Saturday 17th of March saw a final run-through in South Zeal at 10.am before heading off to Exeter for the competition. Two dozen of us took part this year, including our accompanist, Sam Cooper. The first class entered was the 'Carol Class' for which we had prepared Rutter's 'Christmas Lullaby' and Mary Weaver's 'Hail Jesu Bambino'. We were on first, at 12.15, were followed by the Exeter Festival Chorus (numbering around 50) and subsequently Bel Canto (numbering around a dozen). 86 marks and 2nd place. At 1.50 were were up against the Bel Canto and the Chorus' splinter-group, 'Exevox' for the Small Mixed Choir entry. We performed Thomas Ford's 'Since First I saw Your Face' and Irving Berlin's 'Blue Skies'. Again, 86 marks and 2nd place after Exevox. In all, ten weeks hard work and memorising all the works paid off and everyone had a great time; it was the first time a few members had entered anything like this type of event and I have received a lot of positive feedback fro them. Here's to our next entry - and topping the Festival Chorus