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Our London on Location course enjoyed two beautiful weeks “across the pond” this May.
Day 1: After a “red-eye” flight, we arrived in the beautiful city of London. We settled in at the Highbury Centre, walked through the attached rose garden, rode a red double-decker bus, and shared a traditional fish ‘n’ chips dinner. We turned in early, attempting to recover from jet lag in anticipation of the next day’s activities.
Day 2: We explored the British Museum on our first full day in the city. Some favorites were the Rosetta Stone, ruins from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Rembrandt’s “nocturne” nativity drawings, and a glazed brick lion from the Throne Room of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. An official document chronicling his conquest of Jerusalem and a clay tablet stating the dimensions of the Tower of Babel confirmed Biblical history. In a proclamation on another tablet, King Nebuchadnezzar validated scripture by describing himself as a seeker of the truth. That evening, we heard the Britten Sinfonia perform Beethoven’s 7th and 8th Symphonies at Barbican Hall.
Day 3: We went to Hatchards (London’s oldest bookshop, established in 1797), Fortnum & Mason (which Dr. Landrum lovingly calls the “Taj Mahal of food emporiums”), Buckingham Palace, Green Park, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery. We heard the delightful choral group MOUSAI perform a program titled “Reverent Cadence and Subtle Psalm” at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, and capped off the evening with a wonderful performance of Fiddler on the Roof at Playhouse Theatre.
Day 4: We explored the Tower of London, including the breathtaking crown jewels, palace, fortress, armory, and prison. Simply walking the grounds and taking in the view of Tower Bridge over the Thames was a treat! We then ventured over to the Churchill War Rooms. It was thrilling walking through the hallways from which England fought World War II and seeing the desk from which Churchill broadcast his famous BBC speeches. Hearing Southbank Sinfonia at Kings Place was a great way to end the day.
Day 5: We saw an extensive Van Gogh exhibit at the Tate Britain, including his famous self-portraits and sunflowers. We heard pianist Mirian Conti as part of the Lunchtime Recital Series at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly. That evening, we went to the Royal Opera House to see Andrea Chénier.
Day 6: We spent Saturday at Kew Palace and Gardens. Some favorites were the Treetop Walkway, Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, the Royal Kitchens, the Great Pagoda, and impressive greenhouses including the Temperate House and Palm House. That evening, we went to a concert in celebration of Victoria and Albert’s 200th birthdays at Cadogan Hall.
Day 7: On Sunday, our students went to various churches around the city. We marveled at baritone Jacques Imbrailo’s recital at Wigmore Hall and were blessed to hear Benjamin Grosvenor with the Doric Quartet at the Barbican in the evening.
Day 8: To start the new week, we toured St. Paul’s cathedral, climbing the 528 steps to the top of the dome to see the best view in the city and also venturing down into the crypt. We walked across the bridge to Southwark Cathedral, the oldest Gothic cathedral in England. We saw seats named for Dickens, Shakespeare, Bunyan, and Wilberforce, who all regularly attended at different points in the church’s history. We shared High Tea, meandered around some of our favorite spots in the city, and headed back for the night.
Day 9: We enjoyed an organ recital at St. George’s, toured Handel’s House and stood in the room where he composed Messiah, went to Evensong at Westminster Abbey, and heard the Barts Choir perform Verdi’s Requiem in Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre.
Day 10: Several students went shopping at Camdentown; others went to Kensington Palace. Queen Victoria was born, grew up, and first met Albert in Kensington Palace, and it is now home to Prince William and Kate Middleton. We met back up for tours of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. At Westminster, we went up into the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries which showcased the most breathtaking view of the cathedral. Standing among the rafters, the windows were the only thing between us and the gargoyles. It was thrilling. We walked past the London Eye, enjoyed dinner together, and saw a historic performance of Gluck’s Tales from Ovid at Queen Elizabeth Hall in Southbank Centre.
Day 11: We went to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre for a tour and performance of Henry V. We got the full peasant experience, standing in the dirt right in front of the stage and interacting with the actors. We saw another musical that evening as a final celebration in the city.
Day 12: We headed home, full of inspiration to bring to our art, stories to bring to our music, and memories to last a lifetime.
Photos by Bailey Thompson & Emily Hutchinson
Written by Emily Hutchinson, 7.18.19
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