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Report 1

Nick Zelle set this up in plenty of time in the early part of the summer. The dinner notice was also part of Nick's flyer and the combination and timing lead to a good turnout for both.

Ronald Smith, Director of Music 57-63 and NJZ, Director of Music 65-81 worked with the singers all day. Ian Crabbe at the organ. A performance in the School Chapel at 6.00pm gave us many of the favourites enjoyed by Clayesmorians these fifty years past!

Haydn's "The heavens are telling" thundered out like a broad side. Then followed variously:

Then something completely unexpected: William Perks OC marries Karen Ripper OC and behold Oscar! Now aged 8 years. Hot-foot from the Menhuin School he delivered a virtuoso violin performance of stupefying competence. From tune-up to final bow he held us all. Watch out for this young man!

Finally, we all belted out "God be with you till we meet again". And so to Dinner.

Report 2

The second OC Choral day at Clayesmore was very like the first, with the added advantage that it was followed by a Dorset Dinner at the School. Yet again, the success of the day was largely due to the inspired accompaniment of Ian Crabbe, now College Organist at Marlborough and who last term was acting Director of Music while his boss was on sabbatical. Sarah Trueman/Jacot's idea has taken root, and I hope it will not be too long before it fruits again.

A warm and sunny day, lwerne Minster, the glorious School grounds, an enthusiastic and friendly welcome from David Beeby, the headmaster, an abundance of good food and sherry, the generosity of Keith Pigott, the Director of Music, who gave us free run of the Music School and the music library, and Michael Arnold, the Chaplain who willingly let us turn the Chapel back to front for the concert, the OCs who made the event possible by singing so enthusiastically and, of course, the music, which brought everything together, to make the event happy and enjoyable, and the concert, a by product, was a credit to all who took part.

I do not believe there is another event in the OC repertoire that is as successful at bringing together such a wide-age range of both sexes and, most important of all, it brought us back to the campus for such a relaxed and pleasurable event.

We were very lucky to be joined by Linda Murray, who taught many OCs and who brought back many memories when she sang Mozart's 'Laudate Dominum' and an aria from Handel's 'Ariodante'. It was also a great treat to hear the first child of two OCs, Oscar Perks aged eight, who joined us after his first week at the Yehudi Menuhin School and played Charles Duncla's 'Variation on a Theme of Pacini'. It was delightful to see this young child, so eager to play his fiddle, run down the aisle of the chapel to the piano, tune his violin, and then become so totally immersed in the music that nothing could put him off his performance (though Sarah Trueman's youngest child tried very hard!).

We were all grateful for the school's welcome, and the success of the day was in no small measure due to the excellence of the catering.

Singing was rewarding. It was also good to meet so many friends, OCs, and teachers before and after. Especially welcome were Roy and Audrey Mclsaac, Mike Henbest, and Ruth Dear.

The Dorset Dinner which followed the Concert (mentioned elsewhere in this Newsletter) was hugely successful. I am sure the Dinner and Concert were mutually beneficial as a number of OCs attended the concert and then went on to the Dinner. Sadly a few of the singers, for various reasons, were unable to stay for the Dinner. I would just like to mention to those who were deterred by the cost that they need not have been. The Dinner was excellent value. However, we do hope that some of the more recent OCs will be tempted to enjoy the 'Dorset Dinners' of the future and I know the Headmaster is considering the possibility of offering us the same quality of food but in the form of a buffet 'sit down' dinner so people will be able to serve themselves and move from table to table to chat to a greater number of friends. This arrangement might make it possible to reduce the price even further.

I know Ronald Smith enjoyed sharing the direction as much as I did.

Any 'waverers' might read the letter from Derek Thornbery as that might persuade them to join us!

Nick Zelle (55-61)

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