On Saturday the 14th March, Mrs Welch took the choir to Winchester cathedral to sing in a concert composed by the acclaimed June Boyce Tillman. When everyone arrived at roughly 1:30, we began rehearsing the show. Three other schools were there and all the children were wearing or carrying flowers because of the song Flowers of Peace which was just one of the beautiful songs we were to sing.
The rehearsals were hard work and the choir tried to do their best to rise to the expectations of the cathedral-which were extremely high. After perfecting the performance, we ran through the show once more. To start, selected children (2 from each school) were chosen to play a tune by hitting a model of a soldier made out of old rifles with drumsticks. He was nicknamed ‘Garry the Gunman’ and made a surprisingly pretty metallic sound. Then a lady unhooked one gun which turned out to be a flute made of a rifle!! Then all the children paraded with blazing candles and bells through the cathedral towards the stage, were high up on a platform many other singers from various adult choirs were already singing. Then everyone began to sing the first number. In the song Flowers of Peace everyone waved a ribbon of either gold, orange or yellow. After singing our hearts out, we were able to go with our parents for dinner, before coming back for the proper concert.
The concert was all about the First World War and was very stirring with all the beautiful music of the orchestra and the gorgeous solos. No one left the cathedral with a dry eye that night!