Honestly, it was THIS big...

Here's Stephen back stage, telling the tenors about The One That Got Away...!



Seriously though, its always good to have a last-minute warm up before going on stage, and I was full of admiration for the soprano soloist who sat quietly all evening, then produced the most amazing top D from a cold start.. The sopranos have a few high bars directly after hers, and at the final rehearsal, in her astonishment at the soloists brilliance, my soprano neighbour decided that perhaps she'd er..save her voice for the performance!! (which she did, and was wonderful of course)

All the hard work and extra rehearsals really paid off - the  Carmina Burana concert was the best one I have sung in during the short time I've been in the choir. The orchestra was amazing, Greg Beardsell conducted himself (and us) most enthusiastically and worked hard through the whole thing, and all voices were just brilliant, children and school choirs. But most admiration must go to The Men, who were outrageously impressive and it's a privilege to sit near them!

Mind you, while the men were going through their paces back stage, I could smell a strong chemincal pong..and looked around to see Someone applying the finishing touches to her outfit. I'm not saying who, though she sits at the piano every week at rehearsals...

I just hope the nails were dry before she began playing the Celesta...

Ethel ROCKS...

Tonight was the orchestra rehearsal for Carmina Burana, and it sounded (from where I stood anyway) truly marvelous. In fact, much better than the recording I have! Its fabulous to sing with the extra voices from the Phil Youth Choir and various school choirs too, and the orchestra is also... enormous. Including two pianos and a harmonium - will anyone HEAR the harmonium?? I think its also nice to have both Gail and Stephen performing in the orchestra.

And much as the Altos DO sound delicious, the men have been so impressive,  I think we can safely say the entire concert is relying on their performance alone...

It's so interesting hearing the different conductors approach to getting what they want from us, the various ways they explain the meaning of words or phrases that we need to convey. There is one particularly 'come-hither' phrase in the Alto line in Carmina, and when he came to rehearse with us last month, Nick tried to bring out the inner Goddess from the Altos by asking them to make him feel Cuddled. Then after a seconds of reflection he added, er, Cuddled, but not Voluptuously cuddled. Then he blushed! Greg Beardsell, however, hasn't blushed once, and is going for the full-on Voluptous. Which is obviously not a problem for the Altos. I won't mention his requests for the sopranos to flirt and mince. We'll see how it goes!

On the right is Adrian, who can't make the performance as he has his paintings in an Art Exhibition at The Culloden Hotel. Hope its a sell-out. 

And a soprano told me tonight about a conversation she had recently with her son, who is in the Phil Youth choir. 

He said - "Mum, where's Ethel, I MISS Ethel, has she left?"... "No, she's singing in the Phil but has changed her duties, and Tom is now Chair"... "oh", he said "it's just that Ethel ROCKS" !!! 

There's something very special about people who bring that out of a child. 

Phil bike group, after (purely medicinal) cake.. This was our first day out, in April, and it really set the standard. Maureen and John have not only taken us on the most lovely (flat) routes, (well, except for a couple of times when ONE person in particular had to get off and push...) but they have introduced us to lots of delightful eateries and have our culinary interests at heart. Its a gourmet tour. 

 Another bike day out, the usual decision making torture - which ice cream (also medicinal) flavour??

(the answer - if you get a bug tub, they can cram in three flavours - sop, tenor and bass!) (the Altos? Well, they're the sauce, obviously!) 

and in our spare time...

This week its been All Go for the choir cyclists. We got the train to Portadown on Saturday morning, and cycled to Oxford Island for lunch. I have to stress that the pace is...chat-speed, and the craic is mighty. We'd just sat down to eat when the heaven's opened, which forced us to have pudding. After which, Robin had a good rummage in his bag and produced a bottle of Champagne, as it was his birthday! We sang a beautiful, full harmony rendition of Happy Birthday and the waitress was so impressed, she asked Are ye's a choir coz that was CLASS, so we sang it again!

After we'd sobered up we set off in the drizzle, and meandered our way through the lanes, Robin and Fiona veering off to gather sloes (obviously, for the sloe gin for our next trip..) and thanks again to all who didn't complain at my snails pace, apart from one of the basses, who just couldn't BELIEVE I was so slow...  I rather suspect that Robin is getting a bit competitive, because he's fitted a huge horn on his bike - and said it was to compete with my bell. Hmm. My bell is a big bass bell. Possibly to make up for the fact I'm so slow..

                                                      Robin's horn (clearly, cheating)

                       and the Big Bass Bell. I think he borrowed that horn off his new car...!

A reminder that its time to get your Christmas Spirit into gear... Here's Santa Soprano with a couple of helpers from last year..

                                                       The long and the short of it....
is that we need a few more volunteers on Tuesday afternoons, to help with the Phil Kids. As you can see, we come in all shapes and sizes, and the more the merrier. If you're available, do come along, its great to see the kids progressing, and their enthusiasm is a joy. Not to mention, the enthusiasm of the volunteers too!

to-Do lists.

Auditions are now complete and its good to welcome some new faces to the choir. With our first concert only a couple of weeks away, we all have our (home-)work cut out for us. My tip for the newcomers is, bring two pencils every week, and your Thinking Cap - this is the worlds fastest choir..! (It's like a work-out, for the brain..) DO be early, DO listen carefully, DO keep your copy high in the air when singing, DO watch the chorus master at all times, DO smile to keep the cheeks up, DO practice at home, DO join the cycle group and DO come along to the Wellington Park for half an hour after rehearsals to meet your fellow singers. And, oh yes - DO enjoy yourself. 

Stephen Doughty, Chorus Master, with Gail Evans, our new accompanist, at the Wellington Park. 

some more Posh Pics... (click to enlarge)

Pics from the weekend rehearsal, choir 1. 

Nick looking a little...startled? 

Hmmmmm..... 

Those who attended Christopher's leaving do in May will remember the poems written and recited by Denis Carson. Denis has very kindly forwarded the poems to me in case anyone would like copies. This is what he says:  In case anyone might be intrigued, the Sestina is a format that should be read as a continuous narrative, but is set out in the form of six stanzas of six lines each and built around six key words which occur in every stanza.  Then all six key words reappear as the backbone of a concluding three line coda.


Try as I might, I cannot attach the poems to the blog. If you would like a copy, please email me 
julie@juliedouglas.co.uk
and I will pass them on - there are 3 poems in all.  I know some people have tried to comment on the blog but have had difficulty. If you would like to make a comment, please send it to me and I'll put it on for you, thanks.

weekend extras

I'd innocently asked our Chorus Master how the division of voices was decided for splitting the choir into two for the Mozart - was it eeny meeny miney mo?? Oh NO, he'd replied, its MUCH more scientific than that. Upon reading the list of names, it was enlightening to see the scientific application of Alphabetical Order coming into play...

But I have to say that Choir 1 was definitely the Choir to be in, for our early arrival on Saturday at St. Thomas Church was warmly rewarded - not only was coffee ready for us, but Martin had surpassed himself, and prepared a FABulous cooked breakfast too, to get the vocals flowing nicely - thank you so much! (..only joking - but the coffee was so welcome.)

 The church is beautiful inside, and we were joined by a small army of ladies very quietly and busily decorating it for Harvest Festival, which, coupled with our practicing, gave the day a real air of preparation.  Nick Jones had got up at 5am and flown over from Edinburgh to conduct us.  Nick was an inspiring man and his knowledge of the music was not only amazing, considering he is a Solicitor in the day time, but he obviously so LOVED it,  and that came across at all times. He was very patient and never at any point looked anything other than calm (possibly jet-lag..), in spite of some of our more Interesting sight reading. His only reference to the challenge was upon reaching the Allegro. He cast his eye over the score and said, 'Ah yes... this is a... GIGANTIC Fugue...' but attempted to settle our beating hearts by bringing our attention to its Little Twiddles (obviously a Latin Term). He was fantastic for allowing us to revisit passages that troubled us at our request, including one bar, which, when it was brought to his attention, he admitted had been  'A head-in-hand moment', with which he had sympathized as we'd flown past it, fleetingly noticing the despair in the Alto section while he was marveling at the composition and Mozarts genius!

Some more Posh Frocks

 

From the Sublime to The Snowman..

Now, another nudge to remind you about your dressing-UP for the Christmas Concert, ho ho hooo. Here is Andrew arriving last year, after dropping in to Tesco on the way to The Waterfront...

And some more evidence that our bike days are refreshment-based..  

This was on a recent trip to Castle Espie, and though there was a bit of rain, we found some shelter, 

and went on to Daft Eddie's for lunch - in time to watch the downpour outside, perfect. 

Alto and tenor negotiating the route.. 

The rain went on so long we were Obliged to have pudding, tsk. But then, the sun came out!! 

Second soprano straggler.. (thats me! Always watching the view..) 

This week we're mostly....

Tonight was the last night of our open rehearsals, with auditions for new members on Sunday. The weekend has all of us doing overtime, with extra rehersals on Saturday and Sunday, to prepare for the multitude of concerts this term.. 

The after-rehearsal quick-drink at the Wellington Park is well worth going to. Apart from hearing about the trials of Tom's leg-waxing experiences (he said it was for Charity..) and Julie's traumas at having her feet nibbled by fish,  I learned that some members travel from as far as Londonderry and Portstewart to be in the choir. We have also been joined by a Spanish soprano who is in Belfast for a year to improve her English. I sat next to her in the pub, and after participating in a funny and particularly speedy conversation with two others, I asked the Spanish lady if she'd understood any of it. Sadly... not. I'm afraid much of the rest of the conversation was loaded with Wee Buns and Oh Aye like... The music we're singing will be of no help either..!

Here are a few more members looking even more delicious than usual, on our night out in May.

 Dress is altogether more casual for the bike trips, and I must mention again how much fun they are - all about social, rather than sport. If you haven't been on a bike for years, do give it a try, it'll help your lung capacity no end!

Katherine, being a treasure, on a recent Bike Day Out. 

Before lunch...

After lunch...!

 Talking of dress, plans are being laid already for the Christmas Concert. (for new members, in the second half of the concert we are encouraged to fancy-dress up and Bling-tastic - which makes a big change from our usual Black concert attire) One gentleman is thrilled to have acquired some red shoes to match his outfit, but I'm not saying who, and the sopranos have a bit of Theme going too... Here is a beautiful photo of your fellow members from a couple of years ago, which accurately reflects the formality of the occasion...and includes our Chair.. 

                                                                                                                                             

Start of a new season!

Things got underway with the start of term BBQ, never mind the rain...! A time to catch up after the break, and after feasting on burgers outside, and yummy puddings inside, we rounded up the evening with a quizz, which was mind-bending.. First horror was choosing team names, which ranged from the self-deprecating Dead Losses and Clueless.. We, in the second soprano camp went from Stunning Seconds to Stunning to... Stunned! The winners were The Altos, who are of course, the brainiest of all and know everything. (its true). Its lovely to get together, for the rehersals allow almost no time to be sociable what with getting music, questions for the line leader, signing up for lessons and more importantly (!) TEA...

These photos are from Christopher's leaving do in May... I will add more in the next posts!

Lots of new faces attending the open rehersals before the auditions, and very interesting hearing the auditions for a new accompanist. The thing that most struck me when I joined this choir (as opposed to the others I've sung in) is the SPEED. Its like a fast-moving train. You need to listen hard, pay attention to the constant instructions and have a pencil and rubber on you, for rewriting the script! And we have so much ahead this term that the train will only be getting quicker!

After rehersals, a few folks trot off to the Wellington Park for a chin wag, so do go along, to get to know some of the other singers.

The other way of being sociable is the Phil Cycle Group...! This was started in April by John (tenor) and Maurine (alto) and as a non-cyclist I can tell you that it's SO much fun, the routes are flat and its mostly about...cake. Its open to anyone, and since we started (one Saturday a month) we've been joined by family and friends. All are welcome.  (of COURSE we Sing - mostly when going through tunnels). It also encourages cross-section communication!

Maureen enjoying a purely-medicinal high-protein snack..