On Saturday evening it was off to a concert by the Highgate Choral Society at St Joseph’s Church (Highgate Hill). Apart from some Christmas choral concerts at St John’s in Smith Square, choral music hasn’t been my musical place – despite having such wonderful local groups as this one and the Crouch End Festival Chorus.

But – I was invited to become a patron of the Highgate Choral Society, so it was off to attend the concert to see and support them. And it was absolutely wonderful. The first piece was Haydn’s Nelson Mass – which was soaring and uplifting. The second piece (which everyone warned me was ‘challenging’ and not at all ‘traditional’) I really liked. It was ‘modern’ by choral standards – and the composer, Paul Patterson (who is a Highgate residents) was actually there. In eight parts, it veered from discordant to melodic and dramatic.

The choir itself must have numbered eighty or so people – plus there was the New London Orchestra, four soloists and Ronald Corp conducting. All in all, a great local evening and the church was absolutely packed out with hundreds of people.