Take a miserable, grey day in October, add a group of singers (some experienced others less so), throw in some Puccini, Faure and Stanford with a soupcon of Jenkins to top it off, add a welcoming environment and stir together under the tutelage of Jamie John and Claire plus many scrumptious cakes and you have the recipe for a truly great Workshop.

Some 50+ singers spent the day at Thomas Mills High School, Framlingham, being taught singing techniques and sharing the music of three great composers, the centenaries of whose deaths we were remembering, as well as looking at a piece from Karl Jenkins in his 80th year. We started as a full ensemble before breaking out into smaller sections to get to grips with the particular pieces (Kyrie from the Messa di Gloria by Puccini, Agnus Dei from Faure's Requiem, Shall we go dance by Stamford and Adieus by Karl Jenkins) that we were to perform at the end of the afternoon. Lunch in the canteen gave attendees time to mix and chat with each other before reconvening for more tuition and practice. Friends and families were invited to afternoon tea with masses of wonderful cakes baked by Suffolk Singers before the close of the Workshop with a performance of all that we had achieved during the day.