Overview of the Residency at Washington National Cathedral

By Mick Perrier, Director of Music, at St Mary’s Parish Church

St Mary’s Choir’s first summer residence took place at St David’s Cathedral in 1982. They have happened pretty well every year since. We’d even visited the U.S.A. twice before together with St Mary’s Singers. However, in all that time nothing could quite have prepared us for the experience of being “Choir in Residence” at Washington National Cathedral in August 2006.

For one thing, the repertoire was the most challenging we had ever contemplated. In taking a British Parish Church choir to the foremost Cathedral of the Anglican Communion in the U.S.A. we wanted to showcase the best we could do as only that would be a fitting offering under the circumstances. To include double choir pieces, including Parry’s I Was Glad with its top B flats for the Trebles, Kelly’s ground-breaking Canticles in C (with their, at the time of composition, shocking Latin-American rhythms), three anthems at Sunday Eucharist and extensive psalms daily required months of preparation.

Silhouette

For another thing the size of the National Cathedral was truly awesome. The choir stalls seemed a mile apart, the acoustics in the Chancel were reputedly difficult to handle, Sunday Eucharist demanded that we were raised on platforms in full view of the congregation and that Sunday, designated Alaska Day, was to have visiting dignitaries from that state present at the service. All this conspired to make our task a daunting proposition.

In the end, though, the whole team rose splendidly to the challenge and didn’t miss a beat all week. I couldn’t have asked for better application and performance from any member of the group, from Ian Biggs’ precision on the cathedral’s vast organ to the youngest Treble’s dogged determination to give of their best at all times. A truly tremendous achievement from the whole team.

Three incidents, for me, stand out as humbling occurrences which testify to the real success of our visit:

The Verger’s comments to a parent mid-week that, in over 30 years of dealing with visiting groups at the Cathedral, our group was the nicest bunch of people he’d ever dealt with and our music was among the best.
The Precentor, who had been on holiday in the UK for most of our stay, when returning on the last Saturday, commented how she had been besieged by people from the Cathedral telling her what a treat she’d missed by not meeting and hearing us during the week.
The Dean, who, presiding at Sunday Eucharist on Alaska Day, took time in the service to tell the congregation what a privilege it had been for him to have had St Mary’s Choir singing in the Cathedral that week.

We appear to have succeeded in our goals of being good ambassadors for St Mary’s, the Church of England and the City of Birmingham in the capital of the U.S.A.

There are many people to thank for ensuring the success of this trip. I am glad to see them acknowledged later in this publication. Without their help and tireless work over the past twelve months of planning and preparation the concept would not have become a reality.

Finally, it was a joy to see so many people develop during this week: some, previously meek, who assumed a new confidence and determination; others who blossomed into real personalities; colleagues who developed into firm friends; others still who came, unsure of their musical credentials and can now hold their heads high with the best of them. It was a real life-enhancing experience for all.

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