The Men in Southwell 25th January 2014   Burns’ Night 2014 (25th January) saw a disappointing lack of haggis but an excellent educational opportunity and a cracking curry for our choral scholars courtesy of the professional lay clerks of Southwell Minster. Our Travis Organ Fellow, Hilary Punnett, came to All Saints from her post as organ scholar at Southwell. She kindly and efficiently utilised her contacts there to provide a fantastic trip for the choral scholars. We arrived safely at the beautiful Minster after a tortuously stormy journey and were privileged to witness the boys’ choir rehearsal before attending a stunningly sung Evensong. After the service the choral scholars were involved in the lay clerks’ rehearsal with the intention of giving them a real sense of life as a professional Cathedral singer. Put to work by Southwell Assistant Director of Music, Simon Hogan, they sang Byrd Gloria tibi Domine, O quam gloriosum, Leighton Responses, Howells Gloucester Service and Bairstow Though I speak with the tongue of men and of angels. They learned a lot from the constructive criticism and ‘leading by example’ techniques employed by the talented lay clerks.   After an intensive rehearsal demonstrating the decorum and professionalism required for such a job, the choral scholars were introduced to each of the lay clerks in a question and answer session and then it was off to the restaurant for the weekly curry for our men to see the close community and fun side of working together in a cathedral – delicious it was too! All this was funded by Southwell Choral Outreach Programme and proved a really useful and enjoyable experience for our choral scholars and for which we extend sincere thanks and gratitude.