Singing in Winchester Cathedral

So one of my highlights for this year was singing in the student section of the Southampton Philharmonic Choir. For starters I was accepted into the group, infact yesterday one of the girls was surprised I wasn't British.  Which was funny because she is.  No, as far as I know I still sound very American even though the British accent is sounding very normal to me and I have to think hard to hear it anymore.  I digress....  I have my choir buddies, about 4 of us who sat together in the alto section.  We discussed our studies and everything and anything during breaks and before rehearsals.  Then there were just the other student members of the choir and we became good friends.  Side note.... I was on a bus I don't normally ride and a girl got on and waved at me and was very friendly. She sat down in front of me and started chatting away.  I was a bit confused and then she said we were in choir together - she is a soprano and sits on the other side of the room.  I guess I'm very recognizable, cuz I didn't know her.... 
The music was fun, and really hard at the same time.  We did large choir pieces and performed with an orchestra.  Not once did we sing in English..... We did works by major classical composers and things that are not overdone. The culminating concert for the year was yesterday and we sang in the Winchester Cathedral.  Google it.  It's a very historical building.  If you have never tried to sing in a Cathedral, it is tough.  The sound goes up and around and reverberates. You can't actually hear the person next to you very well, or those behind you for that matter.  You can hear the other parts ..ish, but you could swear you are the only person on yours, which makes it a little unnerving with the music we were singing.  We couldn't have done too bad, the audience seemed appreciative..... 
The orchestra for these pieces was very minial. It wasn't our full orchestra. It was like four violins, two violas, two celli, a bass, 3 trumpets (flugel horns?  no valves, longer and thinner than a normal trumpet, clear, crisp and high sound) a harpsichord, an oboe, a bassoon, and a recorder. The musicians (except for the celli and bassoon) all stood.  I guess it's a group from Cambridge and they were as much fun to watch as they were to listen to!  
Between rehearsal and the performance yesterday about 8 of us went to eat at Zizzi Italian restaurant in Winchester. I was just one of the gang.  Most of the students are 18-25ish.... and me.  The story of my life actually..... but I was very comfortable and at home with them.  The fact that 2 of them were my row buddies helped. The third row buddy had her parents in town for the concert, so she went to dinner with them.  The program outline was: Zelenka Hipocondrie a 7 Concertanti, Bach Magnificat, Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, and Handel Dixit Dominus.  The only downside of the day was that someone took our advertisement and across the front printed "vote Dixit" yeah..... 
So I can now cross off sing in a major British Cathedral on my bucket list.... ;) 

If you are ever in the area, you need to visit the Winchester Cathedral.

Our fearless conductor....

My view from the choir seats. 

  You won't be disappointed. And while you are there, stop in the middle and look up at the choir seats for the visiting choirs to perform, close your eyes and imagine me singing....   (clears throat...) 

You really missed out on this one!