Norwegian notes

The Holst Singers went to Norway a couple of weeks ago, to perform John Tavener's The Veil of the Temple in Trondheim. It was a joy to join our conductor Stephen Layton as he conducted us (with a few Trinity Cambridgers), Det Norske Solistkor, the Nidaros Cathedral Choir and Cathedral Girls Choir, alongside Patricia Rozario (Soprano) and a host of amazing musicians, in the Scandinavian premiere. The piece started at about 22.30 and finished at about 6.00am. Music came from all different positions within the building, and the audience were submerged in a truly spiritual experience. I find it tiring to sing even short Tavener motets, so our 'slot' from 01.00 to the end was quite a demanding five hours, but we were journeying towards the light of a new day, and maybe the best journeys aren't always the easiest. Pictures can be seen by clicking the photo above and, if you want to know more about the piece, Stephen's website has a good page about it, so do read on!