With the cost of a ticket to London’s Heathrow Airport topping out at $700 for coach class, several members of The Cathedral Choirs traveled to New Haven, CT to hear a concert by The St. John’s College Choir, one of the world’s top collegiate ensembles. Choristers Tucker Besch and Reece Klein enjoyed their front row seats for the seventy-five minute performance of English choral music in the stunning surrounding of Christ Church. The program was a chronological tour of Cathedral music beginning with Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices. The second part featured a verse anthem by Pelham Humphrey and Purcell’s stirring setting of Hear my prayer. Zadok the Priest closed the second part, much to the amusement of our boys who noted the taboo of hearing Hallelujah, Amen!’ in Lent! The third portion of the program began with a new piece by James MacMillan appropriately titled A New Song. Howells’ famous setting of the Evening Canticles for Gloucester Cathedral were spectacularly offered as the Antiphon from Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs put us, a bit prematurely, in an Easter mood. Two encores, Parson’s Ave Maria and Surfin’ USA (sung by The Gents) provided the insatiable audience with a fun finale to a wonderful program.

Traveling in several cars, our group assembled in the Nave along with many familiar faces. Tucker recognized Andrew Sheranian, Organist and Choirmaster of Christ’s Church Rye, from the Montreal Boys Choir Course. We were pleased to see some of our friends from Trinity Church New Haven whose excellent choir had joined us last season for the Albany Choral Festival. We enjoyed a reunion with former Cathedralite Nancy Lamberson, who relocated to Connecticut last autumn, and were excited to see Vaughn Mauren, a former Cathedral chorister pursuing his Master’s degree in organ at Yale’s renowned Institute of Sacred Music.

Albany’s proximity to New England and New York City affords us a wealth of cultural opportunities. Thanks to the efforts of our drivers and some very understanding parents, two of our lucky choristers were given a chance to hear one of England’s finest choirs without presenting their passports. I’m grateful to our adults who made this trip possible and to Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music who offered this performance to the public free of charge.