It has taken a few weeks, but the ticket money has now been collected, verified and forwarded to me - and I am delighted to report that I have been able to send a total of £8000 to our two causes - The Cathedral Music Trust and the National Autistic Society (£4k each!).

So, it is high time for a final round of Thank-You's to everyone who made this wonderful evening happen:

  • To Alexander (aka Xander!) Armstrong - and his wife Hannah, to his Mum and Dad, Virginia and Angus Armstrong and Xander's son and former New College chorister, Paddy (now part of Eton Incognitos);
  • To fellow musicians, The Choir of St George's Chapel Windsor Castle and their Musical Director, James Vivian and Deputy Director, organist Luke Bond;
  • To Xander's old school and college friends, Will Todd, Juliette Pochin and James Morgan, Canon Alan Gyle (and to Provost John Conway and the staff of St Mary's Cathedral Edinburgh for the use of their song school and wifi);
  • To soloist Miriam Allan and trumpeter Robert Vanryne;
  • To the Eton Icognitos, led by Kasper Lootens and supervised by Ed Yeo;
  • To James Wilkinson, Director of Music at St George's School, Windsor Castle for the loan of his piano;
  • To The Dean and Canons of Windsor for the use of St George's Chapel, and to Chapter Clerk, Charlotte Manley and Music Administrator, Chessy Alden for their invaluable assistance;
  • To the Chapel Stewards, led by Linda Aitken for their expert and warm welcome for our audience;
    • ...all of whom offered their services pro bono.

Thanks too for the following professional assistance, supplied at a discount rate:

  • Our AV supplier - Oscar Thompson and Sound-Works.co.uk
  • Ticket Office at RBWM, led by Julia White and Claudia Bombana

From me, my wife Sarah and sons Fred, Billy and Ted - on behalf of CMT and NAS - THANK-YOU! Martin

Alexander Armstrong

Alexander is the morning presenter on Classic FM - and the host of the long running BBC quiz show Pointless. He started his musical journey as a Chorister at Edinburgh St Mary's; continued singing at Durham School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He has released three studio albums. In 2021 he managed to perform 24 concerts in 24 hours for the Global Radio charity Make Some Noise

Martin Stanford

Martin is Alexander's Global Radio colleague, presenting a daily news programme on LBC News weekday mornings from 10am to 1pm. He will act as compere and interviewer for this evening evoking his best Eamonn Andrews (or Michael Aspel)!

Martin

The Cathedral Music Trust

Alexander is an Ambassaor for this charity which campaigns on behalf of Cathedral music, supports choristers in need and encourages the pursuit of excellence in choral and organ music.

National Autistic Society

Martin's chosen focus is autism - and this charity which aims to help the 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their families. It runs specialist schools, campaigns for improved rights and trains companies on being more autism-friendly. The NAS is dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes.

St George's Chapel Choir

Director of Music James Vivian

The Choir of St George’s Chapel comprises up to 23 choristers and twelve Lay Clerks singing alto, tenor and bass. The children are educated at St George’s School which is situated in the Castle grounds, and the Lay Clerks live in the Horseshoe Cloister, just to the west of the Chapel, and on Denton’s Commons.

St George's Chapel Windsor Castle

Thank-you to The Dean and Canons of Windsor for facilitating this event

The King's Free Chapel. The Chapel of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of the Garter. The Chapel of the College of St George.

St George's Chapel has a very special place in history as the burial place of no fewer than eleven Kings and Queens of England. It is the final resting place of the late Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip.