Cherished Memories: a Scrapbook from the City Choir of Washington's 2018 England Tour

England Tour, July 2018
Memories
Salisbury | Stonehenge | Bristol | Berkeley Castle | Gloucester
Cathedral | Bournton-on-the-Water | Keble College, Oxford |
Ely Cathedral | Cambridge | London | Temple Church

July 4, 2018:
The City Choir of Washington tour group arrived at Heathrow, met Esther our
tour guide, visited Salisbury, Stonehenge, and settled into our first stop: Bristol.
Photos by: Jay Labov, Anne Woodworth,
Emily Tsai, Audrey Bigelow, Vivian
Chakarian, Juliet Weenink-Griffiths,
Rachel Tester; cover photo by Sid Stone

The Heel Stone at Stonehenge
- A Poem by Anne Harding Woodworth
One theory: the shadow of the Heel Stone at sunrise symbolizes fertilization “of the Earth Mother by the Sky
Father at the height of his power on the longest day.”*
To be an outlier is to be the Heel Stone,
unable to enter the circle, aging,
eroding, corroding, and gradually,
imperceptibly, leaning
in all weathers and seasons
on that breathtaking plain.
Listing like that, it’s as if melancholy
has taken him by the shoulders.
But he’s not sad to be on the outside,
at least most of the time. He knows
that the upright stones in the circle
will never make room for him,
try as he might to enter.
Isolation makes him contemplative.
Makes him aware. Makes him
stand tall unabashedly for inclusion
and love. Makes him look around
at all the good things
on the plain. Makes him eager
for the sunrise of the longest day,
when his shadow will penetrate the circle,
even if he can’t.
The Heel Stone
The Heel Stone can be seen at far far left
*from http://www.stonesofstonehenge.org.uk

July 5, 2018:
The group toured historic Berkeley Castle, where the period drama "The Spanish
Princess" was being filmed. Continuing on to Gloucester Cathedral, the choir had a
quick warm-up and a little time to visit the cathedral and town before our first concert.
Photos by: Jay Labov,
Peggie Hatton, Emily
Tsai, Rachel Tester,
Shelley Stewart

Concert 1: Gloucester Cathedral
5 July 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Photos courtesy of:
Classical Movements,
Vivian Chakarian

Mission: Surprise Rachel
- Rachel Tester
Rachel: Without fail, my mom and dad have been entirely supportive of my musical
pursuits. Most kids growing up were on multiple sports teams, but my “sports” were piano,
violin, voice, and dance lessons, and school musicals. I can always count on seeing their faces in
the audience for my performances, even today, for City Choir concerts. In 2018, my family
took their support to the next level. I’ll let my mom, Kathleen, tell the story…
Kathleen:
When we found out about the City Choir of Washington’s tour in the UK July of
2018 and that our oldest daughter was singing the Pie Jesu solo in the Fauré Requiem, the
little wheels in my head started spinning. We had been trying to plan a family vacation and
thought this might be a good opportunity.This would be a much larger trip than we had been
contemplating, but we wanted to be there to support Rachel and the choir.
There was a farewell concert in McLean and everyone, except Rachel’s brother Aaron, who lives in New
Hampshire, attended that concert. My sister Julie and her husband and youngest son also attended the
concert. They live in Ohio and this was the first performance that they ever attended. So that was surprise
number 1.
[RT – I was so confused as to how someone who looked so much like my cousin Justin could be in the audience.]
Ultimately, the only family that could come to the UK were myself, Rachel’s dad, and Aaron and his
girlfriend. Aaron reached out to [TCCW Assistant Conductor] Rachel Binger to get specific details about the
choir’s plans so that none of us ended up on the same plane or some other strange happenstance that
would ruin the surprise. Our plan was to meet up in London and then surprise Rachel at the end of their first
concert in Gloucester.
The day of the concert we arrived in Gloucester early, found the Cathedral and were looking around. I
noticed a group of people coming toward the Cathedral carrying their clothes and we all scuttled out of the
courtyard hoping that Rachel’s Dad radar wasn’t working. (My husband has a very distinct appearance with
a head full of white hair and a full beard. She always spots him in the audience at her performances.)
[RT – not this time!!!]

We successfully dodged the group and decided to wander around the town until it was time for the concert.
Shortly before the performance time we returned to the Cathedral. Aaron and I went down to the restrooms
before the concert started.While I was in the ladies room, I saw someone in a long black dress come into the
stall next to me. I hustled out just in time to see more of the choir coming through the hallway. Aaron chose
that moment to walk out of the men’s room. I actually saw Rachel as I stepped into the short hallway in front
of the men’s room to block him. He saw her and almost yanked me into the men’s room. Luckily, she missed all
this commotion as she walked past. We shot out of the hallway and found our seats. I put Scott and I in the
middle and Aaron on the aisle. I then realized I had forgotten my glasses in the restroom and had to go back. I
retrieved them and took my place all without being spotted by Rachel. [RT – my mom and I were definitely in
the restroom at the same time. I heard someone talking about the lady who just left her glasses!]
The concert proceeded and we were so proud of her when she did her solo. Shortly after that, she noticed her
brother. [RT – again, confusion. But it seemed like something he would do.] When the choir walked out, she
stopped by him and that was when she saw the rest of us. She was absolutely stunned to see us and that we
managed to keep the whole plan a secret! It was a pretty neat surprise and an adventure for all of us.
[RT – I was completely floored when I saw everyone.It’s one of the best surprises ever and I’m still shocked they
managed to keep it from me!!]
Rachel (second from left) with her parents and brother Aaron at Gloucester Cathedral

July 6, 2018:
The City Choir of Washington tour group "took the waters" at Bath,
followed by - naturally - a delicious tea at the Pump Room.
Photos by: Rachel Tester,
Jay Labov, Gail Crane,
Peggie Hatton

Shades of the Great War
- Emily Hantman Tsai
City Choir’s tour to England holds so many wonderful memories: performing in the great cathedrals
of Gloucester and Ely, as part of Music in Oxford, and in the mystical splendor of Temple Church
were all incredible and unforgettable experiences. It was also tremendous fun to get to know fellow
singers and their families better.
But with City Choir’s November 11, 2018
Armistice Day concert on the horizon,
England and English music’s connection
to the first world war was much on
my mind during our tour. Gloucester
Cathedral has memorials to Hubert
Parry (“Jerusalem”), Gerald Finzi (“In
Terra Pax” and “Farewell to Arms”),
and the poet-composer Ivor Gurney.
The chapel at King’s College, Cambridge
has a memorial to fallen students: the
poet Rupert Brooke’s name heads the
list. It was also fascinating to learn that
the courtyard at Trinity College,
Cambridge was used as a field hospital
during the war.
The "In Terra Pax" Finzi stained-glass window and memorial to
Hubert Parry at Gloucester Cathedral
When we performed on the hundredth
anniversary of the Armistice, I held
close to my heart the sights, sounds,
and memories from the tour, knowing
that “there will always be an England.”
Cambridge: King's College Great War memorial plaque; Trinity College courtyard
Emily at Berkeley Castle, wearing Thomas
Cromwell's cap (from the filming of "Wolf Hall")

July 7, 2018:
En route to Oxford, the group stopped at the beautiful Cotswold village of Bournton-onthe-Water
before continuing on to Oxford. City Choir's concert was part of the Music in
Oxford series, and we spotted a number of posters advertising the performance,
Photos by: Jay Labov,
Anne Woodworth,
Peggie Hatton, Rachel
Tester, Emily Tsai,
Audrey Bigelow

Concert 2: Keble College, Oxford
7 July 2018 | 8:00 p.m.
Photos courtesy of:
Rachel Tester, Classical
Movements

A Cherished Gift
- Vivian Chakarian
During the City Choir's England tour, my sister Janet and her boyfriend Peter were
visiting and had the opportunity to attend our concert at Oxford University's Keble
College Chapel. The night after the concert, they were having a drink at a bar near
the concert venue and thought one of the many tour posters gracing the walls of
the university would make a great gift. So they asked the bartender if they could
borrow a knife to carefully remove the stapled poster without damaging it. They
brought it home and had it beautifully framed and surprised me with it at Christmas.
It is to this day one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received and a
wonderful memento of our amazing tour.
Vivian in Oxford with TCCW tour posters
The framed poster graces Vivian's home

Fond Memories & Good Friends
- Audrey Bigelow
Besides the jaw-dropping architecture and the opportunity to sing inside some of those
gorgeous edifices — not to mention the spectacular Royal Air Force 100th Anniversary
London flyover! — my favorite moments of our July 2018 TCCW England Tour were
people moments. Chatting with Bill and Connie on the boardwalk in Bristol; dinner at Piano
& Pitcher in Bristol with fellow altos; shopping with Durrie, Amy and Lani in Bourton-onthe-Water;
gelato in Bath with Paul and Lani; floating down the Thames over lunch deep in
conversation with Bob, Connie, and Lani; tooling around Cambridge with Gail; old friends
able to attend our concert at Ely Cathedral, and the thrill of joining them for lunch
afterward; laughing over lunch with Ben, Emily and Zain at St. Pancras Railway Station; all
of our wonderful tour guides; my delightful seatmate for the entire trip, Al; and my
lovely, easy roommate Aly. Favorite memories all!
Audrey (far right) with (from left): Gail Crane, Anita O'Leary,
Barbara Greene, & Elaine Wunderlich. Photo courtesy of Gail Crane

Treasured Memories
- Al Bradford
I have several treasured memories of our performances in England. But something I will
never forget has nothing to do with our music-making. Rather, it is the way my singer
colleagues took care of me after I twisted my knee on the steps of the Christopher
Wren library (I was talking, as usual, so wasn’t paying attention to those deep steps).
People carried food trays to me, saved me easy-to-get-to places on buses, supplied ice
packs, searched for hard-to-find ibuprofen, and cheered me on during the rest of the
tour. And when we were on the way home, one marvelous guy (a tenor!), an experienced
international traveler, wheeled me through the labyrinthine passages of Heathrow and
expedited exit procedures for me. Bob is right: City Choir is a family.
Al (third from left) is served tea in Bath, with Ben & Emily Tsai.
Photo courtesy of Rachel Tester

Quiet Moments
- Bill Gilcher
For me, one of the loveliest moments of the England Tour was a quiet breakfast with
Bob Shafer in a hotel breakfast room, which one I don’t know. I’ve been singing with Bob
for decades, but it’s a rare occasion to have a moment to just sit and talk with him. We
didn’t have anything profound or moving to share with each other, but it was lovely just
to relax a moment and enjoy the conversation with an old friend.
Of course I remember many other moments during the trip - listening to Queen Esther
talk about our bus being owned by a company that was distinguished because it had a
Royal Warrant, by appointment to H.M. the Queen. And then notice that the bus wasn’t
always quite up to its reputation. So much for Royal Warrants.
Perhaps the best part of the trip - other than the actual singing - was having a chance
to sit and talk with other singers during the long bus rides. I really enjoyed the
conversations with so many fellow singers, people that make the choir family so special -
but whom I realize I hardly knew. By the end of the trip, I felt I’d gotten to know quite a
few of them much better.
This was my first European trip with the City Choir - and I won’t forget it in a hurry.
The infamous bus. Photo courtesy of Gail Crane
An earlier moment between Bill (right) and Bob Shafer

July 8, 2018:
The City Choir of Washington tour wended its way through fen country, arriving at
Ely Cathedral for our Sunday afternoon concert just in the nick of time.
Photos by: Jay Labov, Peggie
Hatton, Rachel Tester, Juliet
Weenink-Griffiths

Concert 3: Ely Cathedral
8 July 2018 | 1:00 p.m.
Photos courtesy of: Jay Labov, Classical Movements

July 9, 2018:
A free day to tour Cambridge. The group visited Pembroke College, the Wren Library,
King's College chapel (a pilgrimage for choral singers!) and punted on the Cam.
Photos by: Jay Labov,
Rachel Tester, Emily
Tsai, Joanna Ward

Happy Recollections
- Peggie Hatton
Boy, it was hard choosing which photos to send. That trip meant the world to me. Loved
every minute of it. I am so grateful and blessed to have passed my auditions with Bob, I
miss you all in City Choir so much, and thanks for so many wonderful years.
Love to all!
Editor's note: You'll have seen many of Peggie's
wonderful pictures throughout this album; here are a
few more to enjoy!
Peggie (right) enjoying some downtime in Oxford with Bob
Shafer (left) and Susan Schreurs (center).
Photo courtesy of Rachel Tester

Amazing Food & Wonderful Times
- Joyce Korvick
...Of course the music and cathedrals, but you probably have plenty of those.
The food! Proper fish and chips in Bristol, proper Sunday beef dinner, the templar church
our last venue, and Wimbledon was starting as we left, and we'll who could forget our last
dinner when we heard all of the disappointment that England lost the soccer World Cup!
They won this year!
And the fly over for the RAF memorial day when we were in the boat on the Thames..
Lastly, I brought my daughter. Wonderful time sharing with her. I would recommend it to
any people who want to travel and be guests with the chorus!
Can't wait for the next trip!!! Cheers!
Proper Sunday roast
Proper fish & chips
Joyce Korvick
RAF flyover
Unique drinks
Celebrating
Wimbledon

A Family Affair
- Shelley Stewart
Shelley and Maggie Stewart are a City Choir mother-and-daughter team, but they made
the England tour even more of a family affair by bringing Shelley's parents Bill and Judy
Stephenson, and nieces Olivia and Lily Stephenson along for the fun!
The Stewart-Stephenson contingent
Shelley & Maggie at Stonehenge
Bill & Judy with (clockwise from left) Rachel
Binger, Rachel Tester, Katie Jagielski & Zain
Shariff. Photo courtesy of Katie Jagielski
Maggie & grandma Judy in Cambridge

July 10, 2018:
The City Choir of Washington tour wrapped up in London, with a day of sightseeing.
Highlights included the Tower of London, a Thames Cruise (complete with
a 100th anniversary RAF flyover), and a trip to Buckingham Palace.
Photos by: Vivan Chakarian, Gail Crane,
Jay Labov, Rachel Tester,
Anne Woodworth

The View From the Pews
- Jeanne Blackburn (with help from Jim)
Jeanne: During one of our first luncheons we sat
with Paul Skevington, the organist, who had me
spellbound recounting his 'reconnaissance tour' of the
cathedrals to acquaint himself with the acoustics and
placement of the organ vis-a-vis the choir.
He explained that there was a different sound timelapse
in each of them because of the differing
distances between the voices and the organ. This
necessitated his adjusting the timing of the music to
accommodate the time lag of the voices!
So, every time I sat down to listen to The City Choir
in a new chapel or cathedral, I looked around to see
where the organ was and tried to imagine Paul
calculating the necessary adjustments.
During the choir's rehearsals those of us who were
tag-alongs got to know each other and that was
lovely. As was our side trip to Scotland and sharing
sticky toffee pudding with the 'two Rachels'.
Clockwise: Jeanne and Jim at Berkeley Castle;
Paul Skevington at his home organ in McLean, Virginia;
the Blackburns with Judith (far left) and Mike (far
right) Brown; Rachel Tester (left) and
Rachel Binger (right) in Scotland
Jim adds: We met Judith and Mike Brown, residents of Oxford, on a Danube cruise a
few years ago. They spent the day with us and came to the Ely Cathedral concert.
I enjoyed the enthusiasm of our audiences. One person at the Ely concert called her family
in London and said we were a "must see". Her family turned out for the Temple Church
concert and told me about her call.

July 11, 2018:
The City Choir of Washington tour group spent our last day in London lunching at St.
Pancras Station and preparing for the final concert of the tour at Temple Church.
Photos by: Vivian Chakarian, Gail Crane,
Joyce Korvick, Rachel Tester, Emily Tsai

A Moving Performance
- Ben Tsai
Rachel Tester’s ‘Pie Jesu’ solo during the last performance of the Faure Requiem at
London’s Temple Church was simply sublime and something I will always remember. I had
to try very hard to hold back tears because it was so beautiful. Rachel’s singing is
always gorgeous and moving, but the last performance was particularly so. I remember
asking her afterwards what her secret was, and she responded in a very Rachel way:
"Oh, no more than two beers the night before the performance.”
The Stewart-Stephenson contingent
Shelley & Maggie at Stonehenge
Rachel Tester (right) with Rachel Binger (left)
Photo courtesy of Katie Jagielski
Ben enjoying a cream tea in
Bournton-on-the-Water

A Wonderful Way to Return Home
- Juliet Weenink-Griffiths
I joined TCCW’s UK tour as a guest singer so the rehearsals and tour were my first
experience of singing with TCCW and of getting to know the singers and what a wonderful
experience it turned out to be.
From the first day of visiting Stonehenge and Salisbury great memories
were made as favourite childhood haunts were revisited and new places
were discovered. Salisbury cathedral looked glorious in the July sunshine and
the doves that flew down its nave are now fittingly on display in the National
Cathedral in DC:
My roommate for the tour, Rhoda, in
front of Stonehenge:
Our trip to Berkeley castle near Gloucester was a new discovery
and we were lucky enough to see some filming for the series “The
Spanish Princess” about Catherine of Aragon:
A particular highlight for me was our concert in Gloucester
cathedral not only because it was on my birthday but also because I
had two of my brothers, two sisters-in-law and one nephew
occupying a whole row for the concert. It was also glorious
listening to choral evensong before our concert started:

Cambridge brought an opportunity to experience some open air
Shakespeare in Kings College gardens with several other singers, a very
lively performance of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream":
Ely cathedral was another
So many wonderful sights
beautiful venue, especially
and sounds throughout
its amazing octagonal tower: And of course that
the tour - Rule Britannia!
wonderful cake at our
farewell dinner:
And lots of opportunities get to know fellow singers:
Juliet (front) on the
Thames cruise with
(clockwise from left):
Meg Hemingway, Gail
Crane, and Rhoda
Metcalfe
At St. Pancras Station with (from left): Gail
Crane, Anne Woodworth, Joyce Korvick,
Barbara Greene, Agnes Donohue, and
Elaine Wunderlich

Concert 4: Temple Church, London
11 July 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Photos courtesy of: Jay
Labov, Rachel Tester,
Classical Movements

Farewell Dinner:
The City Choir of Washington tour group celebrated our final concert and the
end of an unforgettable tour with a farewell dinner on the Thames. Our group's
mood was jubilant, although our host country's was glum: England had lost the
World Cup while we (perhaps fittingly) sang the Fauré Requiem.
England’s ground, farewell; sweet soil adieu"
“Then
The Tragedy of King Richard II
-Shakespeare,

thanks
Classical Movements
- and particularly our trip coordinator Tim Laughlin -
for producing an unforgettable tour experience
Many thanks also to:
Maestro Bob Shafer, who never ceased in his efforts to mold a rag-tag bunch
of singers into a cohesive group able to produce a "sound like no other" -
Dr. Paul Skevington, who played so wonderfully even when he was up in the
rafters and could neither hear nor see what was happening below -
Meg Hemingway, our general manager, who tirelessly organized the entire
enterprise -
Rachel Binger, our assistant conductor, who kept rehearsals (and so much
more!) running smoothly -
The family and friends of singers who came along for the ride and provided
an amazing, supportive audience throughout all the rehearsals and concerts -
The City Choir of Washington Tour Choir, who worked hard on their craft
and lent their voices to represent all that TCCW stands for.
© 2021 The City Choir of Washington