): The day was run by Mag Shepherd and there were about 90 attendees. The morning was mainly given to learning at some of the new settings. We looked at the Holy Holy and one of the acclamations from Liam Lawton's Glendalough Mass (this is written for SAB so you can get away with relatively few men - if you understand what I mean). We also learnt the Glorias from Peter Jones' A Parish Mass, Marty Haugen's The Storrington Mass and Paul Inwood's The Pymouth Mass.
The afternoon was given over to several Advent and Christmas pieces, including "Christ, Circle Round us" by Dan Schutte based on the 'simple' 'Salve Regina' chant (Off Topic: why was the solemn Salve Regina rarely sung in the places I lived in England? - in my opinion it's a much better setting - back On Topic). We also sang Alan Smith's setting of the psalm for Second Sunday of Advent B, a children's Christmas song by, I think, John Bell, plus, as it's November, John Bell's 'For All The Saints Who've Shown Your Love' to 'O Waly Waly - which I still associate with Terry Pratchett, rather than a Somerset folk song!
Mag also supplied many many tips on singing and general choir/music group behaviour at Mass, especially to come to Mass early and properly prepared and to pray the whole Mass, i.e. after the Gloria there is a prayer that we should be involved in - when the priest says 'Let us pray' we should do just that. She reminded us that many choirs in Catholic churches are seated in full view of the congregation and that children/young people will be taking our example as to how we conduct ourselves in church.
An excellent day. The next is a day run by Paul Inwood at the Christian Education Centre in Tooting.
If you want to be informed of these days, email nicholas.pointer@btinternet.com requesting to be put on his mailing list.
