Undercouture

Sometimes I walk into a shop and think, "Gosh! I never knew I needed one of those, but what a great idea." You know the kind of products I mean - the nose hair trimmers of the home shopping channel world.

Anyway, I was doing a bit of web surfing when I came across this page which multiplies that feeling of hitherto unfulfilled needs a hundred fold. Every single invention has a fruitful purpose.

Looks like I am a bit too late to get myself a manmitt (pictured) since they sold out last month. Turquoise really isn't my colour anyway - they need one in fuschia. However, I could do with a Sacfree®, for that "pleasant feeling of liberty" I have apparently been missing out on for so long.

A Dignified Response

I have a rather embarassing confession to make.

I am a bit of a Trekkie.

Sure it is not as bad as having crabs or a third nipple, but it ain't pretty either. I blame the fact that in university Star Trek Enterprise and then Voyager were shown in quick succession every afternoon, so I was subliminally brainwashed into this current state of dependency.

As I recall some of the girls in the choir had a Babylon 5 fetish not that long ago, and I can see Captain Janeway as a bit of a woman's woman, so perhaps I am not alone on this one.

Anyway, one of my fave characters from the original series was Sulu who was the worker ant to Kirk's queen. George Takei, the actor who plays him, recently came out (you go girl!) and I am pleased to see that he is taking some of the activism side of things tongue-in-cheek.

Paleday Gig Tonight!

Anthony from the tenors has a really talented band called Paleday. He is the lead singer, and they are performing tonight!

I strongly recommend going down to the Soho Revue Bar for 9 p.m. when they go on. They have a really great sound. Pinkies get a discount by getting in touch with Anthony in advance too, so there's no excuse to not have a good night out.

And I Am Telling You!

I just heard that Jennifer Hudson scooped the best supporting actress role for her portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls. This is in addition to the golden globes and the BAFTA she had already won.

I watched the show with Simon on Saturday night, and I agree that she is very deserving of all her accolades. And she does have a quite a pair of lungs.

But...

...if you want to hear Effie White done properly, you have to go back to the woman who made the role her own on the Broadway stage. The incomparable Jennifer Holliday.



I also think that Patience, one of the songs from the musical, would make a good choral piece.

I Was Wrong

Okay, I admit it, my earlier post on how I thought Beautiful was boring was somewhat off the mark. I always forget how four part harmonies can change a song. Even though it was everyone's second crack at the arrangement, and my first, there was an ethereal quality to it. It was all quite moving, and I can see the song becoming one of the popular numbers in our repertoire.

Rehearsal yesterday was great. We kicked off with a voice workshop with a rather attractive young soprano from the Royal Academy of Music. Although most of the skills she taught us are already fairly well known to us, it is always useful to have it said in a different way, with a different emphasis. I especially liked how she encouraged us to let our guts hang out when we inspire - I know it is beneficial, but from a purely vain point of view, it goes against everything I hold dear!

The other tips I thought were good were that every musical phrase has a start and and end, and you have to think about how you are going to travel with the notes along that past. And she didn't just mean legato. We also had an exercise to practice singing bel canto. Oo-er. I'm coming over all Italian.

I wonder what Arnaldo would say about that!

What I Love About The Pink Singers

This is probably going to be one of those continuing topics, and I do want to avoid becoming all saccharine about it, so I am going preface this with a realistic comment that, no, I don't love the Pinkies all the time, and in fact, there are times (like present actually) when I find being in a choir frustrating.

But I keep coming back for more.

And here is the (first) reason why: the people. The Pink Singers are a purely voluntary group, no-one is in it for gain, yet there are many out there - in the exec, amongst regular members and in the wider Pinkie circle - who go out of their way to try to make things better for their fellow Pink Singers. It may be supporting a sectional social, bringing food to an after show brunch, welcoming new members, singing in the small group or making music.

Sure, occasionally it gets taken the wrong way or the implementation may not be 100% according to protocol, but no-one has to do it or expects appreciation for their efforts, yet they do it anyway.

So, I'm glad that I'm in a group where people want to contribute, rather than feel they ought to. It is one of our greatest strengths and something to nurture.

I appreciate it.

No, I am not drunk, but it is late and I'm starting to babble. Good night!

P.S. Cheesy hands clasped picture taken from some mental health trust. Apologies. I couldn't find a big enough version of the Nokia logo.

The Fat Lady Sings

First of all, I do realise that this is one of the campest things ever, but I was watching some ridiculous TV show where the children are forced to live like their parents did - basically an excuse for kids to wail about not having the internet - when the current Weight Watchers ad came on.

It features a flowery cartoon character singing Gorgeous, a song from the 1966 musical The Apple Tree. The original show won a Tony for Barbara Harris, and you can hear a clip of her singing it here.

Even more exciting though, is this video clip of Kristin Chenoweth - yes, she of Glinda from Wicked fame - performing it on Rosie O'Donnell's show. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to catch her in New York, but it looks like she is as scarily chirpy in real life as she was as the good witch.



What has any of this to do with the Pink Singers? Gorgeous, torch song, musical, potential solo - do you really need to ask?

Beautiful Is Boring?

I went for last orders with Liang last night at our local pub. Unfortunately, I missed the weekend's rehearsal due to familial obligations for Chinese New Year, so he very kindly collected the sheet music for two new songs in this season's repertoire.

The first is a TTBB arrangement of Aquarius for the blokes - had a quick look at it, and it seems the first tenors are in for a bit of a shock having to hit a high C!

The second is an SATB arrangement for the whole choir of Beautiful as originally sung by Christina Aguilera. Not having heard this particular arrangement yet, just looking at the tenor line makes me want to yawn. We seem to have four notes - okay I'm exaggerating a little - but really, as a conceited tenor, I really want to do more than sing backing vocals. And I know several tenors and basses would rather sing lead a la Christina!



That said, I felt the same way about Angels when we first sang it, and now it sounds really great. So what do I know?

He's Got The Look!

Ben L has been keeping a watchful eye on the gay press, and it looks like one of our very own basses snuck into the 1st February 2007 edition of Boyz. Not only that, Mike seems to have won some kind of fashion prize.

Er, and had his age given away rather indiscreetly at the same time.

Congratulations Mike! It is always reassuring to see inspiration amongst our sartorially-challenged lot (I speak of myself of course).

Welcome!

This is a totally unofficial blog of what it is like to be in the Pink Singers, London's lesbian and gay community choir. It will be as no-holds-barred as I can make it, and should be pretty fun.

Hope you like it!