Lest We Forget

I’m in the desert this week, bit of a change from Miami and last week’s trip to glorious Venice for school holiday fun.

Dubai, to be exact. I’m singing with Incognito for a great client/friend, Sharish – who loves life as much as I do – at an illustrious event here.

As fate would have it, another friend Viviane asked me to sing for her friend, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan, and was hoping to arrange it for him this week but Sharish already arranged for me to sing for him, in addition to their event.  What a coincidence, or is it? I love serendipity.

(No pressure to do my best then! Clearly, I’ve got to make it count).

It’s a big week for New Zealanders and Australians: the centenary of Anzac Day on Saturday.

Anzac Day is one of our most important national commemorative occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action, in Gallipoli (Turkey), fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.  It’s our national day of respect and remembrance. It is the day on which we reflect on the tragedy, sacrifice and waste of war. We promise not only to never forget, but also to learn from the past.

I’m proud and honoured to be singing the NZ national anthem and the hymn ‘Abide with me’ at the dawn service in Hyde Park in London on Saturday. I will also be there at the Cenotaph at 11am for the wreath laying ceremony, and in Westminster Abbey at 1pm for the service of commemoration and thanksgiving, to pay tribute.

For you Wellingtonians (or anyone in NZ via TV coverage) watch out for my father-in-law, John Lanham, ex-fighter pilot and ex-Wing Commander in the RNZAF, leading the flyover of vintage WW1 aircraft over Buckle St during Friday’s WCC street parade (weather permitting).

Lest we forget.

Geoff