Choir³: A Trio Of Various Voices

Just a quick heads up to say that the programme for Various Voices 2009 is up and available on the website. This will give delegates a chance to see what shows are coming up and plan their long weekend accordingly. Bookings aren't open yet but will go live very soon, and you'll get a discount too.

Another word of wisdom: some of the Choir³ concerts (this is what most people come to see, three different choirs performing their showcase repertoires) will be sold out really quickly, and it would be a good idea to get in on the tickets as early as possible. Some of the highlights which I am looking forward to, based on a cursory glance of the programme.

Saturday 2nd May

• Choir³ D: Cor Cantus from Copenhagen, A Cappella Birmingham from Birmingham and Le Zbor from Zagreb
• Choir³ F: Classical Lesbians from Berlin, Vox Homana from Hannover and Schwubs from Bern
• Choir³ G: Hellmans Drengar from Goteborg in Sweden, SCHMAZ from Zürich and Canta:re from Berlin

Sunday 3rd May

• Choir³ O: Philhomoniker from Munich, TAPALANOTE - chorale du BGS (Brussels Gay Sports) and Mélo'Men from Paris
• Choir³ P: Männer-Minne from Berlin, Warme Wellen from Aachen and Mannenkoorts Den Haag

And of course, I expect everyone to be at the ultimate trio of them all: Voices of Our City starring none other than the LGMC, Diversity and the Pink Singers. We're on twice on the Friday 1st May, so there is a time to suit everyone. I can't wait!

Merry Christmas!

The Pink Insider(s) just want to wish all Pinkies, our families, friends and fans a fabulous Christmas in a new old-fashioned way; here's to a busy 2009!

Three Years Of Civil Partnerships

Here's one thing more to celebrate this festive season: the 21st of December is the third anniversary of the introduction of civil partnerships in England and Wales. It is marriage in all but name, and gives a pair of gay men or women the choice to get hitched if they so wish, just like straight couples. I do have gay friends who are against this: they don't understand why anyone would want to ape heterosexual society in any way at all, and they seem perfectly happy to live in all sorts of valid but unconventional familial structures, rejecting marriage as little more than societal artifice. But at the same time, I have many friends who dream of meeting Mr. Right and settling down to a cosy lifetime of entwined bliss. A civil partnership is to them the icing on the cake and the start of an exciting journey at the same time. Indeed, in the Pink Singers at least four members have civil partners, perhaps suggesting that we are a more romantic bunch? I am inclined to the whole marriage idea, but for me a civil partnership is also about a bringing together of two families, something which is not always easy.

Here are a few interesting figures from an Economist article on civil partnerships:

1. 60,000 Britons had entered a same-sex union in the last 6 months.
2. Gay couples getting hitched are older than straight ones: men are 43 on average and women 41, compared with 36 and 34 among straight couples (including those remarrying).
3. Gay men, though often characterised as promiscuous, are settling down in greater numbers than lesbians. Men have out-partnered women in every quarter since civil partnerships were introduced; in London last year nearly 75% of those contracted were between men. Some unions have already broken down; but so far male partnerships have proved less likely than female ones to end in dissolution.

In a world where there are people out there who want to annul the unions of those who are already married, just because they happen to be gay, I want to raise a glass to civil partnership and the triumph of equality and humanity over prejudice and bigotry.

In The Pink Midwinter

Well, it has now been a couple of days since the concert weekend, and I have to say that I am only just recovering. A cold which threatened to blow my chances of performing at the concert miraculously settled down during our rehearsal, and it was all go from there. It didn't help either that the weather was absolutely dreadful - it had been raining for 24 hours non-stop! It caused delays on the roads which meant that our guests, the Brighton and Hove (actually) Gay Men's Chorus - now there's a mouthful, henceforth referred to as BH(a)GMC - were also running behind.

Excitement was, as usual, running high. It is always hard to imagine how just three months ago we were looking at the music for the first time, and the choreography was but a twinkle in the eyes of Tanya, Karin and Rachel, and now we were about to put on a show! I always feel a certain pride when the whole choir gets into their black formal gear with their pink accessories, and now that our numbers have swelled, there is that much more love to go round. I am especially impressed by our new members this season who have shown such incredible dedication to learning their music and enthusiasm to the choir. They are no longer 'new' members, since their pink cherries have well and truly been popped!

Despite Simon's constant fretting about ticket sales, it emerged a couple of hours before the concert that we were going to sell out. It is a pretty darned amazing feat as it means that we've been sold out now for three concerts in a row. The audience was, as always, incredibly supportive and they clapped and cheered with aplomb. What the larger numbers did mean, however, was that as a choir we were not able to see our guests perform. I snuck backstage and heard them from under the organ; not the best place to hear things acoustically, but you did get a feel for them.

And the BH(a)GMC were oustanding. They are much more theatrical than the Pink Singers, and in that sense put on more of a cabaret show. All choirs have different styles, but it amazes me just how complementary we were. They certainly entertained me, and went down a storm with the audience. Their rendition of You Raise Me Up was clearly one of their most well-rehearsed numbers, and they performed it with skill and passion.

Then it was our turn on. What a rush again! My quick thoughts on the experience: Britten was technically impressive, Rutter was good, Good King, Dancing Day and Mid-winter were gorgeous, Merry Christmas Darling was really emotional, Rocking and Christmas Medley were musically less than optimal, but went down an absolute storm with audience thanks to the brilliant choreography. The audience especially couldn't help but clap out of sync with Rocking Around The Christmas Tree - this was undoubtedly because they were clapping in sync with what they heard, but by the time it rebounded to us we were a semi-quaver ahead - yet despite this we plowed on steady and true. In fact for all the pieces, including the difficult Rutter Carols we managed to hold our pitch firmly.

I had eleven guests at the show, so afterwards was a bit of a rush thanking everyone for coming along. Sadly there wasn't really a chance to speak to BH(a)GMC because of this, and to be honest, the RAM bar was, in the words of my cousin, a bit of a mosh pit. A load of us then moved on to the Green Carnation in Greek Street for the aftershow party. We'd been there the Monday previously after the carolling we did, but this time we were in the basement. I have to day the experience was quite different this time, with the lighting and environment more closely resembling some kind of interrogation chamber than a club. All the photos taken that night were also hazy, which makes me worry about what exactly it was that I was breathing in. Oh well, at least the humidly cleared my sinuses! We stayed out until just gone three, well past my bedtime, because the adrenaline was still flowing.

After just four hours of fitful sleep (alcohol, shame on you!) I had to get up to roast the chicken for the brunch. This is normally a party we put on for our guest choir to thank them for coming along and to get to know them better. Sadly because they were based in Brighton they all went home the night before, and so it was just the Pinkies in the Loft Bar at the Yard. In a way this was a bit of a blessing in disguise because I was utterely knackered, and wouldn't have been up to meeting and greeting. I had a bite to eat, chatted with some of other people in the choir and then decided I needed to take a bit of a nap. When I got home I closed my eyes, and before I knew it it was 10am on Monday! All in all though, I had a fantastic weekend and I wouldn't change being in the Pinkies for the world.

What I Love About The Pink Singers

Here are a few more photos that Mark's uncle took last Sunday at our dress rehearsal. The full range can be seen on Facebook, but I particularly like these two because it shows the two sides of the Pink Singers: in formal rows for when we are tackling classical music, and with our hair down for the jazz and pop. The guys and girls just look amazing. And we will of course sound amazing too, so make sure you get to the Royal Academy of Music on Saturday for our concert. 7 for 7.30pm - don't be late!

Calling In Gay

I am sure you recall the issue of Proposition 8 in the U.S. I blogged about it in September, but it essentially called for a revocation of the right of gay men and women to get married in California. Unfortunately, due to support from certain religious groups, the motion was carried, and a basic human right was denied a group of people. Hello? Not that long ago people thought that blacks marrying whites was some kind of perversion too. It really is just a question of time before society moves on, so why not let it happen now rather than make so many individual's lives unhappy?

Anyway, enough ranting and time for some action, in the U.S. of A at least. Yesterday was Day Without A Gay when gay people were asked to call in 'gay', and spend the day working for some charitable cause instead. It was meant to highlight the contribution of gay people to the work place. Whether this actually worked I am not sure, since I only happened to read about it the day after. Of course, if you want to support the cause you can still buy the T-shirt!

What Sweeter Music

BBC Music magazine recently conducted a survey of the (in their words) "top 50" choir masters and experts. The question? Which are the top carols of all time? The result? Not ten of the most popular pieces of Christmas music, but most assuredly some of the most beautiful.

Top 10 Christmas Carols
1. In the Bleak Midwinter
2. In Dulci Jubilo
3. A Spotless Rose
4. Bethlehem Down
5. Lully, Lulla
6. Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day
7. There is No Rose
8. O Come All Ye Faithful
9. Of the Father's Heart Begotten
10. What Sweeter Music

Of the above we will be performing Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day on Saturday, and in the past we've done Lully, Lulla in the small group. Our version of Midwinter is the hauntingly beautiful Chilcott version (rapidly becoming my favourite piece of our winter repertoire) and not the Darke arrangement as seen in the BBC's list.

Of note too, we will be singing Rutters Angels' Carol, which I linked to in my Christmas post of last year, as well his Candlelight and Star Carols. The only Rutter which made it into the top ten, however, is What Sweeter Music, which is certainly one of my most-loved carols of all time. So much so, that I'm going to reproduce the lyrics here. If you are watching the video above, look out for the bit where the music drops away for most of the mid section and returns at the end. This is technically incredibly difficult as the pitch must remain perfect during the acapella segment. Shivers down the spine good!

What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol, for to sing,
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!

Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honour to this day,
That sees December turn'd to May,
That sees December turn'd to May.

Why does the chilling winter's morn,
Smile, like a field beset with corn?
Or smell, like a meadow newly shorn,
Thus, on the sudden? Come and see,
The cause, why things thus fragrant be:

'Tis He is born, whose quick'ning birth,
Gives life and luster, public mirth,
To heaven and the under-earth.

We see Him come, and know Him ours,
Who, with His sunshine, and His show'rs,
Turns all the patient ground to flow'rs,
Turns all the patient ground to flow'rs.

The darling of the world is come,
And fit it is, we find a room,
To welcome Him, to welcome Him.

The nobler part of all the house here,
Is the heart,
Which we will give Him; and bequeath,
This holly and this ivy wreath,
To do Him honour; who's our King,
And Lord of all this revelling.

What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol, for to sing,
The birth of this our heavenly King?
The birth of this our heavenly King?

Hope to see you on Saturday when we'll be singing our own favourites!

While My Ukelele Gently Weeps

Yes, the ukelele gets bad press. All I can remember of them is having to choose between a uke, a melodica or a recorder in my primary school music classes. Sadly I went down the recorder (and eventually the flute route) - the ukelele suffering from a Hawaii/ Elvis stigma - although I often wish I had learned the tiny stringed instrument, simply because one can play and sing along to it at the same time. Anyway, this video is of an amazing performance by an American called Jake Shimabukuro. He plays the George Harrison classic While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Paleday - The Flirty Show!

The always-fun and ever-talented Paleday are having a gig the Sunday after the concert. Most of the Pink Singers will be heading down that way after the post-concert brunch for an evening of cool grooves. The Pink Insider will see you there!

The details:

Sun 14 December, 8pm
Soho Revue Bar
11 Walker Court, Brewer St,
Soho, London W1F 0ED

Tickets £8 from Paleday, or Anthony S of course!

Sinderfella

I don't tend to write reviews of shows I've seen, but feel I have to for a panto I saw last night called Sinderfella. It is currently showing at the Above The Stag theatre in Victoria, and well worth the trip and price of admission. First of all, a big thank you to Anthony B for sorting out some kind of deal with them in which the Pinkies support them, and they support us in return. And I happen to think it is wonderful that we have these small cabaret type places which support gay-themed theatre.

Anyway, Sinderfella tells the age-old story of a lovely drag queen played by Bette Rinse who wants to go to the Prince's ball(s), but who is constantly thwarted by her ugly step sisters. Along the way there are a footman, a fiary godmother and a rather random camp Russian to deal with. It is very rude/ lewd, so avoid it if you are prudish. And be prepared for audience participation as along the way there is a lot of singing and dancing in your seat.

I went with a couple of friends who, shall we say, were all the merrier for a few hours in the pub previously. The cast handled their enthusiasm with consummate professionalism, and I have to say that our boistrous row (which also included Michael Da and Daniele) actually helped lift the performance. How often can you find five people who know all the lyrics to It's Raining Men, Dancing Queen, Hero (the Mariah Carey version) and Be Our Guest, and who are willing to sing it at maximum volume?

All in all not a panto for the faint-hearted, but oh so much fun if you are willing to get into the spirit of things. A must at this time of the year!

New Press Photos!

At yesterday's dress rehearsal Mark's uncle came along and took photos for more up-to-date press pics. Here is a taster of things to come! The tenors are looking particularly resplendent, if I may say so myself. I can't wait for the rest - it is a standing joke that the press always uses the same prehistoric photo of us from years ago. Now at least they'll have something else they can choose.

A Man Bra For Your Moobs

Okay, it is Christmas, and time to go present hunting. What better to get that (slightly pudgy) man in your life but a man bra? I mean we already have mantyhose, so really, it represents the next logical step. In fact, a company in Japan called Wishroom clearly thinks the time has arrived for boulder holsters for men and has started selling them on-line. In a few short weeks the man bra has become their top selling item. Why? Well as their rep says, "I like this tight feeling. It feels good.”

A pity about the model they're using though, it is already a tough sell. I'll take three in pink please.

A Bit Of Diversity At Christmas

On Saturday two of the Pink Insiders, as well as some other Pink Singers, went along to the Diversity Christmas Concert: O Magnum Mysterium. It was a fantastic performance, and a great demonstration of choral singing, not only in its traditional sense, but also in a modern way, with a few exciting chants and poems thrown in for good measure. The concert's eponymous piece was performed twice: at the very start in the de Victoria incarnation which I had not heard before, and at the very end in the Lauridsen arrangement. The latter is, without a doubt, one of my favourite pieces of Christmas music, and is very difficult to sing with its long sustained notes. It requires a significant amount of choral discipline to perform it without sliding down the register, and even more sweat and tears to put the emotion into it. Diversity performed it with aplomb and I applaud them greatly for it.

Sitting in St. Botolph's, I couldn't help but wonder how fortunate we are to be in a city which can sustain three major gay and/or lesbian choirs. Of course, the reason is that choral singing is a very diverse art: Diversity certainly tackles the more technically challenging end of the musical scale, the London Gay Men's Chorus has a brasher and more theatrical style, and the Pinkies, well, we try to do a bit of everything. Then there is the actual choir itself and its community which is different in all three.

Eyeballing Diversity, they are now over forty in number. When I first went along to a concert of theirs, about six years ago, they were only half that. Indeed, the Pink Singers have increased in size as well, mainly in an attempt to accomodate the growing interest in choral singing we've been having. I do wonder whether this is due to the halo effect of 'Last Choir Standing' on telly, or people generally want to get out and meet people in these financially uncertain times. Whatever the reason, all three choirs seem to be enjoying a bit of a sustained renaissance and that has got to be a good thing.

It certainly bodes well for Various Voices next year!

Dress Rehearsal And One Week To Go!

It is now under a week to the concert and the pace is picking up. Yesterday was the dress rehearsal back at our old haunt, the Royal Academy of Music. As the choir has grown in size, so have we outgrown the rooms. One of the few spaces which could fit us all in was the small concert hall in the basement, but with poor ventilation and the cramped conditions, sitting there for two hours I caught more than an intimate whiff of eau de Pinquie.

After the break it was into Duke's Hall for the dress rehearsal. I love the venue. First of all it looks very grand, but more importantly, it is designed specifically for choral performances and is very forgiving. Unlike the rehearsal rooms at the Place for instance, all the voices are almost forcibly melded into one, and the resonance is really audible. The change in venue is significant, and it is a great indicator that we are sounding good when I suddenly feel I could cry because one of the songs we are singing is so beautiful. This certainly was the case for Midwinter: what a glorious song! The choreography was also fine-tuned by the very capable Karin and Rachel, and it is looking slick.

The other thing to say is that it is really wonderful that the formal concert gear has really smartened up in the last few seasons. Whereas before almost anything black was the norm, I noticed quite a few waistcoats and jackets in amongst the mix. That really is the way to do it: my hearty approval.

So, one last rehearsal to polish the music on Thursday, and then it is the concert this Saturday - hope to see you there! Tickets are available in the column on the right.

Glamour Shot?

From this week's QX magazine. Guess who was considered hot enough to make it into the photos?

With WAD on December 1st, it was always going to be a week packed full of charity fundraising nights, but rather than boring, dry, dull-as-dish-water affairs, we usually find they are stacked with fun, frolics and dragtastic performances designed to lovingly coax the pennies and pounds from our pockets rather than extract them by guilt! ‘Speaking Out for Ourselves’ (an HIV positive support group in Haringey) and ‘Positive Rainbow’ (a group of positive gay men working in north London) organised a joint fundraiser at Catch 22, a cute, small local boozer in Turnpike Lane, complete with a full complement of Pink Singers who ran through a set of traditional, as well as more modern numbers, that will form part of their huge forthcoming show at the Royal Academy of Music (Dec 13th). The evening was hosted by the inimitable W.O.H, Sandra who spiced it up with close-tothe-
knuckle comedy and songs, as well as drag terrorist Miss Rose Garden and the lovely Mrs Moore in one of Rose’s cast offs! With food and drink served by friendly (and hot … Lewis … mmmmm!) bar staff, it was one charity event that was a joy to be at.

Ding Dong Merrily On High!

I thought I was sick of carols on Monday, but then the Pinkies did another carolling gig, this time on behalf of Marie Curie Cancer Care at Victoria Station last night. Then I realised I didn't truly know what 'sick' was. Let me first of all say that I am thankful that I do not have to take public transport to go to work since I cycle most places. The crush getting from home to the station was not a pleasant one, and not one I wish to experience again. On the flip side, however, it did mean that there were more people to see us sing.

In fact, I'm not sure we could have had a more different venue if we tried. First of all there was a constant stream of people walking from the underground to the train platforms. There was talking, announcements over the tannoy and flashing advertisements around us, so it was entirely different from the near empty streets of Soho last night. We could barely hear ourselves sing it was so noisy.

As events go, however, I think this time round was more successful because many more people stopped to listen and donate a bit of cash. After having spent most of yesterday's carolling trying to find harmonies for the six carols in our set, I was also more confident of singing out. In numbers we were fewer, but in music we were stronger.

When I was a tourist in London at Christmas many years ago I remember seeing a group of carollers performing outside Penhaligon's in Covent Garden. It was such a wonderfully twee scene, just thinking about it makes me feel all warm and mushy inside. So it is pretty wonderful to be view things from the other side, and even more so knowing that we are doing our bit for charity, and having a good time at that!

Fa La La La La La La La La!

Is it possible to be sick of Christmas Carols? Until Monday evening, I thought this was a physical impossibility. This was, of course, before I had sung all six verses of The Holly And The Ivy six or seven times in one night, as part of the Pinkies small group. As part of our annual tradition, a bunch of us from the choir volunteers their time to carol for good causes, and Monday night's event was in aid of Crusaid for World AIDS Day.

It was a freezing night, and an intrepid bunch of Pink Singers gathered on the corner of Berwick and Broadwick Street to sing a few songs. We were joined by bucket carrying fund-raisers from Crusaid and a trio of drag queens who looked fabulous darling! It was a rather incongruous bunch, but made rather Christmassy by Michael De's conical hat (concealing a fleece beanie underneath), his sleigh bells, and a tiny Christmas tree. Hey, at least we could rock around it!

It turned out that our start location had perhaps less footfall than anticipated, and so we migrated over to Old Compton Street where there was marginally more traffic. I can't actually remember having been in Soho on a Monday night before, so didn't really know who or what to expect on the street. As it turned out there were commuters rushing home, a few drunken women staggering home from an office party, some tourists, an Italian waiter in his Fonz black leather jacket, quite a few cute gay men and the resident homeless man.

Most of them looked on with incredulity as we stood in the freezing cold, but the majority were quite supportive and stopped for a while to watch us perform before making a donation. The homeless gentleman even came up to us clutching a chopstick and led us with a bit of impromptou conducting. He got a bit too near to Cilla's guitar for comfort but stepped back when she said a stern 'no' to him and shook her head disapprovingly.

We had a short 15 minute break before regrouping for the final half hour at about 9pm. By then the slight drizzle was turning into quite significant rainfall, and the streets were clearing. Michael gave us the chance to call it quits, but as Janet said, only the Pink Singers are crazy enough to say, oh let's just sing a couple of songs and see whether the rain will stop. After a burst of Hark the Herald Angels Sing it actually did, and we closed the evening with our first public performance of Rockin' 'round the Christmas Tree. Thank goodness for Michael's little prop!