Canada day 2 - From Basilica to Burgers

Well, as expected, the pupils were awake far earlier than you might imagine. There can’t be many occasions when teenagers are happily up and about by 6am, but jetlag does funny things to people! Most had breakfast at least once—some twice—and we were all ready in good time for the morning meeting. Despite the classic post-flight restless sleep, spirits were high and energy levels surprisingly buoyant as we set off for our first performances of the trip at Saint Joseph’s Oratory.

It’s an interesting drive across Montreal to get there, and we were treated to an amazing view of the skyline before heading up the hill to this vast and imposing basilica. We offloaded from the coach and took a series of escalators into the crypt beneath the main church, where the English Mass was taking place. The pupils sat beautifully throughout—a new experience for many of them, to attend a Mass we weren’t performing in. They took it all in with great respect, even gamely joining in when the cantor led some rather idiosyncratic congregational singing!

Afterwards, it was straight into our first choral performance of the trip. We sang seven pieces to a congregation of several hundred, who stayed on after the service and were clearly very appreciative. The turnaround from Mass to music was tight, with no warm-up time at all, but the pupils rose to the occasion magnificently. Miss Taylor gamely tackled an unfamiliar electronic keyboard, Mr Allen conducted with calm efficiency, and the choir sang with beauty and poise.

Then it was out onto the steps of the Oratory for our first band performance. Against the stunning backdrop of Montreal, the band played a number of marches for an enthusiastic crowd. It was noticeably chillier outside than inside the basilica, but the band adjusted brilliantly.

Special mentions go to David, who hauls the hefty bass drum everywhere and provides the band’s all-important pulse—always with a grin on his face. Tommy gave us superb piccolo playing, and the rest of the woodwind, brass and percussion sections truly delivered. "Firework" was a huge hit with the audience—it may well become the unofficial anthem of the tour. There’s something magical about seeing the band lift their playing when the audience reacts positively. I suspect Katy Perry will be featuring heavily in the coming days!

We then had a tour of the Oratory itself. The main basilica is absolutely colossal—truly impressive, and pupils were extremely impressed with the worthy competitor for the RHS Chapel Organ. Yes – theirs might look bigger and have fancy trumpets sticking out of it – but ours has 200 more pipes…. So there…!

After a very speedy lunch near Christ Church Cathedral, the choir had a brief rehearsal before singing Evensong which was broadcast live on the radio and streamed on YouTube. Mr Allen described it as some of the finest singing he’s heard from the choir (even in our smaller size for this trip)—a remarkable feat considering how tired they all were. Evensong is demanding, with barely a moment to breathe, but they handled it brilliantly. It was a privilege to stand among them. The cathedral had one of its largest Evensong congregations in a while—many tourists stayed once they heard the quality of the singing.

Once again, it was straight from one performance to another, with the band playing on the cathedral steps. A huge crowd gathered, and the band rose to the occasion with confidence and flair, despite being half the size of our usual RHS band. They even took audience requests! We played most of our marches and the final piece ended with a huge cheer and then shouts of “more, more” – which is always a great thing to hear at the end of a performance for sure!

So, four performances in one day—an astonishing feat, particularly for pupils dealing with jetlag, new surroundings, and some unexpected challenges. British Airways has still not (yet!) delivered some of our luggage, so several pupils performed without full uniform or their usual instruments. Yet they handled it all with resilience, good humour, and incredible professionalism. We are so proud of them.

Dinner was a hearty affair at a local restaurant—mountains of pizza, spaghetti, burgers, chicken goujons, salads, and desserts. I’m honestly surprised the restaurant had anything left in the fridge. The pupils were charming, sociable, and extremely well-behaved. The staff complimented us, saying we were one of the best school groups they’ve hosted. That’s always lovely to hear!

As I write this, the pupils are heading to bed—some barely staying awake long enough to brush their teeth. I suspect the snoring will begin very soon…

The Headmaster often speaks of the RHS values: Respect, Honour, and Service. Today, we’ve seen those qualities in abundance. Performing in unfamiliar places while sleep-deprived and equipment-light is no small thing—but they did it, and did it brilliantly.

A huge shout-out to Mr Allen, whose direction today has been nothing short of exceptional. He’s had to make musical decisions on the fly in venues he’s never seen before, and he’s done it all with grace, clarity, and professionalism. The pupils trust him completely, and that confidence shines through in their performances.

And finally, a tip of the hat to Miss King and Miss Taylor, who have spent much of the day retrieving scattered music, uniforms, and instruments from every corner of Montreal. Teenagers do have a knack for shedding belongings like breadcrumbs! If your child returns with everything they brought, it’ll be nothing short of a miracle—but rest assured, we are trying our very best.

Lots more to look forward to tomorrow!