Mass (except for the Credo), Anglican Chant (Madden), Gather By the River (Americal Spiritual) for the response to the Gospel, David Child's "Ave Verum Corpus" for Communion.

Dr Jeffery Smith played the final hymn and postlude - the final hymn was played in a really usual way, with Handlean variations for the introduction.

It was again very very hot - well over 40 degrees, and the decision was made not to robe. We all looked respectable though in black and white, and while I like robes and formal dress, it just wasn't sensible. Besides, as I was the doctor on call (along with an ambulance officer in the choir) I was glad people made it through the service without problems.

After the service we had a final lunch which included all the necessary thanks awarded to the amazingly hard working people who made the week possible. I'm not even going to attempt to list them here because I'm sure to leave someone out.

On a personal note, this week has been an amazing experience on so many levels. The amount of new and interesting music I learnt, the friends and contacts I made, the personal development ..... I could go on and on.

To anyone who may read this who is even thinking about coming to Bathurst in 2011 - please consider it. I'm sure you'll find it rewarding.

But for 2010 RSCM Summer School I'm signing off now. May I be able to take with me even just a small amount of the joy and benefit I gained here and share it with others back home.

Gemma