Nov. 27, 2021. Anne and I went to the concert at the Oratory yesterday. The entire program was very moving for both of us as the director of the Maitrise, Marie-Pierre Rolland, and the musical director Andrew Gray went out of their way to honor the memory of Pavel.
We were afraid that they would not let us in because of the vaccine passport requirement.
Mr Gray spoke a eulogy to Pavel asking all the ex-Petits Chanteurs in the Basilica to stand up for the singing of a Welsh hymn "Suo Gân" and there were quite a number of them in the audience, many of whom were Pavel's friends from his time in the Maitrise.
Sitting there and seeing these beautiful young boys with their angelic voices singing the hymns, Gregorian chants and other religious music under the great dome of the basilica was in itself a transcendent experience, but coupled with the nostalgia of remembering the many years we spent as a part of this community, the support and kindness shown on this occasion, and the grief of Pavel's senseless end made our tears flow unconsciously and silently throughout the whole event.
Anne and I want to specially thank Mme Rolland, Andrew Gray, and all the PCMR volunteers, all of Pavel's friends, especially Edmund, Edouard, Antoine and Anousha, and William, and to my brother Alex, his wife Barbara and Pavel's cousin Zack, and everyone else who showed sympathy for our loss on this occasion.
