Choir tour to Tuscany
The Cathedral Choir, including the Vicar’s Choral and 29 Choristers, headed to Tuscany for their first full tour in ten years. It was a whirlwind five nights of world-class music, incredible sights, and their body weight in gelato! The Choristers certainly earned their keep, scaling the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Giotto’s Bell Tower in Florence, and the tree-topped Guinigi Tower in Lucca. Between the hundreds of steps and the unseasonably warm 26°C sunshine, the views over the Tuscan rooftops were well worth the effort.
The music, however, was the real centerpiece. The Choir performed in some truly breath-taking venues:
- In Florence: Singing in the Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti, surrounded by Botticelli’s masterpieces, was a ‘pinch-me’ moment.
- In Lucca: The San Paolino Basilica acoustic was stunning, and the locals gave the group a huge standing ovation. The director even called it one of the best concerts he’d ever heard there.
- In San Gimignano: The final performance in the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino was arguably the tour peak. There were even a few tears at the beauty of the Miserere and Frank Martin’s Mass.
It wasn’t all work, though. The Choristers enjoyed a break from packed lunches with a massive pizza party in Lucca, visited the “world’s best and most famous” gelato shop in San Gimignano, and held a hilarious awards ceremony on the final night where prizes were awarded. The categories included The Bear Grylls Award (for endeavour), The Nomad/Wanderer/Loose Cannon Award (for those who often deviated from the general direction of the rest of the group), The Late Comer Award, Calamity Jane and Calamity James (for the accident/incident prone!), The Weirdest Purchase Award (won by a Chorister who bought shark flip flops!), and The Top Tourist Award (for the Chorister who was always in the right place at the right time, with everything they needed – harder than it sounds, it seems!).
Mr Wells noted that the Choristers were absolutely fabulous company and true ambassadors for the School and Cathedral. The EasyJet crew were so impressed by the group’s behaviour that they wrote us a card, and the Choristers sang them a thank-you song on the tarmac!
This trip was about more than just music; it was about building bonds and representing Wells on the world stage. We owe a massive thank you to the chaperones, organists and parents who made it happen. A special mention must go to Mrs Lawlor for her incredible organisation behind the scenes and Mr Parsons for leading such a world-class musical program. It was a tour that our Choristers, and the audiences who heard them, won’t soon forget.
To find out more about Choristry at Wells, click here.
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