On 7 August 2004 I was in my place on the Chorus staging for the Opening Service of my very first Three Choirs Festival as a member of the Festival Chorus and I was, understandably, a picture of nervous excitement. On my right was a young Emma Walshe, who has since made a successful career as a top-class soprano with, among others, The Sixteen and Tenebrae. On my left was one Peter John Hillier, who I knew in passing from singing with him in Gloucester Choral Society (GCS), but he was a first tenor, and, in GCS, I was a second tenor so my ‘promotion’ to Tenor 1 in the Festival Chorus threw us together.

Peter turned to me and said, ‘Is this your first festival?’ and I said ‘Yes!’ to which he replied, ‘It’s my fiftieth!’ It turned out to be the beginning of a deep friendship that I still treasure following his death, at the age of 94, on 16 May 2023. I miss him every day.

We sang for many more years in GCS and in the 2005 Three Choirs Festival in Worcester, which was Peter’s 51st and last. We also shared a deep love of Gloucester Rugby and went to matches together both home and away. Peter became a season ticket holder at Kingsholm (Gloucester’s home ground) in 1950 and had just renewed his ticket a month before he died, so he was a committed supporter for 72 years! Among other things, Peter was Chairman of GCS for 25 years and did approximately ten stints as Gloucester Three Choirs Chorus Superintendent (what we now call Chorus Manager). These longevity records may never be broken. Peter was an indefatigable bloke who would do anything for anybody, particularly if they loved either (or both) choral music or Gloucester Rugby!

Memorial Walk – 31 August 2025

In Peter’s memory, I am undertaking a sponsored walk of some 20 miles from his childhood home in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, to Sharpness, and then up the towpath of the Sharpness to Gloucester Canal, finishing at Gloucester Cathedral where he and his late wife Grace sang so superbly, so often. It is also possible we will walk an extra half a mile to Kingsholm. On the day of the walk, Peter would have been 97 years old.

People are welcome to join me for some or all of the walk, which would be great, but the main purpose of the ‘stroll in the country’ is to raise funds for Peter’s beloved Three Choirs Festival.

Please think about sponsoring me and/or joining me.

Donate to Allen's walk today, and support the 2026 festival