Anzac Day in the Abbey: or, a return to Angleterre – the reminiscences of a
scholar
And so it was, after an early start, certain members having
an adventure in Fiumicino Airport, and a fond farewell to 2 of our sopranos, we
finally arrived back in London – this time flying into Gatwick rather than
Heathrow. Unfortunately there was to be no rest for the wicked and it was
straight off to St Mary-Le-Bow (with a short detour for those whose
accommodation was on the way) for the penultimate performance of our tour. It
was nice to see some familiar faces in the audience, including people who had
sung with us on our previous London leg, friends from Australia and the UK, and
the indomitable Yvonne Kenny.
Sunday saw us taking time off to breathe before our final
engagement. For some it was an opportunity to go traipsing off to Oxford, for
others a chance to sleep in or do a final bit of sightseeing around London. That
afternoon, after battling the crowds of the London Marathon, we congregated
back in Cheneygates for a rehearsal of the Anzac Day music. It was nice to be
back in this building that had treated us so well during our first week in
Britain, and, in my mind at least, it was a fitting bookend to the tour.
Anzac Day dawned and we rose with it, bright and early in
order to pass through security at the Abbey. Now we were running to a strict
schedule and soon enough we were in the nave doing a final rehearsal and timing
our music, as well as taking a quick group photo around the Tomb of the Unknown
Warrior. Then, in seemingly no time at all, the doors were thrown open and the
Abbey was opened.
As the gathering crowds took their seats we sang music of
Schütz and Parry, as well as Australian music by Joe Twist, and our very own
Owen Elsley and Brooke Shelley. Representing Australia and the community of St
James’ to the world, this was our final chance to shine. And shine we did.
As our last notes died away and gravity once again took over
(no doubt much to the delight of Newton, whose earthly remains we were perched
atop of) we were struck with how much we had accomplished: 30 performances over
the course of 27 days, comprising 52 different pieces of music. We had done it,
and no one had perished or been maimed. We had evolved as a choir. All that was
left now was for us to remain in place for the service proper and we would be
finished.
Once the procession of dignitaries had started, to the
delight of some in the choir Prince Harry passed within metres of us, and the
‘special service choir’ (comprising the men of the choir and female sopranos –
the boys being otherwise indisposed) began to filter past, I came to the
realisation that this would be the first service we wouldn’t be singing whilst
in the Abbey; a thought met with a curious mixture of relief and sadness. After
sitting through the emotionally charged service, joining in with the
congregation at the hymns and belting our National Anthem with pride, it was
finally time for us to relax and let our hair down.
A few members of the Abbey Choir (friends of Warren) took us
out for lunch after the service and regaled us with stories of their time in
the choir. It was interesting to hear about their lives, especially given the
duration some of them had been there! Finally, after grabbing a few brief
moments to myself, we reconvened at the Red Lion (one of over 400 pubs of that
name in Great Britain, according to the sign outside) for the start of a night
celebrating the end of a successful tour.
For me this has been the opportunity of a lifetime. When I
first auditioned to be choral scholar with the choir I never dreamt that I
would soon be jetting off on my first international trip to sing in some of the
most iconic churches and cathedrals in the UK and Europe. Although being given
the opportunity to visit these historic buildings – Westminster Abbey, Notre
Dame, Stephansdom, and St Peter’s Basilica amongst others – is in and of itself
an experience, and being afforded the opportunity to sing in them is most
certainly unforgettable, it all pales in comparison to the memories made of the
people it has been shared with; the friendships that have been created and
strengthened with people old and new – these are the experiences I truly never
want to forget. Although it was said many times on tour that “what happens on
tour stays on tour”, I hope that in
this case it is not true. Because of these people I have been changed for good.
–Patrick
Baker