PostScript

Thank you for following the Corpus Grand Tour blog.  You’ve almost reached the end!  I conclude these few sentences with a lovely photograph taken of the group at the University of Auckland Marae (please scroll down to the end of this post to find it).  In the group are two former Visiting Fellows of the College, Professor Manuka Henara, and Dr Deidre Brown, both of whom gave a warm welcome and support to the New Zealand part of  our visit.  Indeed, without Deidre’s enthusiasm, inspiriation and practical help, I am not sure we would have arranged a visit to this part of the world!  The photo brings back joyful memories of a profound and moving welcoming event (known in Maori as a powhiri).  The traditional order of this event involves speaches being given by the welcoming community (Auckland University) and the visiting community (us!).  This begins with thanksgiving to God, appreciation of the contribution of those who have gone before us –  in both communitites, as well as their current members, and finally ‘what gift does each community bring to the other’.  In the context of this powhiri, we of course brought music to each other.  Wonderful music sung by members of the NZ Youth Choir (who were in the welcoming party) and of course, choral contributions sung by us.  The welcome and the sense of warm exchange was a feature of all the places where we stayed – in Singapore, NZ and HK.  Many people who helped us and welcomed us on our way are readers of this blog – sincere and thanks to you all for your kindness and support!

Reader of the blog have not had much chance to hear the choir.  Thanks to the Master (who has a very steady hand, by the way!) we have the following four recordings.  They include the three pieces by our own Corpus Composers (who are choir members too), Paul Newton Jackson and David Nunn (both current undergraduates in music).  Congratulations and compliments to them, to Robin Walker, Director of Music and to all the Choir members.

A happy and blessed Christmas and all good things for 2017!

James Buxton, Corpus Christi College, New Year’s Eve 2016.

Hong Kong – peak experience

On our final day on this tour, with no performances ahead of us we had a chance to relax. We took the bus up to Victoria Peak, and had a lovely walk together on a circular path through the forest around the peak.

We had our final meal at a restaurant close to the Mariners’ Club at Kowloon, and then headed by coach for the airport for our midnight flight.

Thanks to everyone who made this ambitious tour possible. Most of all I am grateful to some wonderful travelling companions – the Choir, Robin Walker the Director of Music, and the Master.  On our 16 day adventure the choir has sung for seven concerts, three receptions and three services. A prodigious amount of performing – often in the wake of very long journeys and associated jetlag! 

During the tour The choir sang for well over 2000 people – and always to venues which were full. We also had had the opportunity to meet many alumni – and to connect or reconnect with many other friends of the College. In New Zealand we were able to shine a spotlight on our splendid Girdler Scholarship, not only through the Choir’s performances, but also through the substantial interview which current Girdler Paul Newton Jackson did on new Zealand Radio’s Upbeat program. 

We were able to showcase our excellent choir – of course, and to perform three pieces by our own students – thanks and congratulations to our gifted composers Paul NJ and David Nunn. Links to recordings of these pieces will be in my next blog post.

Hong Kong 16th–20th December

After our whirlwind tour of New Zealand’s North Island (Staying in five different places and  doing six performances, all in 10 days) it was great to be able to settle down for five nights at the Mariners’ Club, Hong Kong. This hostel (which also serves as the base of the Mission to Seafarers), is in a wonderful location at Kowloon just across from Hong Kong Island. Our first engagements were however not in Hong Kong but at Macau, former Portuguese colony – just an hour away from Hong Kong by ferry. The RC Cathedral there had invited us to sing two services on Saturday evening – Choral Mass and a Christmas carol service. Our host was the amazing and hilarious Father Cyril, who gave us a guided tour of the town centre before Mass, and a night tour of Macau’s surreal casino district before returning to Hong Kong for the night.

Macau – contrasting scenes: St Paul’s Church in the old city, and weird and fantastical casino-land.

 

St John’s Anglican cathedral, Hong Kong invited the Choir to sing for Choral Matins on Sunday 18th December, and me to preach. The Cathedral also enabled us to host a reception for Old Members of the College and representatives of top local schools. Percy Leung (recent alumnus) did a brilliant job coordinating the invites and helping generally with our visit. 

The grand finale of our tour was a concert at St John’s on the evening of 19 December. This included a collaboration with a brilliant Hong Kong NGO– The Music for Our Young Foundation. The Foundation encourages children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn musical instruments and play together – to a wonderful standard.The picture shows the Choir accompanied by the MOY Foundation orchestra.

Above: Panoramic view inside St John’s Cathedral.

It was a splendid culmination of our tour. Congratulations to our Director of Music Robin Walker, to the Organ Scholars, to our two undergraduate composers David Nunn and Paul Newton-Jackson, and to the whole Choir. 

Huge thanks to Gordon Siu, Founder and Musical Director of MOY, and William Fan for their amazing generosity. Also these two people: James Fan (left) recent alumnus, and Felix Yeung, Director of Music at the Cathedral. 

Arrived back in Cambridge this morning – final post in this blog coming up tomorrow…

Waiheke Island and Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Our final two concerts were in remarkable places – but ones which do not usually host choirs. On Tuesday morning we flew from Wellington to Auckland, and then took the ferry to Waiheke Island. Our destination was the Piritahi Marae (Maori meeting house), which occupies a beautiful spot on the coast.The choir received rapturous applause, and a standing ovation (see photo below). The whole group also slept in the Marae, watched over by the newly carved images of Maori gods and heroes. 

The following morning we crossed back to Auckland, then drove by minibus right up to Bay if Islands, in the extreme north of the country. Today’s concert was at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, out in the open with a large audience sitting under the trees, looking out to sea over The ground’s expensive lawns.

Standing ovation at the Paritahi Marae, Waiheke Island.

Lovely beach at Marsden Cross

With Dr Deidre Brown at Keri Keri

Concert at Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Choir concert poster – at Waitangi Museum cafe.

Alice at a short stop in the forest on the road back to Auckland.

Reception and recital at the British High Commission

Jonathan Sinclair, the British High Commissioner, invited the choir to sing at his Christmas reception, at the Residence – Homewood. This is a Grand Victorian house made entirely of wood on the heights above the city centre. Also invited were many graduates of Oxford and Cambridge and those generous individuals and families who hosted choir members to stay at this wonderful . In the gallery:
1) the Master and the British High Commissioner standing with various members of the college “old and new”.

The choir in action in the hall at Homewood.

Tenors Tenoring!

Wellington concert – at St Peter’s Willis Street

We were originally due to sing Choral Evensong and perform a concert at Wellington’s Anglican cathedral, Saint Paul’s but the recent earthquake has forced the Cathedral’s closure. Thanks to our friends in Wellington, we were able to find a lovely alternative venue – Saint Peter’s Willis street. The choir performed there last night, to another splendidly full house.

Thanks to everyone who has made our Wellington visit possible – especially Michael Stewart, Director of Music at the Cathedral, former visiting Fellow Christine Franzen and her husband Robert Easting. We wouldn’t get far without these two either (our gifted Organ Scholars Catherine Olver and Jack Hodkinson)! 

Historic day for New Zealand

Great to be in Wellington on a historic day as a new Prime Minister is appointed. Even more excitingly the Hon. Bill English, whose appointment has just been announced is a great friend of the College. We were delighted to spot Maria English outside the Parliament building today, just after the announcement was made. Maria is a former Girdler Scholar and choir member. She is the daughter of the new Prime Minister. Maria is centre of the picture surrounded by choir members. 

Hamilton Cathedral Centenary Concert

It was a great privilege to sing the centenary concert at Hamilton Cathedral on Friday, 9 December. The photo shows the Bishop of  Waikato, Helen-Ann Hartley, with the Dean, Peter Rickman, the Master and members of the choir. We got the warmest of welcomes at Hamilton, and members of the congregation put us up for the night.

Paddling in hot springs at Rotorua on the long, beautiful (but rather damp!) drive from Hamilton to Wellington on December 10. 

Radio coverage

Paul Newton Jackson, the 50th Girdler Scholar is a current member of the choir. Yesterday he recorded an interview on Radio New Zealand’s Upbeat Programme. The slot include’s Paul’s beautiful setting of the nunc dimittis in the Maori language.   Here’s the link. 

Congratulations Paul! We’re looking forward to the concert at 7.00 pm tonight in Paul’s home town, Hamilton. The concert celebrates the centenary of Hamilton Cathedral. 

Auckland Adventures

Thursday 8 December: A day of contrasts. It began with a formal Maori welcome at the University Maori meeting house. This was an incredibly moving occasion during which speeches were made by Maori members of the university community, and by the Master (who delivered his speech in Latin) and by me. By heart, the choir sang a stirring anthem in Maori to the tune of “how great thou art”. Later in the day we had a dramatic adventure on the Auckland Harbour Bridge (Photos to follow once I’ve worked out how to open the data pack I have been given by the company that arranges bridge walks!). In the evening the choir performed a wonderful concert at Saint Matthew’s, Auckland, where Tom Chatterton (former Organ Scholar) is the Director of Music. We made and remade many connections with former Girdler Scholars (including Emma Chatterton) and other Old Members of the College. The Master also delivered a lecture on the Middle East crisis to a highly engaged audience in the Political Sciences Department at Auckland University. Special thanks for today’s welcome and activities to Professor Manuka Henare,  Dr Deirdre Brown (both former Visiting Fellows of the College), and the Chattertons.

Professor Henare explains the symbolism in the Marae 

The concert at St Matthew’s in the City, Auckland.

The Master’s lectue at the Political Sciences Department.