After such a long time away, it was very good to reconnect with alumni, friends, and supporters of the House and its Music Fund at concerts, choral services, and alumni receptions in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Carmel, Palo Alto, and San Francisco. The tour took place between Saturday 22 and Sunday 30 June. Led by former Christ Church Organist and Emeritus Professor Stephen Darlington MBE, who returned to the post he held for 33 years as Interim Director of Music, the Choir showcased treasures from its regular repertoire with a particular connection to the House. These included a range from John Taverner’s Compline motet Christe Jesu honouring Cardinal Wolsey’s patron saints, to William Walton’s Jubilate written for the Choir by one of its most famous alumni and premiered by Stephen when he was Organ Scholar under Simon Preston, to the Agnus Dei from Honorary Student and alumnus Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light requiem.

In addition to five concerts, the Choir also sang Evensong at Grace Cathedral and joined forces with the Schola Cantorum of St Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church to sing for their Sunday solemn Mass. Members of the Choir and alumni were also treated to a behind the scenes tour of the San Francisco Opera with Christ Church alumnus (and former Darlington tutee) Matthew Shilvock (1995, Music), the Opera’s General Director, who made an eloquent case for importance of the musical and liturgical tradition the Choir preserves. He graciously arranged for everyone to attend the current production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. 

The Choir and Music Fund are deeply grateful to all of the generous supporters whose contributions help ensure the success of tours like this and enable the Choir to take advantage of these extraordinary opportunities to showcase one of the greatest treasures of the House.

Photos from alumni events held at the Getty Center (Los Angeles), War Memorial Opera House (San Francisco), and Century Association (New York), to coincide with the Choir's tour, are below (and are also available here).