Pure nostalgia: Singing in the St George's Choir

Memory highlights

• Singing a confident "loo" in music class and being signed up for the choir immediately as a result.
• Singing at St George's Cathedral on a Friday night (practice) and Sunday night (church service).
• Practicing at school each week in the music room.
• Barry Smith, our wonderful choir master, especially his passion and animated expressions when he conducted us.
• Barry getting so worked up one day that he shook the choir pews with a mighty crash. Very memorable but a once off. 
• Singing gorgeous Magnificats and Anthems.
• Putting on my robes and cassock before the cathedral service in the choir room.
• One Sunday, when still very young, we were singing a magnificat. We came to the descant where some sang high, soaring notes and others low.  I was so transfixed by the beauty of it that I was unable to sing. I just stood there, basking in the beauty of the music, tears streaming down my face. It was one of my first spiritual experiences.
• The two big annual services at The Cathedral: Palm Sunday and Xmas Eve.
• Getting lifted on Fri and Sun nights by Jocelyn or mum with the Rusconi boys.
• As a 9 year old, appearing on TV with the choir singing carols.
• Singing at the inauguration of the new archbishop in 1981. We practised for weeks, if not months.
• Singing in inter-school choir competitions and winning every year. We were really good.
• Singing solo in eisteddfods and especially getting a golden diploma singing a hymn composed by our school pastor.
• Watching Sleuth on TV with Barry and other choir members before a competition.
• Singing at weddings a few times.
• Leaving the choir when my voice broke. I was initially happy to get my Fridays and Sundays back but ended up missing it. I was very blessed to have had the experience.

Barry Smith, our choir master

Choir pews

Some my favourite musical pieces that we used to sing