Flashback --- Flash-forwardBefore we go to Thursday, April 9th, 2009, our 4th day of our London trip, here is a quick flashback to Oxford again and a flash-forward to Grenoble.
Thank you Anne for this report.
Thank you Marie Odile for the photos. (The date on the photos is not correct...it was 2009!)
When we went to Oxford for a day, we were received by the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall. It was a success. (Thank you Jean Burrell from the University of the Third Age in Oxford for planning this reception.)
On this occasion, we met Mel Houldershaw, a music teacher and the conductor of the East Oxford Community Choir which is twinned with the Ensemble Vocal Interlude de Grenoble, conducted by Jean Menissier, a soloist singer and choral conductor.
With the choirs, four soloist singers and an orchestra made up of musicians from Oxford and Grenoble, concerts in common are given alternately in England and France.
And, what a lucky coincidence! In Oxford, we learned that the choirs were to have three concerts in Grenoble (salle Olivier Messian, Villard de Lans and Quaix en Chartreuse on the 11th, 12th and 13th of April).
I went to see the one in Quaix en Chartreuse, a village with its charming small church nestled up in the mountains in a splendid setting.
And the sun was once again with us! ....
There were a lot of people. It was a success and this concert delighted me!
The programme was:
- The concerto for trompet in Mib Maj (J. Hayden) with the talented trompetter Stephen Cutting
- Missa Cellensis (J.Hayden) conducted by Jean Menissier
- Zadok the Priest (G.F. Haendel) conducted by Mel Houldershaw
Mel invited the people in the audience who knew the piece to sing along with them. She passed on to us all her vitality, her passion for music, her joy. At the end of the concert, I had the pleasure of meeting her.
A big thank-you to the chorists, soloists, musicians and conductors.
In this small church, I had an unforgettable moment of music, friendship and joy.
Anne
