Some things have to planned way in advance.  An overseas trip might be one example, an expedition to the outback another.  When you start the planning with, say, organising tickets or establishing a route, the event seems a long way off.  And it stays a long way off in your mind, through all the planning and preparation, right up to a day or so before the day of departure.  Then it suddenly rushes up at you, and it’s there.  It is time to set off.

A German Requiem has been a bit like that.  We have carefully rehearsed every movement several times over the course of fourteen long weeks.  Committee members have been preparing the logistics of publicity, tickets, venue, orchestra, soloists and a host of other details.  Until recently it has seemed that the concert itself was a long way off, almost over the horizon.

And then, yesterday evening, suddenly it all became real.  In the barn-like large hall at Collaroy Plateau Public School, we came together with the orchestra and soloists.  What a sound!  What fabulous music!

And then last night in the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel it all sounded even better.  We were confident, we did not fluff any notes (well, very few!), the orchestra sounded spot on, and the soloists were magnificent.  Carlos must have been well pleased as he did not ask us to repeat much and he let us off early – that does not happen often!

And the best bit?  We get to do it all again on Saturday, this time sharing our appreciation of this wonderful music with 300 people in the audience, who I am sure will derive just as much pleasure from our singing as we do ourselves.