Concert

My dear Friends

Sorry for the silence but I have been preparing for a Concert for Peace and Reconciliation. It took place yesterday. Some of you may know that around 2003 I met an elderly lady called Dr Sessions, a remarkable lady with a remarkable life. We were sitting in a beautiful garden in Cambridge one day and she suddenly said to me' You have to sing for your supper.' And so the series of concerts began, some in college chapels like Clare and Pembroke, one in a lovely hall in Wolfson college, again in Robinson college where I sang at my best, and now in the chancel of Michaelhouse, a cafe and a church which dates back a long way.

Thirty assorted people gathered yesterday to hear me play. The first to arrive was an American Jewish lady who asked me if I knew it was the Jewish Pentecost, which I did. It is a grace-filled time, as it is also between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost in the church, with the descent of the Holy Spirit.

I started the concert with Blowing in the Wind-I had the words printed on the programmes so everyone was able to sing-and they did! We came full circle at the end as when my time was up I asked them what they wanted and they said-to sing Blowing in the Wind all over again, which they did and it was quite moving.

Last thing on my mind by Tom Paxton was another favourite-every song in my breast dies a-borning says the last verse and a member of the audience explained what that meant. Otherwise there was my usual mix-Donna donna(originally composed for the Yiddish theatre), All my trials -'you know your mamma was born to die' and my best performances were Autumn leaves, a classic love song and Last night I had the strangest dream by Ed McCurdy. a dutiful anti-war song.

I couldn't leave out the Jewish music and there were three, culminating in Hinay Matov, psalm 133, which speaks of how good and pleasant a tribe of brothers living together.

I am very grateful to Annabel, the Chaplain of Michaelhouse, and Sue Binns, for allowing me to sing there in such a beautiful and historic place.

Shalom from

Sister Gila