Suicide Sunday...
The time of this entry is correct... I am just back from the Hughes Hall May Ball, where much fun was had...
Rehearsal was a bit full-on in the morning, but good. Afterwards I went shopping with Jennie to get a necklace and some earrings for the ball. Possibly not cutting it so fine next time... Mmm... I then spent what was left of the afternoon sleeping before the concert...
The concert went really really well. I think it's probably the best one I've done, and we did get a standing ovation. It was quite nice to have to run away afterwards though, as it meant I couldn't get too caught up in the leaving-emotion-sadness thing...
Maggie (the chorus secretary) was also very impressed to judge from her email:
Dear Stephen, CUMS I and Chorus,
I'm almost lost for words! It was an absolutely wonderful performance!
It had everything - atmosphere, terror, spine-tingling pianissimos, and the
most stunning rapport between orchestra, soloists and chorus - a truly
magical blend. My friend Dottie, who sang in CUMS for almost fifty years,
thought that she had never heard or sung any performance to touch it.
So enormous thanks to you all for an unforgettable evening.
With love from,
Maggie
And indeed ditto Stephen:
Dear Maggie,
Thanks very much for this, and thanks also to Simon for his message.
I want to add my own thanks to all concerned in the Verdi. It was =
really great to stand on the podium and know that everyone knew the work =
so well, and to be able to concentrate on projecting the music, which, =
given the marvellous response of orchestra and chorus, not to mention =
the soloists, I enjoyed doing hugely.
I hope everyone has a lovely summer: I send best wishes for the future =
to all of you who are leaving Cambridge, and thanks for all you've done =
for CUMS, and look forward very much to seeing those who are remaining =
in October, if not before.=20
Stephen
Stephen Cleobury
Director of Music
King's College
Well, I pretty much ran back to College & changed in record time - I had done my hair before I went to the concert, but the speed was, nonetheless, impressive. Jennie and Theresia demanded photos before Helen & I left, so they presumably now have pictures of me-in-a-pretty-dress-but-sadly-scowling.
The ball was fantastic. I found my granddaughter and we had photos taken (again, probably scowling) and our faces painted. We had pizza (the nice people made me a non-dairy one!) and I was offered yoghurt by the ice-cream man who perhaps had not fully grasped the non-dairy concept. We went and listened to a story-teller and played on swing boats and I had a massage from a very attractive man (mmm) and last of all, just before we left (although Helen and I survived we decided not to be in the survivors' photo) we watched a falcon, a hawk, and a barn owl being flown AND I GOT TO HOLD AN OWL!!!!!!!
The whole evening was punctuated by total strangers telling me how beautiful my dress was, and how nice I looked. People were actually going out of their way to come and tell me this. I suspect someone must have bribed them or something. But it was still quite nice. Doubtless I shall become horribly vain now. The dress is very pretty though, and quite remarkably swishy...
And now I think it may be time for bed. Not least as the night porter just came in. And was being avuncular at me, as is his wont. I did not need to know about academic's extra-marital liasons happening in College though. Just as a point. He is a good bloke though, to be fair, and he does actually care about the students (he reminded me to check the computer room door's locked if I am in here on my own...) which not everyone round here does, really...
Rehearsal was a bit full-on in the morning, but good. Afterwards I went shopping with Jennie to get a necklace and some earrings for the ball. Possibly not cutting it so fine next time... Mmm... I then spent what was left of the afternoon sleeping before the concert...
The concert went really really well. I think it's probably the best one I've done, and we did get a standing ovation. It was quite nice to have to run away afterwards though, as it meant I couldn't get too caught up in the leaving-emotion-sadness thing...
Maggie (the chorus secretary) was also very impressed to judge from her email:
Dear Stephen, CUMS I and Chorus,
I'm almost lost for words! It was an absolutely wonderful performance!
It had everything - atmosphere, terror, spine-tingling pianissimos, and the
most stunning rapport between orchestra, soloists and chorus - a truly
magical blend. My friend Dottie, who sang in CUMS for almost fifty years,
thought that she had never heard or sung any performance to touch it.
So enormous thanks to you all for an unforgettable evening.
With love from,
Maggie
And indeed ditto Stephen:
Dear Maggie,
Thanks very much for this, and thanks also to Simon for his message.
I want to add my own thanks to all concerned in the Verdi. It was =
really great to stand on the podium and know that everyone knew the work =
so well, and to be able to concentrate on projecting the music, which, =
given the marvellous response of orchestra and chorus, not to mention =
the soloists, I enjoyed doing hugely.
I hope everyone has a lovely summer: I send best wishes for the future =
to all of you who are leaving Cambridge, and thanks for all you've done =
for CUMS, and look forward very much to seeing those who are remaining =
in October, if not before.=20
Stephen
Stephen Cleobury
Director of Music
King's College
Well, I pretty much ran back to College & changed in record time - I had done my hair before I went to the concert, but the speed was, nonetheless, impressive. Jennie and Theresia demanded photos before Helen & I left, so they presumably now have pictures of me-in-a-pretty-dress-but-sadly-scowling.
The ball was fantastic. I found my granddaughter and we had photos taken (again, probably scowling) and our faces painted. We had pizza (the nice people made me a non-dairy one!) and I was offered yoghurt by the ice-cream man who perhaps had not fully grasped the non-dairy concept. We went and listened to a story-teller and played on swing boats and I had a massage from a very attractive man (mmm) and last of all, just before we left (although Helen and I survived we decided not to be in the survivors' photo) we watched a falcon, a hawk, and a barn owl being flown AND I GOT TO HOLD AN OWL!!!!!!!
The whole evening was punctuated by total strangers telling me how beautiful my dress was, and how nice I looked. People were actually going out of their way to come and tell me this. I suspect someone must have bribed them or something. But it was still quite nice. Doubtless I shall become horribly vain now. The dress is very pretty though, and quite remarkably swishy...
And now I think it may be time for bed. Not least as the night porter just came in. And was being avuncular at me, as is his wont. I did not need to know about academic's extra-marital liasons happening in College though. Just as a point. He is a good bloke though, to be fair, and he does actually care about the students (he reminded me to check the computer room door's locked if I am in here on my own...) which not everyone round here does, really...