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teylaminhWe did our ICC background music thing last night. (If I didn't mention this, or if you've forgotten, the choir were requested to sing at the Voice09 conference last night, providing background music in the form of 12 madrigals and then doing a performance of Zadok the Priest, for which we were paid about £3000. Obviously, the members don't see any of this money, but it should soften the blow of rubbish ticket sales.)
We've been rehearsing the madrigals for two weeks, in two separate groups. Madrigals don't work with big choirs, so they split us in half to make it sound more like a chamber choir sound, though there were still probably too many of us.
It possibly could have gone better last night. For starters, despite being drilled by both Adrian and Colin (who had organised the madrigals in the first place) that vibrato was a big no-no, there was at least one budding soloist ruining the sound for the rest of us. Apparently the crowds below (we were singing from the balcony of Hall 3) enjoyed it, though.
The next bit was shambolic, to say the least, as they decided to change the running order at the last minute. There was supposed to be one speech and then our performance, so they shunted us all onto the stage (barely big enough for us to stand and hold our music; just as well the majority of us know Zadok 95% by heart...) and then we stood there for 25 minutes because they did three speeches before us.
This meant that our accompanist, Darren (who plays when Colin has to take over from Adrian as conductor in rehearsal), had to leave for a prior commitment because they delayed our performance, and Colin had to accompany and conduct at the same time. Naturally, half of us couldn't see him, so it's amazing it didn't sound like a complete shambles. Our start for the second part ("And all the people rejoiced") sounded a bit ropey, and the bases completely lost time during their run, and the ending was completely out.
Still, the punters didn't seem to mind. Free entertainment, as far as they're concerned.
By the time we got off stage, my knees had completely locked and my feet were killing me. We then had half an hour of rehearsal in Hall 9 of Gerontius and the Rossini, which was mostly pointless.
I was going to get the number 1 bus home, but none of their timetables seem to be consistent with each other. I'm sure the one in Moseley says it keeps running until about 11.00pm, but the ones of Broad Street say it stops running at 6.00pm. I did intend to check online beforehand (I figure that's probably the most up-to-date information) but forgot. Tell me, what IS the point of a bus service that stops running at 6.00pm? The 258 is the same. Utterly rubbish. Anyway, I ended up having to walk all the way across town and didn't get back until 9.00pm as it was, even though we were only rehearsing until 8.00.
Ah, well. Now we can concentrate on the Elgar and Rossini pieces instead. What we did last night didn't seem TOO hard, but time will tell... At the moment it's just a relief to be able to sing again after having to sit it out for two weeks.
In other news, the rest of February is looking to be quite busy...
14th - Valentine's Day. Unfortunately it's on a Saturday, so I imagine most places will be rammed, but we've booked a table (just about) at La Fibule in Moseley, which is apparently Moroccan. Our initial plan was Ponte di Legno (Italian place on Woodbridge Road) but they weren't answering their phone, and Byzantium (Tapas restaurant in Kings Heath) were fully booked. Our seating at La Fibule isn't until 9.30pm, but at least it's booked.
21st - David's birthday. We're going to my mum's on the 20th to stay overnight and they'll cook us a meal.
W/C 23rd - using up my annual leave, though I still have to us up a half-day somewhere.
27th - going down to London in readiness for...
28th - seeing Sunset Boulevard with Eni for her birthday. YAY! I've read one review, which had no complaints about the performances, just that the set seemed very minimalist... I shan't pass judgement until I've seen it, but the minimalist set worked brilliantly for Sweeney Todd when we saw that... I don't know if it'll work with something like SB because it's very extravagant, but having said that, the UK tour only had 2-3 sets anyway, even if the staircase was elaborate. It should be interesting, at the very least. And, well, it's Sunset Boulevard in the West End so that's quite good enough for me. (David Willetts is playing Max, also, so that should be cool. :D)
And then I think March is chock-full of birthdays. And April is our anniversary, and a week of leave for me. :D
I think that's enough for one entry, especially as I have an X-Post to do. :)
We've been rehearsing the madrigals for two weeks, in two separate groups. Madrigals don't work with big choirs, so they split us in half to make it sound more like a chamber choir sound, though there were still probably too many of us.
It possibly could have gone better last night. For starters, despite being drilled by both Adrian and Colin (who had organised the madrigals in the first place) that vibrato was a big no-no, there was at least one budding soloist ruining the sound for the rest of us. Apparently the crowds below (we were singing from the balcony of Hall 3) enjoyed it, though.
The next bit was shambolic, to say the least, as they decided to change the running order at the last minute. There was supposed to be one speech and then our performance, so they shunted us all onto the stage (barely big enough for us to stand and hold our music; just as well the majority of us know Zadok 95% by heart...) and then we stood there for 25 minutes because they did three speeches before us.
This meant that our accompanist, Darren (who plays when Colin has to take over from Adrian as conductor in rehearsal), had to leave for a prior commitment because they delayed our performance, and Colin had to accompany and conduct at the same time. Naturally, half of us couldn't see him, so it's amazing it didn't sound like a complete shambles. Our start for the second part ("And all the people rejoiced") sounded a bit ropey, and the bases completely lost time during their run, and the ending was completely out.
Still, the punters didn't seem to mind. Free entertainment, as far as they're concerned.
By the time we got off stage, my knees had completely locked and my feet were killing me. We then had half an hour of rehearsal in Hall 9 of Gerontius and the Rossini, which was mostly pointless.
I was going to get the number 1 bus home, but none of their timetables seem to be consistent with each other. I'm sure the one in Moseley says it keeps running until about 11.00pm, but the ones of Broad Street say it stops running at 6.00pm. I did intend to check online beforehand (I figure that's probably the most up-to-date information) but forgot. Tell me, what IS the point of a bus service that stops running at 6.00pm? The 258 is the same. Utterly rubbish. Anyway, I ended up having to walk all the way across town and didn't get back until 9.00pm as it was, even though we were only rehearsing until 8.00.
Ah, well. Now we can concentrate on the Elgar and Rossini pieces instead. What we did last night didn't seem TOO hard, but time will tell... At the moment it's just a relief to be able to sing again after having to sit it out for two weeks.
In other news, the rest of February is looking to be quite busy...
14th - Valentine's Day. Unfortunately it's on a Saturday, so I imagine most places will be rammed, but we've booked a table (just about) at La Fibule in Moseley, which is apparently Moroccan. Our initial plan was Ponte di Legno (Italian place on Woodbridge Road) but they weren't answering their phone, and Byzantium (Tapas restaurant in Kings Heath) were fully booked. Our seating at La Fibule isn't until 9.30pm, but at least it's booked.
21st - David's birthday. We're going to my mum's on the 20th to stay overnight and they'll cook us a meal.
W/C 23rd - using up my annual leave, though I still have to us up a half-day somewhere.
27th - going down to London in readiness for...
28th - seeing Sunset Boulevard with Eni for her birthday. YAY! I've read one review, which had no complaints about the performances, just that the set seemed very minimalist... I shan't pass judgement until I've seen it, but the minimalist set worked brilliantly for Sweeney Todd when we saw that... I don't know if it'll work with something like SB because it's very extravagant, but having said that, the UK tour only had 2-3 sets anyway, even if the staircase was elaborate. It should be interesting, at the very least. And, well, it's Sunset Boulevard in the West End so that's quite good enough for me. (David Willetts is playing Max, also, so that should be cool. :D)
And then I think March is chock-full of birthdays. And April is our anniversary, and a week of leave for me. :D
I think that's enough for one entry, especially as I have an X-Post to do. :)
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-11 07:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-11 09:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-15 06:26 pm (UTC)Ooooh, thank you - you've shown me another route I/we can maybe follow up to get some Magenta gigs. I was slightly miffed when I saw the conference name as I thought it might be a singing one, but I see it's nothing of the sort!
CBSYC seniors once did a spot for a neuroscientists' conference, or something of the sort. That was rather lovely - different experience as we had a stage spot rather than gallery singing.
THREE THOUSAND POUNDS I am totally following this up!
la la la la
THREE THOUSAND POUNDS
I can't quite take it in!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-15 06:30 pm (UTC)Oh and I've run into this before:
I'm sure the one in Moseley says it keeps running until about 11.00pm, but the ones of Broad Street say it stops running at 6.00pm. I did intend to check online beforehand (I figure that's probably the most up-to-date information) but forgot. Tell me, what IS the point of a bus service that stops running at 6.00pm?
It's like that in the morning too (actually am I having déjà vu or did I comment about this many months ago? Certainly long enough for us both to forget!) and the reason for the discrepancy is that daytime services for the 1 go farther into town than the evening ones. There are at least two places where the 1 route ends: Broad Street/Sheepcote Street and the Town Hall. There might also be a variant that stops at Five Ways, as that's where I vividly remember walking to one morning when it seemed there was no 1 coming (although I have got the 1 from the Town Hall in mornings, too).
Might try writing to TWM, it's worth a try even if I'm ignored.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-15 07:19 pm (UTC)The 11E goes as far as Five Ways (accidentally caught one into town to meet people at the other end of Broad Street, then got rained on in a conveniently-timed downpour...). I've caught it from the Town Hall in the afternoon but I'm fairly sure the timetable there says it stops running at 3.00pm!
It was just a bit annoying, as they were advertising it as being New and Improved, yet it seems to be utterly and completely baffling.