RSCM Waikato and the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary did have wonderful plans for a joint choral event to celebrate the patronal festival of the Cathedral on the weekend of August 16th & 17th. However, sometimes wisdom is recognising when doors are being closed.
And so it was, with both your RSCM committee and the Cathedral’s Director of Music (Christopher Luke) making the prudent decision to postpone our joint choral event to 2026.
Part of our plan was to celebrate the Cathedral’s fine sacred music tradition with a gift from RSCM for their Cathedral Strengthening Fund. I am pleased to say that this still happened. RSCM’s Secretary/Treasurer, Merv Hunt, his wife Marion and his sister-in-law Susan, were given a hearty welcome to the Cathedral’s patronal service on Sunday, August 17th by Dean Jay Ruka, Vicar Rev. Dan Lander, along with Christopher Luke and his superb cathedral choristers.
The hymns chosen for the service were:
- Sing We of the Blessed Mother (Abbot’s Leigh)
- For Mary, Mother of Our Lord (St Botolph)
- Alleluia, Sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol)
- Tell Out my Soul (Woodlands).
The Communion Motet was a lovely rendition by the choir of Ave Maria – composed by the DOM himself. Indeed, the Postlude – Marche Héroïque – was also composed by Christopher.
The congregation loved it. Toward the end of the service, assisted by committee member Beverley Glover-Paix, I was able to honour the many years of service given to the Cathedral community by the Choristers and Director of Music, by presenting a gift of $500 to the Cathedral Strengthening Fund. I must add that this gift was made possible because of the Guyon Wells RSCM Fellowship Trust and also a generous gift to RSCM by St Paul’s Putaruru!
The morning was topped off by we three visitors walking across the road to Te Whare Hononga – an amazing exhibition space focusing on justice and reconciliation. It so happened that the Wellington Youth Choir was visiting at the same time. They paused, stood in a circle, and unaccompanied, sang Whakataka te Hau in four-part harmony. Very moving.
(Merv Hunt)