I hope Allan doesn't mind being included in the subject header, but as a
significant chunk of the music both for the Crowle High Mass and the wedding
is the same, i thought I'd try and deal with both events at the same time!

First of all, as Joseph Cullen (ex-Director of music at Leeds Cathedral)
would often say when announcing things: 'Habemus!' In this case, it means
we have a conductor for the Crowle Mass! He is Roddy Bryce, Director of
music at the Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral in Edinburgh, who is travelling
down on the 6th June with one of the cathedral's sopranos, (an old friend of
both Bernadette & myself, who also sang with us in Leeds during Joe's
incumbency'), staying overnight, will come with us to Crowle on the 7th,
before returning to Edinburgh that evening to get ready for Whit Sunday on
the 8th.

He's actually quite nervous of us as our reputation has extended to
Edinburgh, so those of us who are singing in Crowle, please make him feel
very welcome!

We are hoping to start this Saturday 10th May with informal rehearsals of
the Palestrina Missa Brevis, as this is the music being sing at both the
Mass and the wedding. I haven't got a venue yet, but it will most likely be
either the usual location at Our Lady's Church in Acomb, or possibly All
Saints' Church, North Street in central York. As soon as I know one way or
the other I'll let those directly involved know.

If some recipients of this message are a little confused by it then I'll
apologise now! (I have unintentionally developed a knack of unintentionally
confusing people recently.......)

To try and clear things up, there will be some people on the Rudgate list
who are singing at BOTH the Mass and the Wedding. There are some who are
singing at the wedding only as the Mass clashes with a concert by York
Cantores at St. Olave's Church, which just happens to be the venue for the
wedding.

There are some non-Rudgates receiving this because they are singing at the
wedding. Also there will be people singing at the Mass, but not singing at
the wedding, because it's NOT a Rudgate event, but Allan & Claire's wedding,
and Nigel Holdsworth, who many of us know, is in charge of the music and
organisation that day, not I, though I've had some success with recruitment
of singers both Rudgate & non-Rudgate alike.

I'll shut up now, because if I carry on along this thread, I'll end up
confusing myself.....:-)

There will be a rehearsal for singers taking part in either the Mass,
Wedding or both this Saturday, 10th May, 10.30am'ish. You will know the
venue just as soon as I do.....

Mike


The Home of the Rudgate Singers
http://www.mike4b.free-online.co.uk/rudgate
http://buy.at/Rudgate