Am I a blessed chorister or what?

As I think I have mentioned in a previous post, one of the cool things about studying at the UFT is that I get to sit under the teaching of some luminaries (who would have thunk it, in little old Melbun? :-) Well, that is not just true of the theological side of things. One of the faculty at the Jesuit Theological College is Christopher Willcock SJ.

As a chorister in Hobart, I had heard of Christopher, and even sung some of his compositions (and some of his compositions are also included in the second edition of the Australian Hymnbook, Together in Song).

This week I have the opportunity to sing with a group performing a work which Christopher wrote a few years ago, and will see its second ever performance for the occasion of the official opening of the Dalton McCaughey Library. Because the library is a joint venture of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, and the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), Chris has invited representatives from both of our colleges to make up a small choir to sing this work during the opening festivities.

And, although not quite as famous as Christopher Willcock, one of my fellow ministerial candidates, Martin Wright, also writes music, and has been rather prolific of late. Towards the end of last year a number of us from the Theological College and Queen's College communities enjoyed a recital which premièred a luscious song cycle for piano and baritone, which Martin composed. More recently the Queen's College Choir has benefited from some of Martin's briefer liturgical works (including a psalm setting and sung intercessory responses).

It's very exciting to be in a place where there are creative people, and opportunities to share in the products of their creativity... ahhhhhh... life is indeed good :-)