The hills are alive with the sound of Medici

Just after Easter 2004, the choir's destination was Salzburg, famous for its mountains, castle and The Sound of Music. Salzburg's most famous son is, of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Always ready for a challenge, the choir's programme was headed by Mozart's Coronation Mass sung in Latin. It might sound as if we were transporting coals to Newcastle, but the cunning plan also included Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms - sung in Hebrew.

The choir stayed at a luxurious hotel in picturesque St Gilgen, Mozart's mother's birthplace. Our invitation from the local church to sing the Coronation Mass as a part of its Sunday worship was enthusiastically received. The choir also extended its multi-lingual repertoire by leading the congregation in singing the hymns in the service in German.

The choir improved their German skills further on visiting Berlin in 2005.