| CHOIR | ||||||
A day in the life of chorister
It’s 2 November. The morning is dark and rainy. Up at 7.15. Downstairs the cats are already complaining about not getting breakfast. Still, I munch a bowlful of cereals, and eat a boiled egg laid yesterday by our chicken (her friend got eaten by the fox last month). I do a bit of piano practice before school as I won’t be home until late, grab my sports bag, books and cello and get to school for 8.30.
English, History, French and Science this morning. Luckily this week my cello lesson is during French so I don’t have to miss the fun in Science: last night’s homework was to make a poster on the firework code; today we are going to make our own mini fireworks and let them off in the playground (our teacher may be having us on...).
At 12.00 we walk over to College, and yes we do look quite suitably dressed for Halloween in our black gowns. Dr. H is waiting for us in the Song Room and we rehearse a bit of the Fauré Requiem for All Souls’ which is tonight, and look ahead to the weekend’s music, Morley, Byrd and a slice of Monteverdi. I really like the Monteverdi. The Fauré’s OK, and we do a bit more of it in chapel to fix the organ accompaniment. Starving, we go back for lunch and playtime. Then an afternoon of football on the field. There’s going to be a match on Saturday and I’m in the team. The other boys go home at 3.45. We have tea where you get to make your own toast with lots of chocolate spread and cakes made by Nan, the school cook. Our head teacher likes to make sure we get our prep done, and then we’re allowed out to play. We all play together even though we’re of different ages.
At 5.00 it’s time to be off again, and as it’s a wintry evening we put on our duffel coats and reflective sashes for the crocodile over to college. In chapel, we rehearse with the men. We know the Requiem well now, and Dr. H is pretty relaxed about everything, though you know if he looks in your direction for any length of time it’s because he’s spotted something he doesn’t like! They’re brewing up the incense, and when we process into chapel it’s full, and all the candles are lit. The service lasts an hour. I thought it was OK, and Dr. H said be was pleased and thanked Dominic for his solo. Five minutes later we’re standing outside the Song Room ready to walk back to School. It’s the really friendly porter tonight who escorts us over the road and round the corner. I still have In paradisum going through my head as mum drives me home.
Supper, a bit of cello practice, a tiny bit of tele (aren’t parents kind), and then a chat to mum as I brush my teeth and get ready for bed. She says I’ll change into a pumpkin after nine o’clock unless I’m asleep. I don’t really believe her.
