The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Let Me Fly

We were up early and loading our coaches for our trip to Wells. The landscape of green fields, beautiful cottages and grazing sheep was accompanied by lilting voices rehearsing the pieces they were to perform later that night. After gathering our lunches and uniforms, we crossed the street to enter the grounds of Wells Cathedral.

The cathedral rose impressively across a beautifully manicured carpet of green lawn. We stopped briefly for photos but quickly ushered the singers to their rehearsal.

The chaperons and staff were welcome to take a brief trip to Glastonbury, the supposed burial place for King Arthur. Glastonbury was unique and different from some of the other towns. People were very eclectic and some of us chose to visit the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. Broken arches rising to the clear blue sky was a perfect opportunity for gorgeous photographs.

We returned to Wells to join the students for lunch on the lawn in front of the cathedral. The kids loved sitting in the clear crisp air and laughing while they shared their meal.

We divided into three groups and began our tour of the cathedral and town. John, our docent, gave us a very detailed tour, pointing out that each pillar and carving in the cathedral was unique, sometimes even telling a story. He showed us the edifice of the cathedral, explaining that the story of Christ was carved across the front and explained how there had been holes cut in strategic places so trumpets could be played to sound out their calls to glory to the people gathered below.  He showed how the choir would ascend worn stairs and cross the main area of the cathedral to sing from the rafters and out special holes to the assembled masses. How impressive that must have been!

We learned that the tombs of many bishops were held in the cathedral and shown the carvings of men who were suffering during the black death. The students were a bit unnerved to find that they had been casually dining atop the buried victims in a mass grave in the front lawn of the cathedral! We even were given an audience with Louis the cat, who attends the functions and services at the cathedral. (He did make an appearance at the festival later that evening)

After our tour, we were shown the Bishops Castle and witnessed a jolly good round of croquette on the lawns. Then the kids were let loose on the town. They helped the local economy of Wells greatly by finding many shops and entertainment.

That evening, the final performance of the Somerset International Youth Choral Festival was to be a massed performance of all choruses, under the joint direction of Michael Kibblewhite and Emily Ellsworth, each with their own unique brand of conducting. The sound from the massed chorus was stunning under the scissors arch and resonated through the halls of the cathedral with a force that gave everyone goosebumps.

Friendship cards were exchanged and many photographs and hugs were given between chorus members with promises of keeping in touch during the reception following the concert. We boarded our coaches for our final evening at Sherborne School with thoughts of Stratford-Upon-Avon and the lingering strains of the evenings music on our minds.