Concert No.5, Faculty of Fine Arts, Austin

It was a busy day today, but thoroughly enjoyable, not least because the concert and the programme were a fun mixture: early English Church music (Lassus, Stainer and Parry), Mozart's Coronation Mass, four barber shop numbers from the Gents, the Finale from A Midsummer Night's Dream and three folk songs (Copland x2 and Britten, which were sung by the choristers and 150 local school children).

The Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas is ginormous - it seems the same size as The Royal Festival Hall, which is amazing considering that this is a university campus concert venue. The performance was exceptional and professional, as ever, and the boys have been wonderful: patient, good humoured and just plain fun to be with. This has been the theme throughout the tour and will continue, I am sure. Instead of a reception, we were treated to a Texmex meal - this was a first for most of the choristers and all 16 found something on the menu that they liked the sound of and then ate!

Today, we head off for Houston but by bus, which is brand new and boasts excellent leg room and even has Wifi. On another note, the gift shop here at the hotel does not sell bouncy balls but does sell catapults. I am at a loss as to why: alternative bat watching sessions, perhaps? Anyway, I have only had to confiscate one and I shall return this to the lucky parents when we arrive back in Cambridge.

We will miss Austin; the hotel has been excellent and the hospitality of the university has been outstanding. Houston, here we come and, fortunately, we have no problems...I'll tell you about the phone bills later!!!