I'm Comin' Back Home

I've been in the the Pink Singers now for nearly five years, and in that time we've rehearsed in all manner of locations: at the Drill Hall, at some churches near Euston and behind King's Cross, at the Place and at a school near Holborn amongst others. But of all of these places my favourite has got to be the Royal Academy of Music, which is where we returned to yesterday.

Not sure what it is exactly, perhaps it is the rather historical venue, or the "pride by association" I get from wandering around the halls with all these talented music students. Then there is the fact that I live quite nearby, so getting to RAM is much more convenient for me than the farther flung Place. And finally, but no less significantly, there is the much prettier pub we slope off to after the rehearsal.

It is that time of the year again, when the sleet is coming down and it is freezing, and we rush from warm (and stinky) rehearsal room to warm and cosy pub. I know its not Christmas yet, but it feels like it could be Christmas.

Despite all this romanticism, even I realise that we are starting to outgrow the rehearsal spaces at RAM and need to resort to venues further afield. Yesterday's rehearsal wasn't that well attended, but even so, it was hard not to gag just a little when I re-entered the room after having popped off to the loo. You know things are bad when you out-smell the toilets.

As for the rehearsal proper, we seem to be hitting the "perfecting" phase now, where we know most of the notes, and it is a question of interpretation and perhaps running through a few tricky phrases. The sound is becoming somewhat more cohesive, and by the time Paris swings around in a manner of weeks we will be ready. Sue and I managed to sing through most of the repertoire without sheet music for the first time. Woo hoo! The choreography on the other hand...