Wayns Augmented 2025 Easter blog

A Victoriously Successful Verdi!

We have already dispersed for the Easter break, but we have surely done so with the strains of a victoriously successful Verdi still ringing in our ears and thundering in our souls. What an awesome experience it was- to sing and hear our choir enriched by the voices of our friends in the BSC, and to see and hear the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra bring Verdi’s music to life before our very eyes and ears.

And what a joy to hear our amazing soloists, the final dimension missing from all our already enthralling rehearsal performances. Those in the audience spoke not just of their soaring voices but of the drama and storytelling that they brought to their performances.

The cathedral was positively brimming- crammed, even- with people keen to hear Verdi’s Requiem performed within the Cathedral walls. At one point it looked as if the concert could not begin on time as the queue to enter the cathedral stretched right back through the Cathedral green towards The Square!

Photo credit: Kate Baker

And one cannot reflect on such a magnificent evening without mentioning Andy, who conducted us all with seemingly effortless mastery. Through our preparation as well as our performance he has been our trustworthy navigator through Verdi’s realms of fear, wrath, pleading, and praise, leading and directing us to sing at our best and to perform at our highest level. (Our grateful thanks as always too to George and Andy H!) 

There could be said to be something a little incongruous about performing a piece about death and the final days in this the season of awakening and new life. And yet our performance of this Requiem Mass was so life-affirming and so rejuvenating, full of such riotous colour and soul-stirring sound, that it could more convincingly be said that there is no better time to perform the Verdi Requiem than in the glorious spring!

Photo credit: Kate Baker

Sheila Redstone’s Grande Finale

Our performance of the Verdi was the final concert for our long-time member and former choir secretary, S2 Sheila Redtstone, who is “retiring” from the Waynflete Singers after more than 30 years. Sheila described the concert as a “super swansong!”

We asked Sheila if before she went she could tell us about some of her favourite memories from her time in the Wayns and whether as a seasoned choral veteran she has any parting advice for us all! You can read our lovely interview with Sheila in the following blog.

Fiona Smith- the namer of “The Waynflete Singers”

Sitting in the pews and watching our afternoon rehearsal of the Verdi was Fiona Smith. As someone whose connections to the Winchester music and choral scene are both deep and numerous, Fiona had many links to both the performance and the performers at hand that afternoon. These links included the fact that when our bass soloist Ashley Riches was a scholar at Winchester College, Fiona’s husband Julian Smith was Ashley’s singing teacher for four years, with another link being that she has known one Andrew Lumsden since he was a boy at Winchester College- so prodigiously talented that while still a pupil, he was appointed Assistant Organist for the Chapel Choir, of which Julian Smith was the Choirmaster.  

Perhaps her strongest link with us a choir, though, is that it is her we have her to thank for the very name of our choir, “The Waynflete Singers.”

Fiona has been kind enough to tell us all about this and about her memories of the choir, its conductors and its development into the choir that we are today. You can read this absolute gem of an interview in the following blog - a real Easter treat for us all!

Fiona at our afternoon rehearsal with bass soloist Ashley Riches and our own Andy Lumsden

Happy Easter!

The idea behind our Wayns Augmented blog is to help keep us connected as a choir, to share our knowledge and experiences and to boost our musical camaraderie! If you have an idea for a future blogpost then please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Jones or Jacki Donnellan!

An interview with Sheila Redstone as she ‘retires’ from the Wayns

Our former choir secretary and long-time second soprano Sheila Redstone is “retiring” from the Waynflete Singers after the Verdi Requiem, after more than 30 years of singing with us. 

We asked our retiring Sheila if before she went, she could tell us about some of her favourite memories from her time in the Wayns and whether as a seasoned choral veteran she has any parting advice for us all. This is what she told us…

How did you come to join the Wayns?

I got married and arrived in the South in 1994. My last choir in the North was the Manchester Cantata Choir and the conductor there suggested I contact David Hill (then conductor of The Waynflete Singers) after arriving in Winchester. David invited me to sit in on a rehearsal and afterwards the only thing he asked me to do was sing an alto part to a four part hymn tune! (Unfortunately the whole choir’s re-auditions were the following year so I didn’t get away with such an easy ride then!)

Coming to a new area of the country and not knowing people was difficult at first but the then secretary of the Wayns seated me amongst an extremely friendly crowd of 2nd Sops, some of whom are still singing with us today. Thank you to them and many others in the choir for their friendship over the last 30 years.

Sheila Redstone

Can you give us some highlights from the many concert performances by the Waynflete Singers that you’ve been involved in?

The most moving performances I sang in were both the Bach Passions, (St. Matthew and St John), principally because of our Evangelist the now late William Kendall. He sang for us many times and we were so privileged to hear “one of the best Evangelists in the country”.

The Rachmaninov Vespers was probably the most challenging performance because of the language as well as the music, and the most exciting performance was certainly when we joined the Bach Choir to sing for the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. We were on a huge temporary stand, directly opposite the gates of Buckingham Palace, and sang Zadok the Priest conducted by Sir David Willcocks as the Queen came out in the gold Coronation coach. That really was a ‘shivers down the spine’ moment. 

We also sang at the World War 2 commemoration event on Horse Guards Parade in July 2005 - only 2 days following a huge bombing in London. We were all a bit on edge!!

And if you had to pick a favourite?

I have two overall favourite performances- Bach B Minor Mass and of course, the Verdi Req. Definitely my numbers 1 & 2 for the Desert Island!

Were there any performances that you didn’t enjoy?!

We were asked to sing in a Proms concert with the Bach Choir in August 2001. This was definitely the most “unmoving” performance I was involved in! The music was the world premiere of John Tavener’s Song of the Cosmos. It really had to be heard to be believed! The piece contained only 4 Greek words: Agios; Kyrie Eleison; Sofia. The choir was accompanied by some strings along with various sizes of Tibetan temple bowls, bandir drum and tantam. The following day, the Daily Telegraph critic ended his piece with “The choirs occasionally ruptured the stillness with vast Victorian-style cadences. The only real challenge was in staying awake.”

What is your happiest memory from your time with the Wayns?

Just after I joined the choir, we were given the opportunity to record Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with Bryn Terfel and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Andrew Litton. A couple of years later, I was able to meet Lady Suzanna Walton and told her that I had sung on that recording. “How wonderful” was her reply. “It was perfect. No-one else needs to record that work ever again”. You can imagine my smile!

Can you tell us about your 8 years serving as choir secretary?

My 8 years pale into insignificance now- Kate still does an amazing job after so many years. However it was quite different when I was a secretary- I had to work with the land line telephone (no mobiles) and a fax machine (no emails)! Some of the most challenging times were communicating with choir members, especially when we joined with the Bach Choir (as David Hill was also their conductor at the time) for national events in London. The main problem was the need to coordinate precisely with them about things like security passes - one per person and no replacement if it was mislaid! Of course on one occasion someone mistakenly threw theirs away and this presented a huge problem - solved of course at the eleventh hour!

As I’m not the most technologically minded person, I was quite proud of the fact that I managed to build the communication bridge between fax machine and computer. After 8 years though, I decided new eyes and thoughts were needed. Our ‘new conductor’ (Andy Lumsden) had settled in with us and so it seemed a good time to stand down.

What would you say to any of our current members who are thinking of becoming more involved in the running of the choir, as you did?

Do it!! It can be hard work but very rewarding, being a member of a team working towards the same goal.

What has led to your decision now to retire from the choir?

I have sung with 4 choral societies as well as doing solo and stage work. My decision has been accelerated by the slow deterioration of my voice (due to my great age!) giving rise to great frustration as I have enjoyed singing almost since I can remember. However, I am still able to sing, for the 7th time, the glorious Verdi Requiem and so, in the words of the late great Colonel Michael Hickey, I’m leaving “whilst there are still bubbles in the glass”. I shan’t miss driving 10 miles in the dark every Thursday evening but I shall miss getting together with friends and enjoying being challenged with tricky pieces. Thank you to Andy -and David - for sharing your musical expertise and making (most of!) the rehearsals enjoyable.

Lastly, do you have a farewell message for the choir?

Don’t overlook the absolute privilege it is to sing with this choir. Work hard in between rehearsals as well as at them and always remember, especially in concerts, singing is meant to be ENJOYED!

The Genesis of the Wayns - an interview with Fiona Smith

An Interview with Fiona Smith

As a choir most of us know a little of our origin story, which was summarised in our Verdi Requiem concert programme- a choir suggested by Deputy Cathedral Organist Clement McWilliam to perform some of the great choral works at Winchester Cathedral, for which the name “Waynflete Singers” was chosen.

Here we are lucky enough to hear a little more about these events from the very people involved in them!

We begin with a beautiful reflection written recently by Baroness Thomas of Winchester….

“It is very good to look back at the genesis of any endeavour which becomes firmly established and successful in the years to come.  I do a lot of looking back, now I am so static.

A good example of this is Winchester's Waynflete Singers. I well remember a brain-storming session, 55 years ago, when Clement McWilliam, the Deputy Cathedral Organist, suggested forming a Choir to sing some of the great choral works in Winchester Cathedral, such as Bach's St. John Passion. Those present included Fiona and Julian [Smith], Mard [Margaret] Sellwood (nee King) and me. We envisaged rehearsals being in the Pilgrims’ Hall, attached to the school.

What would such a choir be called, we wondered?. It was Fiona who came up with the name Waynflete, a Bishop of Winchester in the mid-fourteenth century whose chantry is in the Cathedral's wonderful retrochoir.  I'm sure he would be proud of the Choir's well-deserved reputation today.”

We have also been lucky enough to speak to Fiona Smith herself about these events, and her memories of the choir and music in Winchester since then! Here is what she told us…

Fiona, welcome to Wayns Augmented and thank you so much for joining us! Can you begin by telling us a little about yourself and your musical connections to Winchester and to the Cathedral?

Celia Thomas, Margaret King and I had all been pupils at St. Swithun’s School up on Magdalen (or Morn) Hill, just outside Winchester. The inspiring conductor of our school choir was Gillian Skottowe, who was later appointed Assistant Organist of Winchester Cathedral in 1963 by Alwyn Surplice; the Cathedral was a familiar place to us and the name “Waynflete” as Bishop of Winchester was well known to me. My grandmother, a keen historian, used to show people around the Cathedral Library.

In the period of more than 50 years since the Waynflete Singers came into being, I have been fortunate enough to be part of Winchester College and its musical life, being coach of the cello section of the orchestra for many years,  playing alongside such future stars as Adrian Brendel, Alastair Blayden (now sub-principal cello of the LSO, and Professor at the Royal College of Music) and James Birchall (now No. 3 cello in the Philharmonia). I continue to teach at the Pilgrims’ School where the Cathedral Choristers and the College Quiristers are educated. It has been a delight and privilege for me to have taught many of them - either cello or piano, and many remain friends. 

I married my husband Julian Smith, a professional baritone singer, in 1963. He taught at Winchester College for a long time. Many of his pupils won Choral Scholarships to Cambridge and Oxford, and went on to professional careers. They include tenor James Gilchrist (renowned Evangelist in Bach’s St Matthew and St John Passions), counter-tenor David Hurley (top line of the King’s Singers), baritone Ashley Riches (soloist in the Verdi Requiem on April 4th) and tenor Benjamin Hulett (soloist in the forthcoming Messiah).

Can you tell us what you remember about the “brainstorming session” at which the idea for the choir was first proposed, and at which you suggested the name “Waynflete”?

The new choir was proposed by Clement McWilliam [Assistant Cathedral Organist] . The much-loved Cathedral Organist Alwyn Surplice, a great friend of ours, was away on an ABRSM examining trip in the Far East, during the Choir holidays. I certainly hadn’t thought about the name beforehand - we were simply having a small supper party with musical friends, and the conversation veered towards singing. Clement said he’d been thinking of forming a small choir - what should it be called?

I’d always loved the name ‘Waynflete’ - it flows so beautifully. I knew that he had been Headmaster of the College, and later Bishop of Winchester. I also knew a beautiful building Waynflete House halfway down St Swithun’s Street. 

Fiona Smith, by Bishop Waynflete’s Chantry Chapel in the Cathedral retroquire

Do you remember how your suggestion of “Waynflete” as a name was received?

I think everyone said “Ooh - yes!”

Was any other name than “Waynflete Singers” ( as opposed to, for example, The Waynflete Choir) suggested?

Nothing except “Singers” was suggested. 

Do you have any memories of  some of the choir’s early concerts? 

Clement’s initial idea was for a smallish chamber choir. Margaret King remembers that some early performances she sang in included the St John Passion on the Wednesday in Holy Week in 1969. It was conducted by Alwyn Surplice, with a small chamber orchestra and Clement McWilliam on the organ - Cathedral Lay Clerks were among the soloists. She also remembers a recital in which Britten’s Te Deum was sung: Margaret herself was the soprano soloist. 

Can you tell us what you remember about the conductors that followed Alwyn Surplice?

First came Martin Neary. I think it was he who expanded the size, range and repertoire of the Waynflete Singers. 

In another context he asked my husband Julian’s Win Coll Quiristers to join the Cathedral Choristers for the European premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem in Westminster Abbey, conducted by Lorin Maazel; this was followed  by another performance in snow-covered Vienna, where it was bitterly cold, but beautiful and very exciting. 

Martin and his wife Penny were friends of ours; we used to share a school run up to St Swithun’s and back for our daughters. Their daughter Alice was one of my cello pupils - a very gifted natural musician from a young age. She is now principal cello of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. 

Then came David Hill - a fine musician, and a good friend of ours. One Waynflete Singers concert that I do remember particularly was the Verdi Requiem conducted by him- the Dies Irae was explosive, and the bass drum was thunderous! David kindly invited me for a chat on Zoom recently. He was very pleased to hear my memory of the Dies Irae! Of course he has conducted so many concerts in his career, that it is not easy for him to remember details. David and my husband Julian were good friends, and collaborated for several recordings with the College Quiristers joining forces with the Cathedral Choristers. 

Then came Andrew Lumsden! We have known Andy ever since he was a boy at Winchester College. He was always a prodigiously talented organist, being Julian’s Assistant Organist for a couple of years in the College Chapel while he was still a pupil. He used to come back to our house in the College with  friends from the Chapel Choir every Sunday after Matins,  and eat chocolate biscuits and play swingball in the garden with much laughter. 

He then won the Organ Scholarship to St John’s, Cambridge, and the rest is history. 

Finally, you attended our pre-concert rehearsal of the Verdi Requiem, watching not only us but your husband’s former pupils Ashley Riches and Andy Lumsden in action! What was your verdict?!

It was fantastic! I loved it….

A very young Andy Lumsden (second right) singing in Fiona and Julian’s Meadow House garden at Winchester College.The group were called “Cantores Episcopi”, run by Tony Ayres who lived in the other half of Meadow House

Pictured below, Fiona’s husband Julian Smith, former master at Winchester College and teacher of both our Verdi Requiem bass soloist Ashley Riches and our own Andy Lumsden

A Conjuring of Two Choirs

This half term’s rehearsals have been extremely special. With a magical wave of Andy’s baton- and a little help from Giuseppe Verdi- we have been transformed from one fantastic choir into two! There has been a total change to our usual seating arrangements, with our voice parts spread from one side of the rehearsal hall to the other like a delighted smile. We are the same and yet we are different, our singing at times seeming indeed to be that of twice our number.

 It’s incredible and very exciting to think that the fabulous music that we’re already producing in rehearsals, with our two choirs and George/Andy H’s phenomenal piano accompaniment, is just a small taste of what we’re going to experience come the concert itself. It’s going to be amazing!

New Members

We have also actually increased in number this half term as we have had the pleasure of welcoming four new members: 

Jessica Bartlett, S2

“I’ll be joining the choir from April and am really looking forward to singing with you all! We've only just moved to Winchester and are still very much finding our feet. I’m a doctor in paediatrics and have a toddler at home, so music is my escapism from a rather hectic life!  I've been singing in choirs for years, though mostly with chamber/chapel choirs - so I'm excited for the new challenge of singing with a much bigger group!”

Diana Briggs, S1

“Music has always been a major part of my life. Over the years I've belonged to a variety of choirs both large and small, and also play the cello. It's an absolute pleasure to join the Wayns and I look forward to being part of another good choir.”

Claire Jones, A1

“I moved to Winchester in 2006 to work for LCP, a consultancy firm with offices in London and Winchester. I work with large institutional investors – mainly UK pension schemes – helping them invest more sustainably and manage the risks to their investments from climate change.

 I’ve sung with various choirs since I was a child, including the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir when it was a semi-finalist in the BBC Choir of the Year competition in 1994. For the last ten years, I’ve sung with Winchester A Cappella (formerly Tudor Roses), a four-part ladies chorus which sings a wide range of popular music, always unaccompanied. I’m looking forward to getting back to singing large-scale classical choral works with the Wayns.

Stephen O’Connell, B1

 “I worked with IBM, initially as a Systems Engineer in London. After moving to Chandler’s Ford in 1980, I was involved with software development (and robots!) at IBM Hursley Park.  I then lectured at the University of Southampton and led professional IT training courses.  For many years, I was Chair of Governors at Thornden School.  In 2012, I trained as a Guide at Winchester Cathedral. 

My family are all musical, my wife taught the piano, my elder daughter plays all sizes of flute, and my younger daughter is a professional French Horn player.  I have sung in many choirs over the years, including the Royal Choral Society in London, but after lapsing for a while, I am delighted to be able to return to choral singing again.  Thank you to everyone for the very warm welcome I have received to the Waynflete Singers.”

 It’s good to know that our new members feel welcome and we wish them a all a great onward journey with us!

 Let’s all enjoy a healthy half term break and return refreshed and ready to divide and conquer the Verdi again!

 The idea behind our Wayns Augmented blog is to help keep us connected as a choir, to share our knowledge and experiences and to boost our musical camaraderie! If you have an idea for a future blogpost then please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Jones or Jacki Donnellan!

Christmas 2024…it was a dark and stormy night…

It was as if, for one day at least, Christmas was cancelled. There were no crowds of Christmas Market shoppers to fight through on our way to the Cathedral for our afternoon rehearsal. Instead we fought against the cold rain and strong winds of Storm Darragh as they whipped through the streets of Winchester and well beyond. And while we rehearsed through the afternoon in the sanctuary of the Cathedral the storm tore down trees, littered the ground with debris and caused chaos on road and rail.

At the end of the afternoon a number of us returning home suffered the misfortune of their bus crashing into a tree that the storm had chosen to fling across its path. At least one of us returned to a home without power; forced to don their black concert attire by candlelight. Others were constantly checking their phones for updates from friends and relatives who were travelling, in spite of the storm, to hear us perform.

However it would, of course, take more than a storm to de-rail the wonderful evening that we had been preparing for all term. The ferocious winds of Storm Darragh were simply no match for the glory of the Beethoven nor “the balm of Bach” (as beautifully described by A1 Lynda Beckwith, one of those who heroically made it back for the evening despite the bus crash). And we sang our classic Christmas carols along with a packed Cathedral nave - among which was our lovely tenor soloist Benjamin Hulett, who slipped in among the audience so that he could sing along too!

And how could the weather do anything to dampen the joy of singing our own Andy Lumsden’s magical arrangement of Silent Night, or our own Tim Cain’s prize-winning carol? It was a special moment indeed when as the audience enthusiastically applauded Let Us Now Go To Bethlehem, Tim stood surrounded by a happy host of proudly pointing fingers!

There were even chuckles to be had as Andy’s baton was lost and then found- waiting for him on the podium, to Andy’s obvious- comic -relief! (Side note that before the concert began, Andy had been trying in vain to find a Wayns gold kerchief for his jacket- but with a baton in his hand we all know he conjures up a gold accent and sparkle all his own!)

 As the storm now subsides we can stand down and relax, safe in the knowledge that against all the meteorological odds the Waynflete Singers succeeded once more in bringing a truly beautiful Classical Christmas to the city of Winchester.  

Merry Christmas!

See you in 2025!

Dusk in the Cathedral

Photo: Sarah McWhirter

Wayns Augmented - October 2024

Wayns Augmented - 2024

Welcome to the Wayns Augmented October ’24 blogpost!

We have had a great beginning to the new choral year. Firstly, we are delighted that the happy occasion of the wedding of Andy Lumsden and his bride Leona Mani took place last weekend- many congratulations to you both from us all! Those of us who decided to turn up on the day to witness the ceremony were treated to a feast of glorious music, the choir conducted by David Hill, and a beaming couple who clearly couldn’t be happier.

We are also celebrating a fantastic “autumn harvest” in the form of our eight new members- welcome to you all!!

Our new members have been kind enough to tell us a little about themselves:

Grahame Edmonds  B2

My wife and I moved from Warwickshire in March this year and have settled at a new home in Overton. Before retirement my career was with IBM UK as a systems engineer. I have sung choral music for the last 35 years, latterly in the chamber choir of The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick. My first association with Winchester Cathedral dates from 1992 when my son, who now sings regularly with the Cathedral Choir, first sang as a visiting chorister. Taking his advice of the best group with which to sing was The Waynfletes, happily, I survived Andrew’s audition and joined at the beginning of October. I am looking forward to an eclectic programme of concerts and singing again in a large choral group.

Rose Evans, A2

I moved to Sutton Scotney several years ago from Reading where I sang with the Reading Phoenix Choir and for the last few years I have been singing with Southern Voices.  I am very pleased to be joining a high performing, large choir like the Waynflete Singers and am looking forward to my first concert!

Paul Sherrington B1

I'm absolutely delighted to have been accepted as a member of the Waynflete Singers and am really looking forward being part of this choir. I'm from Basingstoke where I've run my own accountancy practice for 18 years.  Like many others I sang at school but joined Basingstoke Choral Society in 2011 after a 28 year break from proper singing and as I always say am now making up for lost time.

I also sing with Overton Choral Society as part of the Hampshire Choral Festival in May every year - next year it's the Verdi Requiem in The Anvil in Basingstoke so that will be two Verdi Requiems in successive months and three Verdi Requiems in 18 months for me-in November 2023 I sang it with BCS in The Anvil without the score!

Georgia Wyatt S1

I have recently moved to Winchester and joining the Wayns has provided me with a very welcome opportunity to distract myself and decompress from my final year of studying for a doctorate in Clinical Psychology!

Its been great to feel a part of something again, as my Romsey Abbey chorister days are long behind me (15 years a go!) I am looking forward to getting to know you all.

Guy Milton T1

My wife and I recently returned to the UK on retirement after 30 years living and working in Brussels. We now live close to the centre of Winchester and are enjoying exploring the city and the surrounding countryside. I sang at both school and university, but then found that my career and family responsibilities left me with very little spare time. About 12 years ago I took up singing again when I was asked to join the choir of Holy Trinity church in Brussels, which involved contributing to regular services and singing at special events.

Kayla Ellington, A2

I am currently a final-year Primary Education student at the University of Winchester. I am a student leader for one of the two choirs I am part of there, called Show Choir.  Show Choir recently performed at the Theatre Royal, which re-ignited my love for concert performance. My background is a real mix of styles - I have had a great love for music for a long time, both as a violist and a singer, having been part of several choirs at St Catherine's School, Bramley. Singing and conducting have been such an important part of my university life, and I am very much delighted to have an opportunity to be more embedded in the Winchester community as a part of The Waynflete Singers!

 S1 Vicki Platt, S1

We - my husband and our two children (age 4 and 7) - moved to Chandler's Ford last year from South West London, seeking a bit more green and a little less grey! I still work in London and commute in a couple of times a week. I specialise in developing and running business operations and currently work for a corporate research and business intelligence consultancy, leading their business services team.

As I'm sure many of us did, I started out singing in my local church choir as a child. Following a detour into musical theatre at school, university and shortly afterwards, which included a stint at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, I returned to choral music when I joined Thames Philharmonic Choir. With TPC, I sang at Southwark Cathedral and Cadogan Hall. Most recently I sang with our local church choir (much easier when the children were very small!). I am delighted to be back with a large choir and one the calibre of the Wayns, and I'm looking forward to my first chance to sing in the Cathedral.

We extend a very warm Wayns welcome to all these singers, and also to new S2 Alison Maxwell!

 We have also been tapping into our own riches this term as rehearsals have begun of the carol written by one of our very own second tenors, composer Tim Cain. Tim has added a sprinkling of autumn gold to our blog in the form a fabulous interview which you can read in the next blog post!

Let’s hope we all enjoy a well deserved autumn break filled with fire-coloured leaves and warm pumpkin spice, ready to continue our musical journey to Bethlehem next half-term!

 The idea behind our Wayns Augmented blog is to help keep us connected as a choir, to share our knowledge and experiences and to boost our musical camaraderie! If you have an idea for a future blogpost then please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Jones or Jacki Donnellan!

An interview with Tim Cain

 Our very own second tenor Tim Cain is the composer of the carol Let Us Now Go to Bethlehem which won the Bach Choir Sir David Wilcocks Carol Competition in 2022 and which we are looking forward to performing in our Christmas concert this year. As well as having enjoyed a career as a music teacher, Let Us Now Go To Bethlehem is one many of works written by Tim in his long, successful and varied career as a composer.

 We’re delighted that Tim has found the time to tell us more about himself, his life as a composer and of course, his wonderful prizewinning carol!

How did you come to join the Waynflete Singers, Tim?

 My wife Ann (A1) used to sing with the Waynflete Singers back in the mid 1990’s, when we lived in Romsey. Then we moved to Cheshire for my job, returning to Hampshire – this time to Alton – in 2017. One of the first things Ann did after we moved was re-join Wayns and this time, I came with her.  She said it was like walking into a room full of old friends, none of whom had changed at all!

Do you sing with any other choirs?

Ann and I both sing with the Guildford Cathedral Singers, and occasionally sing with other groups whenever possible. When we lived in Cheshire, we sometimes sang for Radio 4’s Daily Service. This meant leaving home at 7.30am, arriving in Didsbury at 8.15 for a rehearsal, then taking part in the live broadcast at 9.50. Musically it was unremarkable – usually two hymns and an anthem – but we were a small group, it was broadcast live (with microphones only a couple of feet from our faces), and we were all very much on our mettle so it was actually very exciting.

Tell us about the first piece of music that you ever composed.

The first piece with a title was a movement for a string quartet called Little Orange Peel. In a sense, my little sister commissioned it. It happened like this. We were sitting around at home; I’d switched on the radio which was playing a late romantic orchestral piece and immediately my brother said, “I know this – what’s it called?” And before I could answer, he said, “No – don’t tell me – let me remember.” My little sister, who must have been about seven years old, said, “Tell me, quietly so he doesn’t hear” and I whispered the title into her ear. And when our brother gave up, not able to remember the title, she shouted out, “Little Orange Peel!” And I told her that there really ought to be a piece of music called Little Orange Peel and I might write one for her one day, but the one on the radio was actually called Till Eulenspiegel. (My string quartet bore absolutely no resemblance to Strauss’ tone poem and the only time it was performed, it was far too slow, which taught me all I know about metronome markings.)

What sparked your career as a composer to develop alongside your teaching career?

I trained to teach music and drama but I wasn’t that good at acting so, when there was a play to perform, I tended to write music for it. When I was at college, I wrote some songs and incidental music for our final year performance and, on the back of that, was invited to join a group that was going to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. There were about twenty of us; we met on a Monday afternoon in early August, without any idea of what our performance was going to look like and, five days later, travelled up to Edinburgh with 90 minutes’ worth of singing and acting, developed through improvisation. The show followed three children through their schooling – a Public School girl, a grammar school boy and girl at a Secondary Modern, all of whom encountered typical challenges of coping with peer pressure, alienation, bullying, and sexual awakening, before leaving their schools to go to Oxbridge, technical college and a factory job. The content was heavily influenced by ITV’s Seven Up documentary series (where the participants had recently reached the age of 21), and the style of presentation by Joan Littlewood’s theatre workshops, especially Oh What a Lovely War! The music’s influences hovered between Kurt Weill and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

You have composed music for both children and adults. Is there a difference?

I don’t think there’s a huge difference between writing for children and adults; I think it’s a matter of writing for the capabilities of the performers. When I was teaching, I learned that it is very time-consuming to write for the capability of each performer but ultimately worthwhile because it leads to a better performance.

Which do you write first, words or music?

I tend to find somebody else’s words, and write for them. I absolutely love what I think of as high-quality writing, and enjoy the challenge of setting difficult words, but I usually have to relate to them in some way. At one point the MD of a local choral society commissioned me to write a Requiem but, after a couple of attempts, I had to ring him up and tell him I couldn’t do it; it was making me depressed. He said, ‘Well, what do you want to write?’ and we settled on a setting of Roald Dahl’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This is a long poem and every single line goes de-dum- de-dum- de-dum- de-dum. My achievement, and I’m still proud of this, was to turn this into a secular cantata of seven or eight movements, each with very different rhythms.

Can you tell us a little about the journey from commission to composition?

It usually takes me quite a long time. Because I believe that words really matter to vocal music, I spend a lot of time working with the text and trying to find musical ideas that might express their meaning – not only their literal meaning but their atmosphere, emotional shape and how a sensitive actor might declaim them. Usually, melodic fragments and sounds come to mind and I try to capture them and work with them until I get the broad shape of the whole piece. At this point there’s often a difficult phase when I think everything I’ve got is rubbish but, if I can come out of this phase, there’s often a polishing phase when I iron out the musical grammar and the bits that might be particularly difficult to sing. The piece is finished when the tinkering stops making a discernible difference.

One exception to this time-consuming process was when my sister Jo was getting married. We visited her on the weekend before the wedding and she had a framed poem that I really related to. I asked her if she’d like me to set it to music for the wedding. She said she’d be delighted, and gave me the phone number of the man who was to conduct the church choir on the day. I rang him and pretended I had already written this piece of music and just wanted to check a few things with him. He grumbled a bit – unsurprisingly, he protested that it was the first he had heard of it (I think I said, ‘Well, you know what Jo’s like …’) but he eventually agreed to look at it. I distinctly remember putting the phone down, running upstairs and writing the first few bars. Six days later they performed it with a young Andrew Tortise singing the tenor solo, and I think Irish Blessings is still my most performed piece.

What’s the reason that you have chosen not to sell your compositions but instead to make them available in return for a contribution to the “Help Musicians” charity?

It’s always nice to get money but I don’t really need more so I prefer people to give to indigent musicians. I also think people who buy music are more likely to give to musicians than, say, overseas aid.

How does it feel now, each time you hear one of your pieces being performed?

Usually I love it, but not always. I wrote a piece for the Charles Wood festival last year, based, in accordance with the brief, on Wood’s Hail, Gladdening Light. As you probably know, this eight part anthem is very homophonic - big blocks of sound, moving antiphonally between the two choirs. I used some phrases from this and put a somewhat sentimental melody over the top. I was pleased to find it had been shortlisted and would be performed at the festival but then I made the mistake of looking at it and thinking, ‘actually, it’s not very good’. We went to Armagh and the performance was fine but by that time I had decided it wasn’t up to much, so all I heard was the brilliance of the other shortlisted pieces.

What’s your favourite performance of one of your works so far (until we perform your carol this Christmas, of course?!)

Hearing the music I wrote for our two children’s weddings was probably the best thing. They were both songs – our son Matt’s was sung by our daughter Becky, accompanied by a professional string quartet, while Becky’s was written for soprano, viola, cello and piano. Both days were beautiful and the music was so sensitively performed.

I also liked the film, made by the Tapiola Choir, of my setting of Greta Thunberg’s speech to the United Nations. This piece was another competition winner and when Pasi Hyökki, the Tapiola’s conductor, said ‘By the way, we’re making a film of it’ I thought this would be for internal use; I didn’t imagine that it would eventually be watched by nearly 70,000 people! [You can watch the video by clicking here]

Has anyone ever performed one of your pieces in a way in which you really didn’t expect?

Yes. When I was teaching at Kingston University, I got the chance to compose a piece called Rock, Paper, Scissors for a combination of Western symphonic instruments and Chinese Traditional instruments. I split the ensemble into three sections and, among the Chinese instruments in the Scissors section, I included a Suona, which is a double-reed instrument, a little bit like a shawm. I’d only heard a couple of recordings of this, but thought it might blend nicely with a flute, clarinet and di-zi. What I didn’t know was that the Suona doesn’t really blend. Not with anything. It is deafeningly loud – so much so that when we performed the piece at the China conservatory in Beijing the poor clarinettist might as well have been playing Rhapsody in Blue because you really couldn’t hear her!

And now turning to your carol “Let us now go to Bethlehem”, which we are going to have the pleasure and privilege of singing at our concert this Christmas! How do you feel about the prospect of our performing this song in the Cathedral under Andy Lumsden’s direction?

Really good. Andy is such a great musician; he understands exactly what it needs and how to do it justice. I have to say – the first time I heard Wayns singing it, I thought everyone was sight reading and I was blown over by what I heard. (I’d missed a previous rehearsal when it was sung for the first time.) Now, having rehearsed it a few times, I still feel extremely privileged to hear it sung so professionally.

Did writing the carol for a competition restrict or dictate its content in any way?

The competition allowed any suitable text but I wanted words which weren’t already well known. I found Reverend Chope’s text online; there are various versions but I was taken with the line, ‘Bright stars above shine on to light our speedy way’ and that was the version I used, albeit without the final verse which I thought was a bit too much like preaching.

What lay behind your decision to use the unusual 7/8 time signature?

I think I’ve sung well over 200 Christmas Carols over the years, and precisely none of those is in 7/8 time so I thought it was time to redress the balance!

Tell us about finding out that you’d won the carol competition!

Having sent it off, I heard nothing for several weeks until, one rainy November afternoon, I opened the ‘Thank you for entering’ email which I assumed was the usual rejection until I got to the ‘We are delighted’ bit. I don’t know if the writer was actually delighted but I can tell you that I really was!

The carol was premiered by the Bach Choir in London in 2022. How involved were you in the performance, and were you happy with it?

The performance took place in Cadogan Hall and I went with Ann, Becky and Becky’s son, Seth. They all went for hot chocolates and I attended the final rehearsal. David Hill had added a tambourine rhythm to much of the carol and I loved that because, if my carol had a single influence, it’s John Gardner’s Tomorrow shall be my dancing day, which has a part for tambourine. David asked me if there was anything that I wanted to advise and the only thing I could think of was that the first alto entry could be a little stronger. (NB altos!)

Before the performance, I was invited onto the stage with the joint winner Matt Finch, and the competition judges, Jonathan Wilcocks and Cecilia McDowell, for a brief interview with David Hill. The performance itself was lovely (including the alto entry!) and the two carols were well matched; Matt Finch’s carol being lyrical, gentle and fairly quie

Is there anything you can tell us or say to us about the carol that will help us perform it as you/d really like it to be performed?

There’s not really an emotional depth in the piece; it’s all about excitement and joy. The main thing, I guess, is getting the dance-like rhythms and dynamic contrasts. What’s really nice is when people tell me they like it. After one rehearsal, I got this WhatsApp message: ‘Tim, that was wonderful, joyous and full of fun and life’. I really treasure that. 

Tim’s music is available from his website:   https://tim-cain-music.com/

Tim Cain (in red sweater), together with joint first prize winner Matt Finch, with competition judges David Hill, Cecilia McDowell and Jonathan Wilcocks.

A Summer Romance

It was clear as soon as percussion soloist Sebastian Guard began setting up his wonderful array of instruments on Saturday afternoon that this was going to be a fantastic concert. Any doubts about this vanished completely as soon as the first glittering flourish from piano virtuoso David Owen Norris filled the air.

The promise of percussion

Come the evening we watched, rainbow-clad, as people continued to stream in and pack the auditorium (despite the England match having just gone to extra time).  Our own Andy Lumsden stepped onto the podium wearing a fiercely joyful and exuberant shade of red and our hearts lifted a little as we rose to sing.

Our rainbow choir, waiting to perform

And so to the performances themselves. We were blown away, along with the audience, by David’s solo pieces, as he effortlessly drew strings of musical pearls from the college Steinway. We the Wayns sang beautifully- there is just no denying it- under Andy’s meticulous yet lighthearted direction, our singing gloriously bejewelled by Sebastian’s percussion and gorgeously enhanced with the fresh, young voices of our soloists James Wells and Jemima Price.

Applause and more applause!

Afterwards audience members spoke of nothing but enjoyment, amazement and even “goosebumps”, and the celebrations of a concert well done and well-enjoyed continued into the twilight over sparkling drinks in the Warden’s Garden.

 We all know that this has not been a perfectly normal term, and it would have been all too easy for this to have tinted the timbre of our last concert of the year. Instead, in a testament to Andy’s highly skilful direction (with our deep gratitude too to George Castle and Andy Hayman) we have ended the year with a concert bursting with colour, joy and of course romance. Charming, entrancing and bright; it was definitely not just any night.

May we all enjoy a summer filled with just as much sunshine and happiness, and maybe even a little romance.

Celebratory post-concert drinks

The idea behind our Wayns Augmented blog is to help keep us connected as a choir, to share our knowledge and experiences and to boost our musical camaraderie! If you have an idea for a future blogpost then please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Jones or Jacki Donnellan (A1)

Wayns Augmented - May 2024

Welcome to the Wayns Augmented blogpost for May ’24

Our most noteworthy event this half term was of course the announcement that Andy Lumsden will be leaving his post as Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral. For those of you who don’t follow social media, here is the statement that we posted to our social media platforms on hearing the news:

“Following the announcement that Andy Lumsden is stepping down as Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral, we would like to express our gratitude for all he has done for music in Winchester, his outstanding direction of the Waynflete Singers and the inspirational impact he has had on the wider choral world.

We are delighted that he will continue as the Waynflete Singers’ DoM  at least until a permanent successor is fully established at the Cathedral. He will conduct us for our July 6th Summer concert , our Christmas concert on December 7th , and what promises to be a very special Verdi Requiem in early April 2025.

We are deeply grateful for his continuing support and direction.”

In our rehearsal room it has been business as usual and we are happy to have progressed this half term under Andy’s continued outstanding direction with our Brahms, Lambert and Bernstein (with a little help as usual from George and Andy H, who have both been phenomenal!)

We are fortunate indeed that for us “business as usual” also means that we’ve enjoyed some talks during rehearsals by our wonderful programme writer Duncan Eves, helping us to understand better the longing in the Leibeslieders and the uniqueness of the Lambert. Duncan also very kindly agreed this term to take a break from his busy life to give us an interview- this is something that is really not to be missed and you can read it in the next blog post!

 NEW MEMBERS

We also had our usual termly open rehearsals and auditions which has resulted in these three new members, to whom we extend a very warm Wayns welcome!

Selina Hepworth, A2

“I moved to the Andover area a couple of years ago, from north Dorset, where I sang in the Bryanston Choral Society. I have been involved with music making, in one form or another, both instrumental and vocal, all my life and am delighted to have been accepted into the Waynflete Singers. I look forward to making music with you all.”

Helen Rowland S2

“I am delighted to be joining The Waynflete Singers after a four year break from singing, having previously sung with Winchester City Festival choir. I have lived in Winchester for more than 18 years having moved here when our girls were young after a short stint abroad. I have worked across the public and charitable sectors over the years and am currently Director of Student Support at the University of Southampton. Singing brings me immense joy and is good for the body and soul - thank you all for such a warm welcome!”

Lizzie Wayne, S1

“I have recently moved to Winchester, having lived in and around London for many years. I still commute in a couple of days a week, where I work for the artist Marc Quinn (we currently have an exhibition on at Kew Gardens I should probably be promoting!)* My background and speciality is photography, but being a small team my role also encompasses a variety of design, retouching, 3d, videography, printing, and whatever else my boss dreams up. My love for choral singing began whilst I was studying Art in Cardiff and had the incredible opportunity to sing with the BBC National Chorus of Wales for 3 years. I have since sung with community choirs and am thrilled to be once again singing with a choir of your calibre.”

*  https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/marc-quinn

Wishing everyone a happy half term holiday- may we sing no forlorn madrigals, but rather dance in the city down the public squares!

The idea behind our Wayns Augmented blog is to help keep us connected as a choir, to share our knowledge and experiences and to boost our musical camaraderie! . If you have an idea for a future blogpost then please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Jones or Jacki Donnellan

An interview with our programme notes writer, Duncan Eves

Our second bass Duncan Eves has been a member of the choir for some 32 years, joining us (along with his wife Geraldine, S1) after moving to the Winchester area in 1991. A retired music teacher with an extraordinary level of musical knowledge, he is the Wayns’ regular programme notes writer.  He often treats us to a mid-rehearsal talk about the music we’re performing and has even composed for us. 

We asked him to tell us about his full and fascinating life in music, both past and present…

So, where did it all begin? What musical studies led you to your career as music teacher?

I studied piano and viola at the Royal Academy of Music in the early 1970s. For a year I had the same piano teacher as David Owen Norris and I shared aural training lessons with someone called Simon Rattle - there are some friendships that one regrets not keeping up!

Among my teachers at the RAM were John Gardner (our S1 Claire Gardner’s father-in-law) and Eric Fenby. Eric took me for keyboard harmony lessons and was just amazing - but also demanding and slightly fearsome. His stories about Delius and his work with him were the stuff of legend.

Have you always lived and worked in Winchester?

No-I was Head of Music at a comprehensive school in Swindon for ten years. I sang in choral societies in and around Swindon during that time and I also conducted choral groups in the area.

In 1991 I became Director of Music at The Westgate School in Winchester where I taught until retiring in 2011 after 36 years in the classroom.

 What did you most enjoy about teaching music?

One of the great things about teaching a class of 30 teenagers was taking on board their likes and dislikes as well as trying to broaden their musical outlook. It’s a two-way process and I learnt so much from them that I would probably never have otherwise.

I can still picture the stroppy, moody girl over 40 years ago who lent me her copy of Meatloaf’s  ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ and said “You might like this Mr Eves. Some proper music.” And she was right!

 Who is your favourite composer, and is this because of their life story or their music? Or are the two inextricably linked?

I fell for Elgar’s music in 1972 big-time and have never stopped loving it. The story of the self-made composer from rural England always seemed somehow more relatable than any distant composer from Venice, Hamburg or Leipzig, but it was the music and the orchestration that really drew me in.

But I also have a passion for all 20th century English music: Vaughan Williams, Walton, Bax (why does no-one play his symphonies?), Britten, Tippett, Holst, Bridge, Ireland, Howells, Finzi, Gurney…

 Which one piece of music would be your desert island disc?

I would take Elgar’s Second Symphony to a desert island in a heartbeat, but I might not take a recording, just the full score, so that I would always have my own ideal performance.

And any genre of music which you dislike?!

Not too keen on Rap music though I have a sneaky admiration for Stormzy. Get me on Pink Floyd though and I won’t stop…some fabulous chord sequences and structures there to talk about. And I could give you an in-depth theory as to why Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’ is one of the most perfect pop songs ever.

How would you describe the role of a programme note writer?

I see my job as being not just one of informing people of facts, but also providing some way of drawing people in and hopefully creating some enthusiasm for wanting to hear the music. It’s always fun when there is a ‘back story’ or some interesting snippets which I think the choir might not know, or some amusing anecdote to tell. When people say to me that they enjoyed reading the notes then I know it was a job well done.

Which of our concerts have you most enjoyed writing programme notes for?

It’s really hard to pick out any one programme - I enjoy them all. Composers are often temperamental personalities and so it’s not too hard to find stories that illustrate this: Elgar writing a gargling duet for him and his wife on the manuscript score at the high point of ‘Gerontius’; Schumann letting his wife go off in the middle of the night to rescue their children from the Dresden uprising while he stayed behind to compose a piece to celebrate the uprising; Thomas Weelkes, whose behaviour towards the clergy at Chichester was interesting to say the least!

You once composed a piece of music especially for the Waynflete Singers- can you tell us about it?

When it was proposed to have a 50th anniversary concert in 2020 it was felt that some type of fanfare would be appropriate to open the concert. The opening work was Parry’s ‘I was Glad’ which has its own fanfare-type opening so there was no fanfare we could find that would fit with that. After some discussion I offered to write something.

The concert did not take place in 2020 because of the pandemic, and Covid restrictions forced its cancellation for the second time in the summer of 2021. The Wayns finally re-assembled for the autumn term in 2021 and the concert was held that October. The Fanfare then became not just a preparation for the Parry, but a kind of announcement that we were all back in business again!

The piece was based upon a musical cipher of the word ‘Waynflete’ and hinted at the opening of the Parry as well.

The brass and percussion of the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) were perfectly happy to play a piece by an unknown and un-tested composer and they seemed to enjoy it. To have a piece played by them, even if it was very short, was just amazing. I was on a ‘high’ for days!

Apart from singing/writing for the Wayns, how else does music currently feature in your life?

I play in a baroque trio with Geraldine and a couple from Salisbury with whom we were at teacher-training college back in the mid-1970s. Geraldine plays baroque flute (very different from the modern flute) and I play spinet (we don’t have a harpsichord). Our friends play baroque violin and cello. We play trio sonatas and occasionally can be found entertaining the visitors at Stourhead and Dyrham Park.

I belong to the Elgar Society, the Finzi Society and the Ivor Gurney Society, and I’m a trustee for the Hampshire Foundation for Young Musicians, which provides grants to youngsters.

I also write notes for the Sacconi String Quartet Festival and have just done some for the Tillett Trust.

Our family life is also full of music: my elder daughter is in charge of chamber music at Sevenoaks School.

Duncan playing spinet with his baroque trio, with Geraldine on baroque flute

Do you have any hobbies or pursuits that aren’t music related?!

Grandchildren - are they a hobby or a pursuit? - I have five and they wear me out but I love them dearly.

I’m keen on family history, I read a lot, I like walking and I like the garden but I’m not really a gardener. Quite nuts about hi-fi and recording technologies. I think I would have enjoyed being a sound engineer at Abbey Road or working with the legendary Decca engineers of the 1960s and 70s.

Is there a musical experience of any kind that’s on your “bucket list”?

Part of me would like to go to the Bayreuth Festival, but I’m not sure that the hard wooden seats would appeal nowadays. Never been to Leipzig, so that would be one for the wish-list. I’d love to conduct Elgar 2 - just to see if I could actually do it- and to own a grand piano, but we don’t have room for one and the neighbours would probably kill me.

Finally, do you feel that your in-depth knowledge of a piece of music or its composer affects the way you sing when rehearsing/ performing with the Wayns?

Not really, but I do have a sort of analytical, musically enquiring mind and so I tend to notice things such as influences, unusual chord sequences, orchestral details. Just occasionally it distracts me from singing, but don’t tell Andy…

Wayns Augmented - Easter 2024

Baroque Masterpieces - Concert Review

“Incredible from start to finish”

Welcome to the Wayns Augmented blogpost for Easter ’24, where we are sharing thoughts from the choir and audience on our Baroque Masterpieces concert (9 March 2024, Winchester Cathedral).

This was a very special concert as we got to enjoy two magical musical experiences for the price of one. Not only did we get to perform Handel’s rousing Dettingen Te Deum and experience “the pure joy in singing [Bach’s] Magnificat” (Martin Tomsett T2) but we also had the best seats in the house for Florilegium’s wonderful performance of the Brandenburg Concerto No 3.

The Brandenburg was a highlight for many. Several choir members particularly enjoyed being able to see clearly “what joy [Florilegium] showed in playing together” (Phil Ferris T2) and to observe closely the way the melody was passed around the ensemble- or as A1 Lynda Beckwith puts it, “the ‘Mexican wave’ of melody that was woven through the strings.”

It was clear both from the atmosphere on the night and the many appreciative comments received that our audience also thoroughly enjoyed the evening. We are grateful as always to Andy Lumsden for leading us through such a glorious night.

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and personal concert highlights. All comments received were awash with joy and peppered with superlatives.

Please enjoy this selection of quotes taken from some of them:

“As my first concert I loved every minute. My family and friends were amazed by the high quality of the choir and want to come to the next one.” Maddy Thompson, S2

“What a total privilege to hear Florilegium at their glorious best...How lucky we are to be able to make such uplifting music in that extraordinary building.“ Veronica Shaw, S2

“Really proud of first sops who really went "con belto/beltissimo" to make up for the fact that there were only 11 of us due to widespread sickness!” Caroline Wainwright, S1

“It was lovely to hear old instruments played so beautifully to create a modern soundscape.” Alison Story-Scrivens, S1

“We thought you were all on fire ! You really sold the Handel Te Deum to us...Well done!!” Cathedral guide/audience member

“Here in the far north of Argentina , in the tiny village of Cachi (altitude 2,532 meters) and having just eaten llama goulash, I received a WhatsApp from my sister saying: ‘Concert was fab. We all thoroughly enjoyed it xx’ “ Sarah Jones S1

“George played in such a relaxed manner, his fingers gliding effortlessly over the keys.” Kate Spencer, A1

“Florilegium - so much to enjoy...Fabulous in the week of International Women's Day to see so many professional women musicians in their prime.” Heather Aspinall, A1

“A friend of mine emailed me. He... ‘was moved by the magnificence of the performance’.” Jo Pankhurst A1

“Joyous, uplifting, exciting. How could we all not be impressed by Florilegium. That wonderful brass!” Tony Gaster T2

And finally, this from new Alto 1 Annabel Larrard, whose comment probably sums up neatly how we all feel, whether this was our first concert with The Waynflete Singers or our fiftieth:

“This concert, my first with The Wayns, was incredible from start to finish. Being part of the choir, singing beautiful Baroque music with Florilegium and the brilliant soloists in Winchester Cathedral is something I will always remember. Thank you.”

Have a very happy Easter!

If you have any ideas or suggestions for future blog posts then please don’t hesitate to contact Jacki Donnellan or Sophie House

An interview with our concert manager Veronica

We asked our Soprano 2, committee member and concert manager Veronica Shaw to tell us all about herself and her role. Read on to find out what challenge she has taken on every year since her “retirement” and what she enjoys most about being Concert Manager for the Wayns....

So how long have you been a singer, Veronica?

I have sung in choirs since the age of 11, when I joined the school choir. I’ve moved around a bit so have sung in The City of London Choir, Bristol Choral Society, The Birmingham Bach Choir, The Phoenix Singers in Shrewsbury, The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and, of course, The Waynflete Singers (since 2003). I also currently sing with The Winchester Fusion Choir, an inclusive community choir who sing pop and folk songs as well as musical theatre numbers – all for charity. It is a total contrast to The Wayns and great fun.

What did/do you do for a living?

For most of my career I have been in Primary Education, spending the last 15 years as headteacher of Itchen Abbas and Scantabout Primary Schools. I absolutely loved being a headteacher but decided to take early retirement in 2016 as I felt it was time to pass on the challenge to others. Since then I have volunteered at Citizens Advice in Eastleigh, a role I find both challenging and rewarding. I specialise in debt advice, but have recently become a volunteer supervisor and also train new recruits.

Tell us about your family?

I am the mother of two wonderful young adults – Fran (32) and Ben (28), who have flown the nest and live in London and Stevenage respectively. Tragically their father, Howard, died in 2001 at the ridiculously young age of 45. I moved to Winchester following Howard’s death in order to be nearer to his family who live(d) in Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford. I wanted Fran and Ben to stay close to their cousins, aunts, uncles and paternal grandparents. It was a great decision as we have all thrived in Winchester and I still love living here.

Do you find time for any hobbies other than singing?

I love walking and, together with a friend, I have undertaken a different long-distance footpath each year since my retirement. So far I’ve walked The Severn, Wye Valley, South Downs, Test, and Shropshire Ways, as well as The Norfolk Coastal Path/Peddars Way. I’m just about to start The Macmillan Way West from Castle Cary to Barnstable.

When did you become concert manager for the Wayns?

I joined the committee in November 2022 and was asked to be concert manager as David Reece was stepping down after six years in the role. I had just finished liaising between The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and the Wayns for the Mahler 8 concert at the Royal Albert Hall and felt I had the capacity to take on a more substantial role supporting the choir.

How far in advance of concert day does work begin for you as concert manager?

I attend the programming committee meetings, so have some say in the content of our concerts.

The dates for cathedral concerts are decided by the committee, including Andy of course, to ensure he has no other commitments. I then propose the date to the cathedral, but it is often only pencilled in at the initial stage as the cathedral has a long and quite complex system for confirming dates with us.

For the summer term, when we sing elsewhere, the committee decides what sort of event they want and I put out feelers to suitable venues and get a mutually convenient date agreed.

What do you do between then and concert day (apart from singing at rehearsals with the rest of us!)?

I liaise with the orchestra/musicians who have been booked, giving them the information they need for the rehearsal/concert day.

I also liaise with the venue to ensure that we have all we need (staging, personnel, bells for the interval, timings, parking details, refreshments if applicable and so on).

As the concert day nears, I check everything is running as expected and make sure that everyone involved in the concert knows what they are doing. I confirm the final numbers of participating choir members and put together the seating plan which I run past Andy.

Occasionally there are other things to do. For example, I sourced and hired the chamber organ for the most recent concert, going on George's recommendation on this occasion.

As you know, at the final choir rehearsal I inform the choir about what they need to do on the day of the concert.

Pre-concert checks with Andy

So what happens on concert day?

For a cathedral concert I arrive around two hours before the rehearsal time. I label the seats for the choir and ensure the soloists have their chairs. I welcome the orchestra manager and show them the green rooms for before and during the concert. I ensure they have all they need and help them to arrange their music stands and seats or get anything else they require. I check with the vergers to ensure they know what is going on and ask them for anything particular we might need.

At the rehearsal break, as you know, I go through the details for the concert with the choir.

After the rehearsal I go home, but get back an hour before the concert to make sure the programmes are in the right place, with a table ready for the sellers. I check the coat rails are in situ and the seating is still all as expected. Ten minutes before the concert I line the choir up and ensure everyone is on stage at the right time.

After the concert I remove the seat labels and thank the orchestra manager before I head off home.

Last minute adjustments to the seating plan

Working out staging with the supplier of the chamber organ

You mentioned other people involved in putting on a concert. Who are they and what do they do?

Lea Holmes manages the planning committee and she books the orchestra/musicians and soloists.

Sarah Jones is in charge of publicity- producing flyers, posters, social media content. Kate Baker is the new treasurer who deals with everything financial. Sue Rees deals with buying/hiring our music, Chris Town produces the programmes, and Committee chairman Daniel Benton always steps in to help if things aren't going to plan. But there are other people who organise many other things- e.g ticket sales, flowers for the soloists, choir folders, parking, to name but a few... It really is a team effort by many choir members.

Have you had any concert day disasters to deal with?

I haven't been doing the job for very long so there haven't really been any major disasters as yet.

The worst concert day issue was in Christchurch last October. The orchestra manager arrived expecting to have more space than was allocated, which would have meant re-doing the seating plan, which had taken many hours to put together. We resolved this by moving the audience back, otherwise there would not have been enough space for the choir and I would not have relished the task of choosing who to drop at the last minute!

Finally, what do you enjoy most about being concert manager?

It is very satisfying to feel that I have been part of organising such a wonderful event. Now that I know more about how much goes into the planning and preparation, I feel great pride in knowing that I have played a part in bringing it all together.

If you would like to be involved with or contribute in any way to helping with our concerts or the running of our choir, then please contact our committee chairman Daniel Benton. The committee always welcomes additional members to help to share the workload!

Wayns Augmented - February 2024

Wayns Augmented -February 2024

Welcome to our new half-termly blog, Wayns Augmented. If you have any ideas, suggestions or content for future blogs then please contact Jacki Donnellan or Sophie House.

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The new year began well for the Wayns as we were returning fresh from a successful Christmas concert. Many felt that the balance of sound between the English Chamber Orchestra and us the choir was just right, and the opportunities for congregational as well as choral singing made for a truly festive occasion (as well as providing us with a ready-made standing ovation- but of course this would have happened anyway!!) Our thanks as always to Andy Lumsden and all those who work behind the scenes to make the concert happen.

Those of us who watched the latest season of Netflix series The Crown over the Christmas break that followed may have spotted our very own Andy Lumsden on their screens, as there is a very clear shot of him conducting at the very beginning of a scene filmed in the Cathedral. This link will take you to a Youtube clip if you’d like to take a peek!

You may also like to hear more about the Grammy that was recently awarded to Andy and the Cathedral Choristers, as mentioned in the last Wayns Weekly. Here is a link to an article about it on the Cathedral website, and here is a link to an interview with Andy and two of the choristers on Radio Solent (2 hrs 25 mins in).

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Welcome to our new members

We have grown in number this half term having gained four new members in this term’s auditions, with our longstanding member Sandra Brown returning to singing with us after a break. We welcome them all warmly!

We asked our new members to tell us a little bit about themselves:

 Rachel Cristofoli A1- I've sung in choirs since I was 8 years old when I started singing with the IoW Youth Choir. I live in Kings Worthy and moved to the Winchester area 30 years ago when I joined the Winchester City Festival Choir. I work full time in Winchester as a Director of a small Market Research Consultancy. Aside from singing, my main hobby is swimming (both in the pool and open water) and my typical day kicks off with a long swim before work. I'm delighted to be part of The Wayns and really pleased I finally plucked up the courage to audition.

Annabel Larard A1 - I live in Medstead. I run a project called Primary Robins that brings singing into the lives of children that have little or no exposure to music. Singing has always been an important part of my life and I am thrilled to be joining the Waynflete Singers.

Kieron Brear B1- I've been singing in choirs for over 20 years around the south. As well as classical music, I've sung a range including pop and show tunes. My biggest gig was in a choir backing Fatboy Slim when he headlined the Bestival festival. I live outside Salisbury and I'm looking forward to making quality music with the Wayns.

Maddy Thompson S2 - I am a Consultant nurse in palliative medicine at Winchester Hospice and Hampshire Hospitals. I live in Winchester with my family and am looking forward to returning to choral singing again after a few years off!

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We break for half term shortly before St Valentine’s Day which seems a fitting end to a half term which began with the wonderful news of Andy Lumsden’s engagement. We are grateful to Andy Hayman and George Castle this half term for the times they have stepped in to lead our rehearsals, helping us to march forward with our Bach and Handel - quite literally, on one occasion! No doubt we will continually, continually, continually make good progress next half- term...

Have a happy half term holiday!

New Year Update

Welcome to 2023 ! Thanks to all who came to our Christmas concert in Winchester Cathedral.  It was wonderful to be singing to a completely full audience, and also to hear the enthusiastic participation in the audience carols.

 We are starting this year with a coronation-themed concert on March 18th in the Cathedral.  We are performing several large-scale works composed for previous coronations, including Elgar’s Coronation Ode (written for the 1902 coronation) and Walton’s Te Deum (1953).  We are delighted to be working again with the wonderful Bournemouth Symphony orchestra, as these works require large forces.  The Elgar is relatively rarely performed, and is the work in which Elgar first set the words and music of “Land of Hope and Glory” together : it’s a great piece to perform.

 On June 4th we will be holding a “Come and Sing”, which will also be coronation themed.  If you would like to sing with us, keep watching this space and we soon be providing details on how to sign up.  We will work together in the afternoon and then the come and sing forces will perform the works in the evening, along with some extra works performed by the Wayns.  As always, we are very open to new people joining the choir, so if you enjoy either the concerts or the come and sing, do consider auditioning.

Beyond that, future dates for your diaries are October 14th in Christchurch Priory for a Brahms concert, also with the BSO, and our next Christmas concert on December 9th in the Cathedral.

We very much hope to see you at the concerts !