Hi DCS- We’re about halfway through this trip, and it’s a pretty big one tomorrow. Dr. Head is going to send out an extra message tomorrow morning, so this is just the most important logistics of what you need to know. I’m going to lay the trip out in three sections, as each section has its own special eccentricities. If you have questions or concerns, ask away. P.S. You sounded phenomenal when I was listening at Chester Cathedral today. Isn’t it fun to sing in those spaces?!
The Early Morning– on the bus in Concert Attire!
MILL HOTEL (aka midnight train to Hythe): You need to be packed and checked out by breakfast at 6:30 am. We are going STRAIGHT from Llangollen to Hythe tomorrow, with no return to Chester. They opened breakfast at the hotel early specifically for us, and we’ll need time to load your bags on the bus to Llangollen. I would pack your “carry on” with whatever you need for the day, which might be a change of clothes or shoes, music, water, extra zest for life, etc., as you will not have time or availability to dig through your main suitcase tomorrow.
MOXY HOTEL: You need to be outside of The Mill at 6:55 am to load up the bus. You should also only have whatever you need for the day (see above!)
All Choir Members: You should be in Concert Attire for the morning departure, but feel free to bring a change of clothes for later in the day if you want to take a break from being in your formalwear between the second set/hopefully finals.
At the Competition
For everyone: When we get to Llangollen, we will stop at one of the Airbnbs, Whitewater Cottage, to unload the Byrd Choir bags, and then it’s competition time! We know we need to be backstage for our first set at 9:47 am and our second set at 1:03 pm, and aside from that….Here’s where I ask for your patience as we learn more about the day as it unfolds. Stay tuned (and in tune! …the jokes are only going to get worse as I get more tired, buckle up.)
Departure from Llangollen into the night
Byrd Choir (GROUP 1): We will go en masse back to Whitewater Cottage, pick up our luggage, and load the bus to depart at 11 pm. When we get to Hythe in the middle of the night, we will unload as quickly as possible and get checked in for a few hours of bed sleep before walking over to St. Leonard’s Church, probably around 8:45 am.
Everyone else (GROUP 2): Led by Dr. Aimee Pearsall, you will also depart at 11 pm back to Chester and return to The Moxy Hotel*. On Sunday morning, you’ll get picked up and join everyone else in Hythe! Stay tuned for more information about that on Saturday afternoon/evening.
*Special instances: Claudia and Rich Fischer will stay at the Mill, Aimee and Lori will check into the Moxy Hotel