Wonderful Hall in Huddersfield, UK

Huddersfield Town Hall - built 1860

In the pouring rain, I discovered that the Town Hall was much closer to the hotel than I had thought.

Across the highway (being careful to look in BOTH directions - cars always coming from the "wrong" direction), past the Snooker Club (a game I have never understood), over the tiny canal bridge, then up the hill past the University where there is a spectacular costume designing shop with huge plate glass windows so that you can look in (I have always loved to sew historical costumes), up the stairs and there sat the sandstone huge Town Hall fully illuminated against the dark sky. 

If we thought that we would be unnoticed, we were wrong. Our English manager had called ahead and, as we sat listening to the rehearsal, the secretary, the treasurer, and many other choir officials stopped by to whisper their welcomes. Then at the end of the rehearsal the president stood up and announced "Maestro Stephen Simon and Bonnie Simon have come all the way from New York specifically to hear our Christmas Concert," and great applause broke out.  The sound of the chorus is this huge beautifully blended ensemble with the impeccable English choirboy pitch. The organist sitting at the console high above the choir was the arranger for some of the carols. The Black Dyke brass band is one of northern England's best in this area where there once were many coal mines and where there has always been a rich brass band tradition. The choir claimed that they were "marking" last night; if that is so, they will blow the roof off tonight.

We have been invited to the pre-concert cocktail party, drinks at intermission with the choir, and dinner afterwards. It should be a jolly affair!

Time for a nap so that jetlag does not catch up with me before the post-concert supper.