Posted on 24 November 2011
The annual Festival of Saint Cecilia, which took place on Wednesday 23 November and celebrated the Musicians Benevolent Fund's 90th birthday, proved once again to be a great success.
The sell-out Festival began in Westminster Cathedral with a celebratory Service, preceded by a procession of the Livery Companies. The festivities then moved to Banqueting House for the Festival Lunch, which began with a trumpet fanfare and concluded with a hugely successful Silent Auction.
Tickets for the Festival Service sold out weeks before the event, and queues of people waited in the crisp November weather for the Great West Door to be opened. With the Cathedral full to the rafters, the Livery Procession entered the building, followed by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Westminster, the clergy and the members of the massed choirs of Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. Martin Baker directed the choir in a number of motets, including a new version of Ronald Corp's Laudate Dominum - commissioned this year by the Musicians Benevolent Fund and the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust - as well as works by Victoria, Croce and Elgar.
Renowned mezzo-soprano Dame Felicity Palmer read a lesson, as did 14-year-old Lawrence Elwes, great-great-grandson of the man in whose name the Fund was founded ninety years ago, the tenor Gervase Elwes. The Archbishop of Westminster, The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, gave a wonderfully insightful Address, and the congregration was in good voice fo a selection of rousing hymns.
Over at Banqueting House, guests were treated to a champagne drinks reception in the Undercroft followed by a delicious three course lunch in the beautiful Banqueting Hall, stunningly arrayed with autumnal colours. The Fund's President Sir Peter Maxwell Davies gave an entertaining speech, and vocal group VOCES8, previous Fund award recipients, gave a very special performance of pieces from their wide-ranging repertoire. Finally, the lucky prize-winners of the Silent Auction were announced. This year the Auction raised over £6,000 for musicians in need - a sum that bears witness to the quality of the donated prizes, and success of this year's Festival in general.
The Musicians Benevolent Fund would like to thank all who supported the Festival of Saint Cecilia 2011 - we look forward to next year's event!