Cambridge in America

Cambridge was indeed in America on Thursday evening as the choir of St. John's College, Cambridge University performed at St. Austin's Catholic Church under the conductorship (is there such a word?) of Andrew Nethsingha. Their music did much to restore the soul and everyone seemed to enjoy it hugely, but we in the Long Family - that is to say self plus daughters 1 and 2 enjoyed the 90 minute performance for reasons that were only tangental to the music.

We sat in the front row because the novelty of not having naughty child #3 with us meant that we could revel in front row ambience rather than cowering in the back row ready to beat a hasty retreat. Therefore we had a really good view of all of the singers' facial expressions, elbowing of eachother, yawns and unashamed staring of the ten year old treble boys at daughter #1!

I am not a music buff so will not pretend to speak with authority about the splendor of Bach's Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Bless you!) but I do know that the soaring notes of clear voices in harmony with eachother made me very nostalgic for England and not a little tearful. I absolutely loved it!

The program was very worthy with lots of pieces by composers I had vaguely heard of but I suspect everyone's favorite piece was when the tenors and basses sang "Surfing USA", Barber Shop style. The senior lads (probably second year undergraduates at a guess) were just witty and droll in their version of the song and when Mr. Nethsingha made the Hook 'em Horns gesture, the crowd went wild - well, as wild as such an august and undisputeably senior crowd such as it was could go wild!

My special thanks go to George, Basil and Tom, 3 of the choristers who took the time to meet and greet with my daughters after the perfomance, still splendidly attired in their Harry Potter-esque gowns and bow ties. They were very kind in a non-patronising way to my small ones and I think have struck a chord in a couple of small hearts to be on the look out in about 30 years' time or so (Ha!) for a nice young Englishman. A mother can dream right?

Good times! Perhaps I might even go as far as to give generously next time the alumni phone call comes around!