Thirty-seven choristers and choral scholars, seven lay clerks and deputies along with three musicians and three chorister supervisors arrived back at the cathedral at the end of the tour to a wonderful round of applause for parents and supporters. Tired bodies wearing broad smiles climbed off the bus into the arms of loved ones. It was lovely to receive a final round of applause on the cathedral forecourt. In four days, the choir had sung at four services and performed two concerts, receiving rounds of applause in each venue. Few will forget the two minute standing ovation from the eight hundred or so who attended the Sunday evening concert in the basilica in Waldsassen.

The choir did Ripon Cathedral proud, and it was wonderful to introduce many of the Bavarian audience to the English Choral Tradition, with composers and pieces they were unfamiliar with.

The English Choral Tradition is alive and well, and those who were in the Cathedral last Sunday, or who watched online, would have heard the choir of Holy Trinity Southport. Again, they sang God’s praises in worship wonderfully, but this time, against the backdrop of the events in Southport on the day before they travelled. With their community in despair and mourning, and with the worry around reports of rioting, they sang God praise day after day amongst us.

I do wonder if we appreciate such wonderful choral music around us. I know two people who recently attended the main Sunday morning service. I expressed joy at their presence even though their children were not singing. ‘Ah’ they said, ‘we tend to live such chaotic lives, that we love to come when we can, it somehow makes us feel grounded’.

With such good choral music around us in Ripon, from our own and visiting choirs, there is always the chance in the midst of chaos to feel grounded again.

Grace and Peace,

Michael