A Busy Weekend - Sunday

Saturday's description was posted just before this, so read that one first. this is about Sunday which was really important because it was also the proper start of the new season. In a way, the seasons are starting to bleed into one another, partly because we have gigs throughout the breaks. Still, not having rehearsals is a welcome change to the weekends, even if after a while I start to itch to get back into the swing of things.Liang, our new members' rep., has been a super busy-bee in the break. Who knows whether it is because of the promotion of choral singing by Sing London, or shows like Last Choir Standing or The Choir on TV, but there has been huge interest in joining this year. On Sunday we had nine new attendees. They all seem really friendly and according to Mladen and Michael De had good voices. It can be hard for new members to feel at home, but I think that the Pinkies generally do a good job of welcoming them. On my part I think I have to rein the friendliness in just a tad to avoid sounding a bit too leery.

This season we are singing Christmas songs which makes a significant departure for us from the usual. I know many of the pieces already, at least by ear, but singing them is quite a different story. We began with Britten's Ceremony of Carols, and I can recall when we last did this two years ago how long it took to learn the timing and notes of This Little Babe. This time everything seemed to fall into place beautifully. I'm not sure whether this causes consternation to the new members who may feel that this is how the choir always sings.

Thankfully we put that impression right by our total massacre of Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day. There was no hope in hell of us getting this right first time, especially at the pace at which it has been written, and for once the tenor line is not particularly melodic. I'd not heard the carol before, which helps in a way because I don't have a tune to forget.

Mark, our new chair, is currently away on holiday, so Ben P, the new U.K. concerts co-ordinator, gave us a little talk in the break, as did Simon our new treasurer. The atmosphere of the choir is changing because of the change in the executive committee, and I can see many Pinkies wanting to participate in how it is run. This can only be good for the choir. We're still looking for a secretary, which should hopefully be filled soon.After that it was off to the pub. As usual, we had the upstairs area to ourselves and there was a great buzz. There were many members of the choir I hadn't seen in the last two months, so there was loads of catching up to do. I also had a chance to chat with Karen, a new alto this season who is also going to be in charge of publicity for the Pinkies. I can only admire someone who we unfortunately had to space for last season, yet who stuck around till there was. Some of the newbies stayed right to the end, which is either a sign that they like being in our group, or that they're alcoholic, or both! There are allegedly another ten newbies coming next week, and the week after that. Good luck to them all!

We Did It: What A Rush!

Well it is now the day after the day after, but I am still riding high after our 25th anniversary concert. We have worked jolly hard this season: not only did we have to perform the full concert with all the repertoire that involves, but we also had learn and perform the choreography with last minute tweaks all the way through. The past few months have been long and arduous, but it all paid off in the end - what an amazing concert we gave!

The day itself began early, starting at 2pm with our stage rehearsal. We ran through the entire concert, from Locus Iste to Come What May, and have to say that there was the usual horror of sounding terribly flat through nearly all the songs. This was interspersed with the similarly traditional trauma of having to get on and off the stage, and getting into the right positions for our moves. I have to say that running through There Is Nothing Like A Dame for only the second time on stage with last minute jiggery and pokery to the choreography was not the easiest experience on my nerves.

By the time the run-through was over, nearly three hours later, my nerves were fairly well shot through and I was totally exhausted. Usually, I'm a bundle of nerves and can't eat a thing just before the concert, but given that we were on our feet for so long, I was absolutely famished. There was no time to go out for our meal (plus the choir is now huge, so we would have filled Pizza Express quite easily) so we had a 'pot luck' type meal down in the canteen of the Royal Academy of Music. This worked out really well for us as some people had really gone out of their way to prepare some amazing food. Kudos especially to Nathalina for making the most beautiful fairy cakes known to mankind! Yum! We also had Warren to thank for being the man behind laying all of the food out in an artistic and oh-so-tasty-looking way.

Pretty soon it was time to get into costume and warm up backstage. This year, since we were doing both halves, we were given the option of wearing two outfits, and some people really made the effort. Lynne's spangly dress for the first half, followed by her corset for the second (ooh la la!) was one of the stand outs. Jo C's full length tail coat was a stunner, and of course people like Amy always look glamorous. Ben P, who is already very cute anyway, looked very Prada in his black ensemble including pencil tie, and Johnathon and Naomi's rock chic(k) leather trousers certainly turned up the heat in the second half.

We gathered backstage as Mark Bunyan introduced the Pink Singers. Unfortunately, we couldn't hear anything of what he said, but in his ten minute preamble he gave a little bit of the history of the Pink Singers, and apparently led the audience in song with I Am A Homosexual, the first song the choir ever sang at that Pride twenty-five years ago. I think it must have been quite a surprise then when we got onto stage and opened with Locus Iste!

I am always nervous on stage, and more so when I know I have to make an announcement or sing a solo piece. It always makes me feel really edgy which means I can't really get into the singing until after the ordeal is over. I'm much happier melding into the background. That said, from the moment we finished singing the Bruckner Motet, I knew that this was going to be an amazing concert. We have never sung that piece better, and there was a wonderful union of voices, we didn't drift in pitch and the ebb and flow of the dynamics was amazing. It certainly set the tone for what was to follow.

If I had to pick out a slightly weaker piece in the first half it would have to be the Triumphal March from Aida. The piece is a grandiose one, and still, I think, a little bit beyond the reach of a sixty voice choir with piano accompaniment. I have to say that Karl Jenkin's Requiem never sounded better though, and Italian Salad was a triumph! Our soloists Adam, Michael D, Simon and Sally Ann really camped it up, and I especially liked Sally Ann's little kick of the heels at the end of her piece. It made the audience, and me, giggle.

The final piece of the first half was Ave Maria, one of the songs we performed at the IndigO2 a couple of weeks ago, with Gari Glaysher returning his visit. If anything, I think this performance was better, partly because we were singing along to Michael D's piano accompaniment, and could therefore be a little more fluid. Gari's voice was as wonderful as ever, although from where we were on stage you could not really hear it well. By this stage I think of Gari as a real friend of the Pink Singers, which reflects his intrinsically friendly nature. It was wonderful having him come along.

By the time we got to the second half things were much more relaxed and I think the whole choir really got into the performance aspect. America certainly gave us a chance to interact with each other, and a friend who came for the first time remarked how much it looked like we were having a good time as part of a team. I couldn't agree more. Everyone really dug deep and pulled what they could out of the bag.

There is a certain schizophrenia in the Pink Singers in that we sing a very varied repertoire, and the two halves really highlighted this, but whether you are singing classical or Motown, the same level of concentration and skill is required, even if the vocal style is different. If I had to choose a favourite piece of the evening, it would have to be Love Song for a Vampire. It seems superficially simple, but to imbue the song with the amount of emotion it deserves is no easy task. I thought the basses were particularly wonderful and their opening line, "Come into these arms again" was the most fused and piano that I have ever heard them. It made me go weak at the knees.

Actually, all the love songs were beautiful, and I spotted some of my friends at the back bawling their eyes out at Your Song and If We Hold On Together. As Andrew F pointed out in his introduction, Michael D's arrangement of the latter song allows for a virtuoso performance on the piano, and I have so say that his fingers flew through that, and all the other songs that evening. It must feel very vulnerable to be so exposed, but Michael D is extremely talented and he turned out a near flawless performace.

Of course, the lynch pin in all of this is our wonderful musical director Mladen. it is impossible to emphasize how important an MD is in tying together the various sections and music, and Mladen does it all with panache. Even if you have only been in the choir for one season, Mladen's directions are like an open book: one gesture and you know when to really go for it, when to slow down, when to hush your voice, when to stop. The Pink Singers would definitely not be at the standard we are without him.

There are times when Mladen has to step aside, and that was certainly the case for the choreography-rich Forever Motown. And what a way to end the concert! The audience was clapping and singing along and we were having a whale of a time. This was followed by a standing ovation from the wonderful and enthusiastic crowd. I almost didn't want it to end.

But end it eventually did, and I have to say that I was running on empty by the end of it. To me, it was the best concert I have ever been priveleged to have participated in, and an example of how far we have come. This season the choir has been pushed harder vocally than ever before and it was very rewarding to see it all come to fruition. At the same time it was so much fun and I've made many new friends this year.

We have just one more gig in Brighton in a fortnight and then it is the end of the summer season. Summer 2008 will definitely go down in my memory as one of my best ever Pink Singers experiences. Pinkies rock!

The Pink Singers: 25 Years Of Pride

"Pride" is such an odd term. In its original sense, the concept is quite un-British. We are almost expected to feel embarassed about our accomplishments. So when I get asked, "What are you proud of?", the conflicted mix queasiness and confusion is exactly the same as I get when asked, "What are your strengths?" in an interview.

When it comes to the Pink Singers, however, I find it a lot easier to know exactly what I am proud of: I am proud of the fact that we are a very diverse group of individuals from all backgrounds, all shapes and sizes, with very different temprements, who all get along with each other. I am proud that we come togther once a week for just twelve weeks or so, and put together a slick, polished and musically accomplished performance. I am proud that the Pink Singers provides a safe and supportive space for people who love to sing who just happen to be gay and lesbian. And the best thing is that we have been doing all the above for 25 years.

I am very proud of the fact that the Pink Singers were created to add a musical accompaniment to the London Pride of 1983, and we have been singing at every single Pride since then. This year was no exception, and nearly the entire choir showed up to strut our stuff and wow the crowds in Trafalgar Square. Things started out rather grim that morning with torrential rain pouring down, but come midday, the clouds cleared and the sun came out in force. By the time Simon and I got down to Pizza Express to meet Lynne and the other Pinkies it was blazing down.

Pride (this time with a capital 'P') is that one day of the year when it seems like London's entire gay population turns out at once. There is an incredibly festive atmosphere and everyone, gay or straight, seems that much 'gayer'. Our maitre d' gave us a knowing wink when we sat down and you could tell he was checking out the passing hordes of muscle marys, twinks, drag queens and the much larger undefined majority as they poured out of Charing Cross station on their way down to the square.

After a hurried lunch - this is the second time the Pink Singers have eaten at Pizza Express in as many weeks, so we don't really even need the menu to order! - we joined the rest of the group up front and wandered backstage in preparation. Michael led the warmup by singing Son Of A Preacher Man. The altos really gave it all and I have to say they are sounding really excellent; they got us in the mood and there was a lot of jumping and jiving going on, and we weren't even on stage yet!

When we emerged from our marquee to make our appearance the atmosphere was electric! The sun was shining brightly and there were thousands of people standing in the square. It was a riot of colour and, thanks to the assorted sponsors, a cacophony of whistles. It is funny how little things prick that sense of pride in you, but seeing the words 'lesbian', 'gay', 'bisexual' and 'trans' in large posters on the parapet at the top of Trafalgar Square made my heart swell. The cheers when we finally got on stage certainly helped as well.

Philip R worked the crowd, Michael played the introduction to Son Of A Preacher Man and we were off! And for once, the sound engineer gods were kind and managed, by the second verse, to get the balance of piano and choir right. Old Pinkies in the audience, including our favourites like Ritchie, Andrew D (with Jamie) and Kay, were waving like mad and singing along. It always puts a huge smile on my face to see members of the wider Pinkie family coming along to give us support.

By the time we got to Forever Motown, spirits were so high and I was singing so loudly I would say that all musical nuances were called off. The sense of unbridled happiness I get when we start singing "Ah... ah... ah... ah!" in unison at the start of Ain't No Mountain always sends a shiver down my spine. This was by no means our most subtle performance, but it really didn't matter at all, and the cheers from the audience were loud and sustained at the end of our set.

Unlike previous years where we both opened and closed the ceremony, this time our duty was only to open the celebrations, so we could wander in and around the crowds. We were tasked to give out flyers to the concert this Saturday (see link to the right for details and tickets by the way!) and it was remarkably easy to do. I had people coming up to me to find out more about the choir, when the next gig was and how they could join. The Pink Singers are nearly at maximum capacity, but with members leaving at the end of every season there is always a space for new recruits.

After that it was off to Soho to fight our way through the mass of gay humanity along Old Compton Street and Soho Square. It was indeed a big 'family' reunion and I ran into several friends, many Frontrunners, and assorted members of our extended choir family. Who would've thought there were that many gay people out there? What really reassured me is that although there were many who fell into one or other of the 'gay' categories, there were many, many others who do not subscribe to these stereotypes. I blogged recently about the hijras in India and how they are the fighting for gay rights in India, and at that early stage of progress, I think you do need such high visibility. Thankfully British society has moved on a bit and there is less need for that kind of identity.

Indeed, to me the Pink Singers are a microcosm of our community. We have a few bears, a few queens (I'm not saying who!), not nearly enough muscle marys (join! join!), butch dykes and lipstick lesbians, but we mainly have a whole lot of members who just don't fit into any category, and who just want to sing. Now that is something to be proud of!

Oh Paris!

In a first for me I am writing a blog post on the train on the way back from Paris. Now the weekend is over, I can look back on it with a mixture of relief and contentment but the feeling on Friday morning was quite different.

There was, first of all, the excitement of simply departing from the new Eurostar terminal at St. Pancras; and what a beauty it is. Having a coffee at the platform level and seeing the blue sky shining through the glass roof of the train shed, itself supported by sky blue ironwork was of itself an amazing experience, made better only by the wonderful and not so expensive bacon butties with tomato chutney of the Baby Betjamin café.

In contrast to the good weather in London, Paris couldn't have been damper. Clouds rolled in shortly after the tunnel crossing, and by the time we arrived at the Gare du Nord, a full storm was underway. As we arrived in the early afternoon and our host was still working, we had a couple of hours to kill. Liang, Simon and I spent it in a random brasserie: hamburgers seem to taste so much better when they are called steak haché!

Our hosts were a lovely couple called Stéphane, a long-serving tenor in Equivox, and Harald his partner (a.k.a. choir widow) originally from Vienna. Not having known anything about them before going, apart from their names, I was pleased to see that we were very similar in age and temperament. In fact, Simon and I could not have asked for more gracious hosts, and made better friends, over our time in Paris.

After settling in, we took them out to dinner at their local restaurant called La Domaine Léopold which specializes in simple rustic food from the area around Toulouse. Harald and Stéphane are obvious regulars because we were treated to free aperitifs and a wonderful starter of the most amazing warmed fois gras I have ever had. Just don't think about the duck. We were supposed to meet the other Pink Singers at the Open Café later, but as both the wine and conversation were flowing so well, we decided not to interrupt either.

The next morning was largely filled with preparations for the concert. We met Philip G and Michael for lunch at a bistro next to the town hall and were joined by Ben P, Sue, Liang and his host, also called Stéphane, so it became a rather impromptu party.

The Pinkies are very much like a large extended family, and gathering in one of the side chambers in the town hall for the warm-up was therefore akin to a family reunion. We have only been apart for six days, but you just couldn't avoid the "How've you been? What have you been up to? Where did you get that pink accessory?" type questions. To complete the picture, Liang's and Mike's cameras were out in force, as was Celso's, so I cannot be accused of being the only photo addict!

The first real contact with Equivox was when we watched them perform on stage for the first of the two concerts. Their musical director, Babette, has definitely put her mark on the choir, and their incredible stage presence, theatricality and enthusiasm reflects her own background in street performance. Watching Equivox perform is a real spectacle, and although their outfits are more restrained than previous years (their current theme being a summer party), their stage presence cannot be denied. This is as much their signature as (I hope) musical fidelity is for the Pink Singers.

A minor upset occurred after Equivox had finished their set. We were under the impression that there was to be an interval, but when the compere began doing our introduction we vacated the seats at the back of the hall and trooped on stage. It is not easy going from being unprepared to launching into Dies Irae! I was especially impressed at the comedy double act of Johanthon and Philip R who managed to get the audience laughing and applauding in their bilingual introduction, no mean feat!

The stage itself was very small and apparently has safety regulations limiting the number to a maximum of 42 at only one time on it. That explains why Equivox singers took it in turn to sing in either concert. Even with only 40 Pinkies (and Mladen) there was a bit of a squeeze and I was in the fourth of five rows when normally I am in the third of four. The cosiness meant that I was singing into Liang's right ear and Celso was singing into my left, and I have to say that it the tenors sounded pretty tight as a result. In fact, the whole choir sounded really polished, and if anything the second performance was even better than the first because we were more relaxed. The usual adrenaline rush after a concert wore off by the time I was on stage for the second time, so I must admit I also enjoyed it much more. The break between performances also gave Philip G, who was already showing off his long, toned, stockinged legs, a chance to experiment with novel decorative uses of a feather boa…

The Parisian audience really loved our attempt at the French songs Dirait'on and Hymne a l'amour and the applause and whoops were very reassuring. So I was slightly amused, and partly deflated, when Stéphane said we were very "charming with our English accents". Aww, I was trying so hard too to "parlez la Francais" [sic]. The audience were also very generous in their donations, and by the end of the night we had raised €1,500 for Sidaction, the organization fighting AIDS in France.

The after-party was a mad rush through the rain to a venue called Le Tango, Paris’ (and probably France’s) only gay and lesbian dance hall. There was something somewhat surreal about getting ready for a night out in your jeans and T-shirt finery, to arrive at the venue where couples are doing the Viennese waltz around the dance floor. Clearly it is really popular, but being timorous souls and having four left feet between us, Simon and I elected to spend most of the evening nursing our beers and watching from the side. This did not stop Stéphane for whom Le Tango is virtually a second home. Where does he get the energy! I did get a chance to chat with one of the new altos, Christine, who for some reason I kept introducing to other people by a completely different name most of the evening – sorry about that Christine! Later that evening the music turned to Eurotrash (eek!) and then to 80s English pop, so not much of an improvement then!

The next morning it was with some difficulty, entirely self-induced, that we made it to the venue where the group brunch was to be held. This is where Equivox normally rehearses, and is a primary school near to where we were staying. Ah the mem’ries of small, low, tightly-packed and rather stinky urinals… Stéphane took Simon and I on an abbreviated tour of some of the arcades in Paris, these elaborate and often sealed short-cuts through the buildings between streets; by the time we got there a spread had been laid out. What was better was the chance to chat with some of the members of Equivox like Florian (Stéphane's - Liang’s host’s - partner), Karim (who is the only bloke singing in the altos) and Marc, a rather studious-looking and musically knowledgeable chap.

It is always good to hear feedback from other choirs. I am very much a perfectionist, and I always go back over my own, and the choir’s, performance with a fine-tooth comb to pick out the mistakes made and identify areas for improvement. So I can be quite a downer sometimes, and it was a timely reminder that the Pink Singers really are very good, and we do have a clean, tight and very polished sound, and one that impresses other choirs! We had a chance to whip out that sound again in a spontaneous sing off between Equivox and us, and then reprised Let The Sunshine In which metamorphosed into a conga line snaking around the hall. What fun!

All too soon it was time to get back on the Eurostar to return to London. Unlike Paris, it wasn’t raining when we got back in, thank goodness for small mercies, but for dinner I defrosted a pizza; it certainly ain’t no fois gras! Sigh…

Man, I'm Knackered!

Whew! Just got back from the basses' event South Side Story which was a treasure hunt along the South Bank. Thankfully, despite rather inclement weather in the last week, the sun decided to make a welcome appearance, and it was actually quite warm. We had a very civilized start at 11.30 a.m., met in the gardens of Southwark Cathedral and set off with a bang.

I will say that our first clue was relatively easy, but after we had spent the first hour getting to clue five (of thirteen) the busy week leading up to this event took its toll. So when a very friendly tea shop beckoned Simon, Ben, Liang, Julia and I took the chance to have a leisurely lunch. Thereafter Julia and Ben had other things to do, so our numbers were decimated, and with a full tummy and the warm sunshine, my brain had started to shut down!

The clues were progressively cryptic and while there were some lovely paths which I had not taken before, we had to drop several of the answers. Unfortunately, I didn't get to chat with Pinkies on other teams either apart from Emelda and Hester in the crypt at St. Paul's, and Andrew F on the phone. By the time we reached Oxo tower, all I wanted to do was go home have a cup of tea and a biscuit. Three hours in, we did ran into a couple of the teams outside St. Thomas' hospital, and I'm afraid my resolve just cracked and I threw in the towel. What a wuss!

Did get back for a well-deserved pint of Samuel Smith wheat beer at my local, the Yorkie Grey. A great big thanks to the basses though, for arranging an energetic afternoon out. I'm pooped!

Fun In The Sun...

...or rather the lack thereof!

Given the amazing weather we have been having, I was quite surprised at how well attended yesterday's rehearsal was, particularly since it was in the recital room, buried in the bowels of the Royal Academy of Music. At least it wasn't hot!

Then again, given that we have had a fortnight's hiatus - what with the weekend away followed in quick succession by the bank holiday - I know I certainly missed our weekly sing-song.

We attacked Big Band Bash which is one of my absolute favourite pieces we have ever sung. I remember first learning it three or four years ago, and just what a hard slog it was with the rhythms and clashing harmonies. Now we have the hang of it though, it is great to really get into the swing of it. And this time round we are doing the whole kaboodle, including Don't Get Around Much Anymore and In A Sentimental Mood which we cut last time due to our smaller soprano and alto sections back then. Yesterday the girls sounded really, really good.

The other surprise for me was how okay (we're not quite there yet) This Woman's Work sounds. Andy has worked his magic with the melodies there, but it is very hard to sing owing to the rather difficult rhythms. As Andrew D was saying, it could well become the next Angels.

Something Fishy also gave us their a capella rendition of Only You - a kind of a taster really, for their free gig at Central Station on Tuesday. Given how great they sound it should be a blast! A whole bunch of us will be heading down there. What I really love is how they have alter egos. You go Lara Montagne!

Finally, a sneak peak at Winter 2007's repertoire. It is obviously not yet fixed, but in addition to the rest of Jenkins' Requiem, Liang managed to track down an SATB version of Come What May from Moulin Rouge. He bought the sheet music from the States, and Mladen has looked at and approved it, so that's something to look forward to. A few years ago I managed to cajole Stefan into singing the duet version (AT arrangement with the 'A' transposed down to 'B' for Stefan) with me. It never materialized, and I am glad it didn't because we would have made an utter hash of it.

Simon, ever the Babs Streisand fan, has put forward People, and which may also get through. I am personally hoping that When I Fall In Love eventually gets done by the big choir, given how successful it was with the small group. Still waiting with bated breath to see what the rest of the choir suggests!