Everyone appears to have had a good time during our week in Dorset, helped in no small way by good weather, enabling us to leave our umbrellas at home. It’s not much fun running through a churchyard in the pouring rain trying to keep music and evensong clothes dry.
Thirty singers (our absolute maximum) coped with a vast variety of musical styles and difficulties, taking everything in our stride from William Byrd to newly commissioned canticles by Philip Lawson (a wonderful addition to the repertoire). We enjoyed congenial accommodation at Bryanston School, pub meals, parties and each other’s company. We also had to contend with sharp organs, stuffy chancels, pews designed for small children and non-appearing clerics – all in the ‘service’ of Choral Evensong. Congregations were large and appreciative, and the teas provide by parish volunteers were sometimes so lavishly supplied with cake that we wondered if we would be able to sing afterwards!
Enormous thanks to all the churches that hosted us; to Pete Cook who headed up the Tour Team which knitted the itinerary together; and to our organist Sam Hanson who delivered exemplary service accompaniment as well as closing voluntaries of top recital quality. Above all, we must thank musical director Jeremy Jackman. His superb musicianship, skill, patience and humour, not to mention incredible descants, ensured we really did what we promise to do every year: bring high-quality cathedral-style Evensong to rural Dorset churches. See the 2025 Tour tab for the parishes we visited.
Planning for 2026 has already started.