The first full day brought the opening choir session, led this year by Árpád Tóth. With some beautiful warm up exercises, and acapella singing, Árpád led us through Sestina by Monteverdi.

The day continued with musicianship, methodology, conducting and vocal technique sessions. The former taxes your brain, the latter sees you lying on the floor, giggling, while finding the changes in your vocal register.

The day ended with a wonderful session, led by Allan Hubert-Wright, taking us through the themes and leitmotifs in Act 1 of Les Misérables. It was eye-opening following the themes though the act, hearing how, as Allan explained, the characters may deceive, but the orchestra never lies.

And at the end of the day, we finished with this...