Day 7: All finished, ready to go home

This morning’s broadcast went very well and we had some excellent feedback from the congregation and listeners in the UK. We slightly perturbed halfway through when the security guards opened the doors to the general public, letting in what seemed like hordes of noisy visitors. Hilary, our vocal coach, rushed to the back of the Basilica and shushed them in her best Italian, developing her miming skills in the process.

The exhilarating broadcast was followed by pizza and ice cream in the main piazza in Assisi, courtesy of the BBC. Following last minute sight-seeing and sightseeing, we’re in the hotel foyer waiting for the bus to Rome and our flight home to Stansted.

We hope you have the opportunity to enjoy to listen to the broadcasts while they’re on iPlayer – links on the right.

Ciao for now

David

Day 6: In the Basilica

There are some experiences that may only happen once in a lifetime. This evening’s rehearsal for tomorrow’s Sunday Worship in the closed Upper Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi may have been one of them. We entered the empty building together in silence, being counted in by the security guard. The architecture of the building and the wonderful frescos were immediately striking.

The atmosphere was quite special as everyone realised the rarity of seeing such a special building with no tourists inside. As we rehearsed the service for tomorrow’s broadcast it became apparent how the music that had been chosen and the images of St Francis seemed to be as one – singing Laudans exultet gaudio, a motet with words in honour of St Francis, in his basilica where millions of people come on pilgrimage to pay homage to the saint was especially poignant and a real privilege. I can’t think of anywhere else in the world – apart from Jerusalem – where one person is identified with a city and its buildings to such a degree, and a person whose writings and way of life have had so much influence on so many people around the world.

As Italy is now an hour ahead of the UK, the broadcast isn’t as early as it would be if we were singing it at home, but we’re still having an early night in preparation.

This time tomorrow we’ll be mid-air on our way back to the UK.

David

Day 6: A lie-in

A later start this morning gave the opportunity for a welcome lie-in: we didn’t make breakfast at all, but enjoyed a pre-rehearsal pastry at the café opposite the Cappucini Church where we have been rehearsing, in view of the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco. The morning’s rehearsal required some gentle vocal warm-ups and brain games.  Hilary’s version of My Bonny Lies Over The Ocean requiring sitting/standing each time you sing a word beginning with a b was surprisingly well co-ordinated after sampling the delights of the bars around the central square in Assisi last night.

The afternoon was free for shopping and sight-seeing. This evening we get to sing in the Upper Basilica of San Francesco which should be a memorable experience. This is the venue for tomorrow’s live broadcast of Sunday Worship on Radio 4 (8.10am UK time) and has always stood out as a highlight of the trip. Our tour around the Basilica a couple of days ago reinforced the sense of occasion and we are aware of what a privilege it is to get to sing within those hallowed walls.

Day 5: a day of rest

Today was mostly decreed a day of rest for the singers of the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir and there was great joy across the land. We broadcast live from the church in Rivotorto, a very pleasant town on the plain, a church used to protect the original sanctuary of the first Franciscan community. The service was a real joy in its simplicity and all these services have been a really fantastic way to connect your faith in different ways, but once that was over, we were free to enjoy the rest of the day, until the evening at least, as we chose.

One of the highlights of Assisi, for me at least, has been the sheer spirituality of the town, with its huge churches, but also its many places of reflection. One of the available activities was a journey slightly outside the town to the small monastery of San Damiano, the church that Francis rebuilt, having had his vision, and in which the nuns of Claire were housed before they moved to the basilica in the town. There was a quiet tranquility to the place, which made it a perfect place for reflection and gave me a greater understanding of how Francis came to appreciate nature. The trip to San Damiano, even though it was only for an hour or so, has been one of the most amazing experiences of the whole tour so far. Its simplicity really struck me and gave a sense of peace to those of us who travelled there.

Having had this charming experience, we were forced by time constraints to return to Assisi itself to complete the days activities which included another excellent 3 course meal and some more rehearsing before singing a concert to some of the inhabitants of Assisi. One of the more delightful audience members were two Franciscan monks, present for the Franciscan convention, who seemed to really appreciate our efforts. Its been another great day on tour and to see our music affect people so first hand has been brilliant as the performances don’t give the musicians much feedback.

This week has been a real pleasure.

Tom

Day 4: Radio 3 is a different kettle of fish

Day Four of our choral pilgrimage saw us arise at a much more respectable hour of half past seven, although there was no hot water for the second sopranos so cold showers made for a harsh wake-up call.

Shortly after breakfast we trekked to San Ruffino, an intrepid expedition up many a steep hill and narrow staircase. We cautiously made our way across the glass floors, revealing the cathedral’s foundations and crypts (ever so slightly creepy), to where we would be rehearsing and singing for the rest of the day.

Following a long morning rehearsal, including 36 verses of plainsong with many stops and starts, we were taken down to the Basilica di San Francesco for a guided tour. Our tour-guide was a lovely monk from New York who gave us a detailed and fascinating account of St. Francis’ life through the ancient frescos, or as he so aptly put it the “poor man’s bible” covering the Basilica’s walls. The insight into St. Francis’ life was enlightening for many members of the choir who came to Assisi knowing little about the saint. Our monk informed us that he was “just a schmuck” who would never get to experience the religious intensity of St. Francis’ relationship with Christ.

Lunch, accompanied by brief showers (our first rain since arriving in Italy) preceded another short rehearsal in the afternoon. We began recording the music for Radio 3’s Choral Vespers at around 4pm, after the Bishop of Assisi paid us a visit to record the prayers for the service. The recording process was stressful but saw some of the best singing thus far.

One more service down, it was back to the hotel for a brief nap before dinner. Our plans for the rest of the evening involve yet more rehearsals (though David assures us that it will be short and we will only be looking at tomorrow’s hymns). Tomorrow promises to be a busy day, broadcasting for Radio 4 again, as well as preparing for a concert in Santa Maria Maggiore.

If this wasn’t enough we have yet another birthday in the choir. Bring on the cake!

Vicky & Astrid

Day 3: Room 31, 10.04 pm, Wednesday

The last rehearsal of the day has just drawn to a close and I have retired to my (shared – don’t think the taxpayer isn’t getting their money’s worth) hotel room to write this blog post for the edification and – I hope – entertainment of our readers. Other members of the choir have dispersed themselves fairly unequally among the local tradesmen’s premises, to continue their boisterousness in the public arena.
A pilgrimage, I suppose, involves travel. Whether the destination or the journey itself is the more important depends on the pilgrim, and even then philosophers would no doubt dispute happily. Our band of pilgrims has today travelled to two places outside of Assisi: firstly, the cathedral at San Sapolcro, for some BBC broadcast work, and then on to La Verna – S. Francis’ own retreat high in the hills, for some spiritual remuneration.
Broadcast work, with all the microphones and a sometimes studio-like atmosphere, can result in a lack of what some might term “liturgy”; they can seem less like services than sessions. Our second destination, La Verna, was different as our purpose was not to sing, but to join with the thousands of other pilgrims following in the steps of S. Francis.
“Man cannot live by bread alone”- it is worth remembering that this, like almost every other MYC trip, is not simply a “choir tour” (singing being our “bread”) but an opportunity to engage with the religious part of singing sacred music. We accept anew each time, some of us who might sing in other contexts, that we are singing not for our own personal pleasure, but for the Christian communities we encounter on each course and for each other. It is eminently suitable, then, that Stephen, Clair and Tony (our three presenters/producers) should hold a Eucharist on a promontory overlooking the monastic complex, for the members of the choir that wanted to take part. The short service, with readings and prayers taken from the “Pilgrim’s Manual” – published by the Iona community – lacked a building, a mass-setting and all the glitter and veneer of almost every other Mass I have been to, but was nonetheless a moving and religious moment.
Philip

Day 3

Bit of a shock to the system today: breakfast at 6.45am, followed by walk to the coach to leave Assisi at 7.30am. We first travelled to San Sepolchro through the spectacular Umbrian countryside. Here we recorded Thursday’s Daily Service – or tried to, as they kept the cathedral open allowing people to pop in at any time. During the recording of a hymn, one lady walked slowly up the aisle, realising something was going on and just as we got to a quiet bit, placed her Euro in the Offertore box, adding an authentic Italian atmosphere to our broadcast.

The girls sang Ireland’s Ex ore innocentium beautifully and passionately after a bit of encouragement from me and Stephen Shipley. Dan Moult coped wonderfully with the rather idiosyncratic organ.

After the recording we stopped at the town hall to look at the painting by della Francesca of the resurrection, and then we were back on the coach to travel to La Verna. On arrival we were pleased to be ushered into the restaurant to have anti pasti of pasta, then more pasta, then lots of MEAT with salad and CHIPS, washed down with a few glasses of wine for the over 18s and a unique performance of Happy Birthday to Lizzie Adams, Alistair Kisby and Sister Elizabeth.

Most of us then walked up to the hill top Sanctuary at La Verna, where St Francis received the stigmata. After looking at the fantastic view from the top we went to visit the chapel and got stuck in a monk-jam – about 30 Franciscan monks were followed by over 100 people in procession. I thought Judith had been swallowed up by the procession but she managed to escape through a side door and appeared miraculously at my side.

We all met in the coach park at 3.30pm and gathered around a table nearby in the woods where Stephen Shipley led the choir and BBC crew in a Eucharist using text from Francis of Assisi and others. The choir gave an impromptu introit (Bruckner’s Locus Iste) from memory. After the end of the moving al fresco service, we got back on the coach to travel back to Assisi just in time for dinner in the hotel – more pasta! David

Days 1 & 2

A good night’s sleep; much joy.
Bass rendition of “My Evaline” averted; also much joy (mainly from the Tenors)
Two broadcasts down; 4 still to go.
…and stands the clock at ten past six on evening two of the MYC’s tour to Italy.

Over the past 24 hours, we have all enjoyed soaking-up Assisi’s atmosphere, basking in the sunshine and sampling local cafes’ menus. We’ve also done a little singing.

Our flight from Stansted was relatively uneventful, with everyone having arrived at the airport on time, few embarrassing security-related incidents (save for Rob’s camera and my hand luggage being enthusiastically checked for any signs of wanton naughtiness) and only minor problems with the otherwise efficient (so we’re told) Italian baggage reclaim system.

The coach journey from Rome’s Ciampino airport to our hotel, Hotel San Giacomo, in Assisi was punctuated with a lunch stop at a motorway service station, where we were able to put our Italian food ordering revision to good use. The remainder of the journey was spent ensuring Daniel Moult’s jokes were suitable for strictly pre-watershed broadcast along with trying to enjoy the beautiful scenery without becoming unduly concerned at the million-foot precipice we were driving alongside. Three hours later, we arrived in glorious Assisi.

After checking in to the hotel, David’s course briefing dispensed and our first course meal-proper summarily demolished, we had our first rehearsal at the Cappuccini Church (predictably dubbed “Cappuccino”). It was much fun and was followed, in time honoured musician fashion, by the en-masse availment of local hostelry facilities.

Tuesday dawned all too quickly and, following a hearty breakfast of blood-orange juice, coffee, yoghurt, muesli, salami, et al, the day’s singing commenced.

For the sake, dear reader, of your sanity I shan’t describe every cause for hilarity, dodgy Alto line or location for lunch that was partaken in, but suffice to say that the day was splendiferous in many different ways; not least the weather.

As the day draws to a close, we face the prospect of a 6am wake-up for our trip to San Sepolcro (joy). Nevertheless, our “chicken lickin’” dinner (as dubbed by the aforementioned Mr Moult), Cappuccino Church rehearsal and further hostelry-based research will no doubt keep us occupied in the meantime.

Ciao Bella.

Alex xx (with help from selected friends)

It starts now!

David and I have just checked in to our hotel at Stansted. We’ve packed up the remaining packs of music ready to distribute, taken very excited children to their grandparents, double-checked we have our passports and David’s now doing some final marking up of music before we visit the bar for a quick night-cap. Assisi seems a long way away at the moment but in about 18 hours we’ll be in the centre of one of Italy’s most beautiful and interesting cities.

Judith, admin and Mrs O

An early start…

Packing finished at 3am; so many things to cram in…
Alarm going off at 7am; “snooze” button looking attractive…
Train to London at 8:40am; will it be on time?!

Such is the life of an MYC Tenor… Well, that’s me anyway!

I’m writing this on the 8:40 Virgin service from the glamorous Llandudno Junction to London Euston. The journey so far has delicately mixed predictable lateness, dire phone signal, a surprisingly good Bacon roll and as of Nuneaton – where, incidentally, we were delayed for 30 minutes due to the driver and “train manager” being stuck in a broken down Taxi on the M1 – the pièce de résistance: a gentleman whose laughter resembles that of a machine-gun, much to the mild amusement slash irritation of me and the two gentlemen opposite.

Joy.

Needless to say, the Bacon roll has been the journey’s highlight thus-far.

On happier thoughts, I am about to spend a week in arguably the most cultured country in Europe, with a group of wonderfully lovely friends, so things could be worse. With the Euro at parity, Italy slightly broken from last week’s tragic Earthquake, and the MYC crammed onto a plane twice in a seven day period (god help the other passengers), it’s shaping up to be an interesting week.

The music list for the MYC’s inaugural visit to Italy looks fabulous. David, together with the production team, have once again triumphed in devising a superbly apposite program… Although I share Jenni’s mild trepidation about what David’s “and finally I thought you might like to look at this” might be… as he hands out this course’s 83 million part, z-flat minor wunderwerk!

This is now my 12th or 13th course as a member of the MYC, yet my levels of excitement have been at a ridiculous state of red alert for well over a month now. (**Machinegun-Laugh-Man seems to have settled down somewhat now – hallelujah**).

Is it the members and staff team? Is it the wonderful music? Is it the time off from work/Uni/School? Is it the wonderful buildings we’re lucky enough to sing in? Is it the lovely welcome we always receive where ‘ere we go? Is it the sight of one of the Basses – it’s always the Basses – having a little too much to drink and pleading with the rest of the choir to join in a rendition of “My Evaline”? It’s a difficult one to call.

I think, in truth, it is all these things that make “The MYC Experience” what it is.
I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

See you all soon.

Alex xx