The OLS Annual Dinner combined with a Glee Club and Pepys Society Reunion

This is an open letter to all OL's encouraging you to join us at the OLS Annual Dinner in Cambridge later this year.  Wives, husbands, partners and friends are always welcome.

Two years ago we were privileged to have Mark Waldron, sometime housemaster of School as guest speaker and with a strong following of supporters from his generation at The Leys.  Last year we were treated with a guest speaker in the finest traditions of the Yorkshire After Dinner circuit.  This year we are seeking to change the format a little.  There will be no guest speaker, instead we will offer a little nostalgia with a trip down memory lane recalling those magical days of spirituals and close harmony from The Glee Club and Pepys era.

Many of you will know of my enthusiasm for Ken Naylor and his music.  About six years ago I started my "Naylor Music" project and, although it faltered when I was recalled to Industrial Colours for a few years, now at last all is close to fruition.  Most manuscripts are at 2nd proof stage, copyrights negotiations with OUP have been resolved satisfactorily, and December 2011 is a practical publication date.

There are likely to be 8 volumes.  They will cover all his hymns: his hymns with brass; church music including the Benedicite and Jubilate; the spirituals; close harmony for the supertonics and others;  the Louis Halsey show songs; his SATB arrangements; and ATTBBB arrangements.  I owe deep thanks to many, especially Jeremy Willis (who understands why a Bb is a C on a Bb trumpet score), Robert Weddle for his wise council and guidance, and to Derek and Jean Baker who rescued and cared for all KNN's manuscripts.  All the originals are destined for the Cripps Library at Magdalene College.  The next stage is to initiate some concerts, recordings and recovery of KNN's box of reel-to-reel tapes.

At the dinner we are proposing a short concert of Naylor favourites.   We have encouraging early interest, Steve Benson has agreed to join us, and hopefully some of todays pupils and staff may also join us.  David Proud, now Chairman of Great Western Chorus and early Glee Club member, has agreed to lick us into shape at an afternoon rehearsal at 3pm in The Music School.  His expertise also includes providing part level practice CD's beforehand for familiarisation and personal hum-through rehearsal in the car!  Not all of you may be inspired to join; others will find the journey too far.  Hopefully enough will be able to make the pilgrimage for what we hope will be an enjoyable if nostalgic evening.  

To those I have already contacted thank you for your positive responses. To others I failed to detect, please consider coming to join us.

I have included in these pages some useful material that might jog the memory and rehersal tracks for each part that may encourage you to join us. There is a pdf of all the music and a Sibelius-generated all chorus track.  Just as soon as we may we will also post computer-generated tracks with words.  Amazing what may be achieved with modern technology.