With a voice of singing


I first began to sing some 60 years ago as a little boy at Greenbank Infants’ School on Bristol, U.K.   

A bit later I began to enjoy singing between the ages of 9 and 11 at Eastville Junior Mixed School.

Then I learned to sing, first as a treble and then as a baritone at Fairfield Grammar School (1955-1960).

In my Priestly ministry I used my strong voice to “bring out” congregational singing in Fitchburg, Chicopee, Pittsfield and Cambridge (each town in Massachusetts).

Note that I said “my strong voice”.  Mine is not a great voice, but it is able to keep tune and have a powerful volume.

I’ve not sung in a choir on a regular basis since those FGS days (1955-1960).  

 True enough I have been a pinch hitter in each of those four congregations, but I’ve never had a sustained commitment to choral singing.  

 (I’ve always believed that my sight reading is poor, so I have shied away from joining local choral groups).

With the gracious encouragement of Seth Wertz, Director of Music at St. Boniface Church, Siesta Kay, FL, I have joined the summer choir there.

I sang with the choir this morning.  We rehearsed at 8:00 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. service.  My sight reading was better than I’d thought, but I still have a problem with timing.

Despite this, I felt privileged and blessed to be singing again.  It felt so very wonderful to be part of a choir.

As I sang I thanked Mr. W.J. Richards, Music Master at Fairfield Grammar School for introducing me to the joys of choral music all those years ago.


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