Monday, June 15, 2009

Tom du Val


Tom du Val, one of the Winchester choristers, organised an amazing summer concert yesterday to raise funds for another choristership at Pilgrims School. The Winchester home team, by whom I mean the choir, the Director of Music, Andrew Lumsden and his assistant, Simon Bell, put on a tremendous performance. They were joined by the husband and wife opera singers, Stephen Gadd and Claire Rutter who sang, amongst other pieces, rousing renditions of Drake's Drum and Summertime. Tom had also written to invite Blake to perform as two of them had been Winchester choirboys. They initially refused his invitation but Tom wrote back indignantly, insisting that they had to be there and, in the end, they agreed. Their singing was terrific and I shall never forget their performance of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. As Sally Taylor of BBC South (who was presenting the concert) and the Dean, the Very Reverend James Atwell, remarked, Tom du Val could very well become Enterprise Tsar one day.

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

It was good wasn't it, although I wasn't so taken with Blake. I reckon every one of our Layclerks could do what they do and they do do it every day. They just don't have the suits, tan, designer stubble and slick marketing!

The high spot for me was when Claire Rutter and the Choir sang the Mozart Laudate Dominum. What voices. The hair on the back of my neck was standing up.

Sally T was a star too and Lord, that woman's tall!

Nice way to spend a Summer evening.

Liz

3:40 pm  
Blogger kinglear said...

I was at school with a James Lumsden, who had a younger brother Andrew - could it be he?

6:08 pm  
Blogger Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I would love to have heard it.

11:06 pm  
Blogger Whispering Walls said...

I missed you in the crowd, Liz!

I doubt it, KL.

You would have enjoyed it, WL

7:40 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Depends where KL was at school. I have seen Andy's brother - at Easter - and they look very very alike. He also has two sisters so maybe it's not beyond the bounds ...

By the way, you forgot to mention our Young Richard up in the loft as Assist Org! Bless Him! He's now directing the Nave Choir and we're loving working with him and choir numbers are definitely increasing which is wonderful.

I legged it straight after the concert as I couldn't afford to pay out any more and I thought I'd make the 2008 train instead!

L

8:03 am  
Blogger Eurodog said...

KL, I was at school in London with a Patrick Lumsden.

7:48 pm  
Blogger Whispering Walls said...

Hi Liz and ED, KL was at Rugby. You missed a good garden party, Liz!

7:37 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

But at least I DIDN'T miss the train! It was a long enough day for me as it was, albeit worth it.

have a good day.
L

7:55 am  

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