Michael Reckord, Gleaner Writer

Kingston College (KC) Chapel Choir's Christmas Concert 2008 last Sunday was an undoubted success. The audience filled the main seating section of the University Chapel at Mona, enthusiastically applauding every item, but one (that being one of four hymns sung by both audience and choir).

The conductor, Audley Davidson, was also pleased. Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner by telephone from his bed at 10 o'clock the following morning, he confessed to actually being "taken aback by the high quality" of the singing.

He was still in bed because all his energy had been zapped by several hectic weeks of work, he said. The printed programme for the concert hints at some reasons for the stress.

Significant changes

It states, "The Choir has undergone significant changes this year, with the recruitment of Audley Davidson as director. Audley joined the choir one week prior to the memorial service for legendary football coach George Thompson at St Andrew Parish Church this past summer. Since then, the annual audition of first formers has taken place and new trebles have been added. The choir's repertoire has also undergone changes and new pieces have had to be learnt, while preserving old favourites."

In addition, Davidson had to contend with the chapel on the North Street campus and its organ being out of use "due to ongoing repairs".

Rehearsals had to take place in the school's boardroom or on the Melbourne campus, Davidson said. The two were neither ideal nor always available, with the boardroom being "often needed for meetings".

Rehearsals moved up from a twice-a-week schedule for the full choir to "every day (Monday to Saturdays) for the trebles, coming up to the concert", said Davidson. "It was very hectic."

He paid tribute to the training of previous director Wayne Moore, who was in the post from 1985, after being a choir member from 1976. Because of Moore's work and the "natural talent" of the boys, Davidson said, he found them easy to work with.

But Davidson is not only the director of the KC Chapel choir. He has three other related jobs. He is also the choir trainer of the North Western Chorale, the organist and choir trainer at St Andrew Parish Church, and the choir trainer and an accompanist of the Ocho Rios Baptist Church choir.

"So on Monday afternoons when I'm through with KC I have to rush to Ocho Rios," Davidson said.

No time to sleep

Two of these choirs have imminent functions. The Ocho Rios choir has a cantata today, while the North Western Chorale is preparing for a concert in January at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

With all the preparation and rushing from town to town, Davidson said, "Sometimes I don't even have time to sleep".

To the question of why he pushes himself so hard, Davidson replied: "Oh, Lord! I love it. That's what makes me happy."

He said his preference for classical music came while he was singing with the school choir at Montego Bay Secondary School (later renamed St James High School). Because fellow choristers disliked one music teacher, Davidson was often the only one present for practice. "So," he said, "I received all the attention."

After high school he joined North Western Chorale and continued singing alto. There, he also became accompanist and then choir director. At about that time he also started taking organ lessons in Kingston in the summer with John Binns at Campion College.

"When I brought the North Western Choir to Kingston, I was instantly made an offer to become choir director at the St Andrew Parish Church," he said. He has been based in Kingston from 2003.

Davidson admitted to feeling "a little nervous" before last Sunday's concert. One reason was that he had departed somewhat from the traditional fare.

A lover of Bach, Handel and Mozart, he had put those composers in the line-up. They were three on a very varied programme which also included well-known names like Vivaldi, Grieg, Purcell, Rutter and Willocks, as well as a couple of Jamaican Christmas carols - Hossanah, De Baby Bawn Oh (Louise Bennett and Noel Dexter) and Tenk you for de Christmas (Michael Burnett).

Glorious singing

Much of the pleasure experienced by the audience was due to the glorious singing by guest soprano, Lori Burnett. With treble Khaleel Williams, she sang Laudamus Te (Vivaldi), and was soloist for Mozart's Alleluia and Laudate Dominum.

To the final question, if his hectic schedule would continue in 2009, Davidson replied, "There might be slight changes, but it will be just as hectic."