Last Wednesday was the end of my first decade with the Duffield Singers. We had only half of our rehearsal, and then the last part was put aside for a celebration by the committee.

The wonderful way in which various members got up and regaled, with great hilarity, to the assembled company, stories about me AND MY QUIRKS – quirks of which I have been hitherto in some instances blissfully unaware, filled me with great delight.

Some speakers said such positive things about me that I eventually thought they were really not talking about me anymore! There were also frequent references to the work of our piano accompanist, Anne [my wife], whose work I have always admired and with whom I have had an understandably close musical working relationship for many years.

It has been, and still is, every week when we meet to rehearse, a sheer pleasure to be making music with a group of people who are at all times prepared to put up with the expectations of a musical director who writes quite intricate music for the different voice parts – and then expects them to sing with understanding and precision worthy of a traditional professional choir!

The Duffield Singers are always prepared to try harder and concentrate again – after umpteen attempts at the same phrase – in order to achieve a better result! This is a commendable and most unusual characteristic of an amateur choir – but is the reason that this group of people are turning; indeed, HAS TURNED into the formidable group of singers that they are!

I am indeed fortunate, and therefore grateful, for the privilege and opportunity to work with the Duffield Singers every Wednesday evening:

They are a part of the meaning of life afforded me through the medium of singing!

October 2022