Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

OK, I've not posted on here for some time, so I apologise if this comes slightly out of the blue (as it were!), but I thought that some of you may be interested in this.

I play as part of a cello trio ("The Extreme Cellists") that plays in unusual places to raise money for charity. We formed about three years ago, based on the concept of "extreme ironing", but with more artistic intentions.

Well, this summer we’re undertaking another ridiculous venture. Between July 24th and August 4th, we’re going to play on the roofs of all 42 Cathedrals in England. That’s about 1900 miles, and 42 performances, in 12 days. We’re doing this to raise money for two charities – Shelter and ASPIRE.

Full(ish) details of what we’re doing can be found at http://www.extreme-cello.com/Cathedrals.htm . Do feel free to come and watch us at your local Cathedral if you’re so inclined! We’ll be posting more accurate times of our performances in a couple of weeks, although each one will only last about 10 minutes.

If you feel like making a donation to either of the charities, you can do that via the web site as well (I’ve included direct links to the donation pages below). Many of you will know about Shelter; ASPIRE is perhaps less well-known, but does an excellent job supporting and rehabilitating young people with spinal injuries (more information on our web site if you’re interested).

Best wishes to all!

Jeremy Dawson
(Lamb B/Lamb A 87-94)

Truely bonkers but best of luck to you!

Good to see you're still playing.

I'll try to come to the Southwark one.

Great Plum wrote:Truely bonkers but best of luck to you!

Take your Ironing Board also - isn't extreme ironing almost a recognised sport now?

You're mad.......tell us when the pics are out!

There was a small article about the cello butters today in the Metro!

Is there any truth to the rumour that female cellist's like a big fiddle between their lrgs ?

What's a lrg?

Great Plum wrote:What's a lrg?

Bad proof reading, Matt. Maybe 'legs' makes the picture clearer !

J.R. wrote:Is there any truth to the rumour that female cellist's like a big fiddle between their lrgs ?

"Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands, and all you can do is scratch it!"
(Sir Thomas Beecham's famous line to a female cellist)

Just to let you know that everything went well... we got to all 42 Cathedrals in 12 days as planned... no-one fell off any roofs either! We've raised (so far) over £4,000 for the charities, and appeared in/on goodness-knows-how-many newspapers, radio stations, TV stations (including a live slot on BBC News 24 )... and had lots of ideas for future ventures!

And if you're really interested in the pics... go to http://www.extreme-cello.com/Cathedrals.htm, where there are lots of galleries as well as other bits and pieces about the tour.

Cheers!
Jeremy

did you play in leicester?
i definatly saw some instruments and people climbing up a ladder

Wow! I heard about this on the radio and thought how brilliant etc etc but I didn't DO anything. I would have done if there had been a demonstrable Old Blue connection.
My local Cathedral is Chichester.............tell me how it went there?
Kerre

kerrensimmonds wrote:Wow! I heard about this on the radio and thought how brilliant etc etc but I didn't DO anything. I would have done if there had been a demonstrable Old Blue connection.

My local Cathedral is Chichester.............tell me how it went there?

Kerre

I think it was built from old stones very many years ago !!

Ha Ha

kerrensimmonds wrote:Wow! I heard about this on the radio and thought how brilliant etc etc but I didn't DO anything. I would have done if there had been a demonstrable Old Blue connection.
My local Cathedral is Chichester.............tell me how it went there?
Kerre

Chichester was nice... although we didn't actually get to play on the roof there because there were peregrine falcons nesting there at the time. Instead we played from high up inside the Cathedral (on the triforium), which had the necessary extremity and also a superb acoustic, even if the view was a bit different!

Interesting that you heard it on the radio... I actually attempted a live interview on BBC Southern Counties Radio just before we played. Unfortunately the reception on the phone was so poor that the interview wasn't very good at all. A shame - I was planning to mention the CH connection!

ben ashton wrote:did you play in leicester?
i definatly saw some instruments and people climbing up a ladder

Yep, that was probably us, if it was about midday on Sunday 30th July anyway! We played there at the end of the morning service (having played on the roof at Radio Leicester before the service...). Interestingly, the marketing manager there (who looked after the press for us) was another Old Blue... Sarah Fuggle (CH 91-98, not sure which house), who was a cellist as well!

Another CH connection on the tour... at Lichfield Cathedral we went for a cup of tea in the refectory before playing; we were served by a young chap who we discovered was not only the son of the Dean of Lichfield (doing holiday work), but is a current CH pupil... just about to start his Grecians, I believe.

I don't think it was the local radio on which I heard about it.. it would have been either Classic FM or Radio 3 - more likely the former. Yes the Peregrine Falcons in the tower at Chichester are now a routine fixture, with webcam and all the rest. But I am sure you must have enjoyed the triforium - it always looks ghastlily high to me! I am sorry I did not know about the CH connection as I most certainly would have supported you, and brought my mates along as well (many of them Old Blues, and some with direct connections with Chichester Cathedral).
Let us know in advance next time!