The last time I left Canada to travel was in June-July 2019, when I attended the Oxford University Choral Singing Summer School. Taking in the lovely architecture, I toured with my new colleagues and international friends. We enjoyed going out to pubs after rehearsals, and stayed up late singing and playing the piano in the college lounge.
One night in the middle of the program, a small handful of singers including myself spontaneously snuck into the cathedral rehearsal space, picked up a couple of anthem books (collections of sacred choral songs), and sight-read random pieces for a while. It’s a happy memory; I feel the greatest sense of community when I am making music with people who love it as much as I do.
Enjoy this recording of our whole ensemble, courtesy of Oxford University Department of Continuing Education.