And So It Begins - Winter 2007

The new season started on Sunday. I hadn't been away to Helsinki, so for me the break from choir really was a break, and I was very keen to get back into the swing of things. Having been in the choir now for a number of years, and having missed just one season in all that time, I can safely say that one of my favourite times of the year is the start of the winter season. It is almost like being back at school again after the long summer holidays - you get to catch up with friends who have been away, see your old (double entendre) "teachers" again, and meet a whole slew of new faces.

In the last few years our little choir really has been growing. When I joined the Pink Singers were probably about 30 members, which would mean between 7 and 8 members per section. This year I think we are aiming for 8 members per voice. With 8 voices, that means a total of 64! Of course, the reality is that when it comes to the concert we will not have all 64 members on stage, but it does give us room to accomodate the inevitable cold or food poisoning on the night. At the same time, it is my strong belief that we should not get any bigger than that. At the moment everyone knows everyone else, and there is a strong sense of community in the Pinkies. The larger you get the more fragmented the choir becomes and we will lose the very element which makes us such fun to sing with.

On Sunday the first group of newbies came along. This is basically a chance for potential new members to get a feel for what the choir is about and whether they feel they would fit in. There was a tenor and several basses - which is a good thing because that section needs a bit of a boost, especially in the bass twos - and there were several women as well, a couple of new sopranos and altos. I hate to be an old fogey, but I remember when I first joined just how downright frightening it was, especially since I didn't know anyone. Things are quite different now, because everyone new joins at the same time, so they at least have each other in common, and the oldies are also much friendlier once they know a member is committed.

At the pub after rehearsal I had a chat with a guy who sang with Gloria in Ireland, and Andrew F found a compatriot in a guy who also hailed from Malta. Who would have thought it? They both professed to loving the Pink Singers, so here's hoping we will see them again.

One thing I was concerned about the last time was how terrifying an initial rehearsal can be. Last season we started off with Big Band Bash which is a complex piece with rather odd rhythms and harmonies. Needless to say, by the end of that first session we still sounded pretty painful. If I had joined for the first time I would have been put off. I am pleased to say that on Sunday, however, we started off with When I Fall In Love, a simple song which we pretty much nailed straight off. Then again, we also tried our hand at Come What May which has potential, but which we still managed to utterly slaughter. Can't let the newbies, or the oldies, get too complacent!

The Power of Pink

It is hard to imagine that in this day and age people still associate the colour pink with gay. Well, I guess kids still do, especially in the provinces. That said, here is a wonderful story from Canada about some salutory behaviour from two kids and how they combatted bullying.

Two Nova Scotia students are being praised across North America for the way they turned the tide against the bullies who picked on a fellow student for wearing pink.

The victim — a Grade 9 boy at Central Kings Rural High School in the small community of Cambridge — wore a pink polo shirt on his first day of school.

Bullies harassed the boy, called him a homosexual for wearing pink and threatened to beat him up, students said.

I won't give away the ending, but it is really quite heart-warming!

From Helsinki With Love

What? No post since Pride - time to rectify that...

We kicked off our winter season in style by performing in Helsinki with Europe's youngest gay choir - Out 'n loud. While most Pinkies flew there directly to take in the best of Helsinki, some of us took the scenic route by flying to Tallinn and catching the ferry to Helsinki. From all accounts, the night before the show was one to remember with Pinkies exercising their vocal cords as only the Pinkies can - by singing all night in a karaoke bar (gay, of course).

The day of our concert (Sat 15 Sept)dawned wet, dull and cold. Our rehearsal reflect the weather with Mladen tearing his hair out as we were all flat. But as the day brightened to reveal a sunny blue sky, so did our voices so by the time of the show we were raring to go.

Our host choir provided the warm up act by performing in the first half. Stepping onto the stage to rapturous applause, we knew we were onto a winner. We kicked off with Fancies, and followed up with the classical section.

After a brief interlude of Nathalina and Carol provided the audience with an amusing take on a Brit learning a foreign language, the rest of the concert flowed effortlessly. "Love Song For A Vampire" hit new peaks and "This Woman's Work" was a treat especially for one of the Helsinki choir members who declared this his favourite song. "Abba Pink" brought the house down and we closed the event singing a joint song in Finnish with Out 'n loud (a song about ducks and being by the water). The audience was hugely appreciative and the reception we received was heart warming.

We trooped off to a bar-come-sauna afterwards for some entertainment. While some Pinkies warmed themselves in the sauna, others were dancing to the perpetual stream of Eurovision songs blasting from the speakers. As Adam said "...all the songs sound the same..."



However, Andrew F seemed to know every word to every song... What more could a Pinkie want except to go clubbing afterwards - so while Hercules was being explored by the men, DTM was being invaded by the women.

The next day found just Ben and Liang accompanying our single Finnish host Jaakko (hope I spelt this correctly) on the proposed city tour. I guess everyone else was just too tired or partied out... Later on, a number of bleary eyed Pinkies were seen at the airport checking in and waiting for their flights home.
We had enjoyed marvellous hospitality, experienced a Finnish sauna and tasted a Finnish sandwich (chemical) cake.

Thank you Nathalina for getting the ball rolling and thank you Tanya for completing the organisation. Roll on Paris...

PS. I mustn't forget to thank Lynne for her endless organisation energy, Mladen for conducting us fabulously, Michael for his tireless nimble fingers and Andy for his wonderful arrangements.

Looking Back On Pride

In the build up to Pride I found myself watching the weather forecast hoping for a fine and sunny day (nothing to do with eye candy). As the day dawned and started to rain, I felt we would be lucky just to get a break never mind sunshine. Not to be put off, I attended the parade and was heartened to see lots of people lining the streets watching and celebrating with me.

Our spirits were not dampened by the weather and the atmos- phere was great. And it was wonderful to see representations from the various Forces who received applause as they progress down the march. I later joined the rest of the Pinkies in Trafalgar Square as we prepared to sing to the masses. Backstage, the handsome John Barrowman soon found himself beseiged by Pinkies as we crowded round for photos.

Finally on stage, it was fantastic to see such a big crowd under a sea of umbrellas in the pouring rain as we belted out our number "Big Band Bash" - maybe "Don't Rain On My Parade" would have been more appropriate! The highlight of our performance was when John Barrowman started singing with us (well - it was for Carol as he was standing next to her). The crowd was supportive and we have to say well done to Lynne for organising this not to forget Mladen and Michael for their usual expertise in getting us through the song.

Wimbledon was a washout as usual but I suppose we'll have a water ban later in the year as our old and leaky pipes drain all the water from our systems. Oh I forget, it's the wrong type of rain for filling the system. However there is hope on the horizon with the streets of London being dug up all over the place apparently to replace our pipes. No doubt, they'll be dug up again next month to replace cables followed by gasworks the month after...

For me this long and enjoyable day ended with a quiet drink at my local with a handful of friends - one of whom had his last cigarette indoors before the smoking ban came into force - hurrah!

Fire And Brimstone, And A Kwik-E Mart

As you may know there have been a number of freakish storms this last week, resulting in the flooding of the area around Sheffield. I was due to travel up to Leeds last Tuesday but had to cancel since the country was effectively cut in half with road and rail networks down. For me it was just an inconvenience, but for the people who actually live in the area, it was pretty much a disaster, and my sympathies to them.

Of course, most people will see the events as little more than an unfortunate collision of weather systems... but not if you can get some publicity mileage out of it! Yesterday the Rt Rev Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle said that

This is a strong and definite judgment because the world has been arrogant in going its own way... We are reaping the consequences of our moral degradation, as well as the environmental damage that we have caused... The sexual orientation regulations [which give greater rights to gays] are part of a general scene of permissiveness. We are in a situation where we are liable for God's judgment, which is intended to call us to repentance.

How does such intolerance like this still exist in the 21st century? I know I was somewhat surprised at the slightly militant quality of the Deep C Divas performance at our summer concert, but I guess that because I live in the cosmopolitain and progressive bubble that is London, I have forgotten that such attitudes live on our doorstep.

I think it is time for something to perk me up, and what better than a real-life Kwik-E Mart with a shiny life-sized Apu behind the counter?

Singing In The Rain

Well done Pinkies - another splendid Pride performance on the main stage!

Despite the rain, the Pinkies continued as normal:

Lynne was everywhere at once, organising us all with her customary efficiency and remaining patient throughout. Surely for our 25th anniversary next year we should consider presenting her with an inscribed silver clipboard?

While Lynne toiled over a soggy clipboard, some of the choir were able to help out by doing a little networking . . .


Mladen excelled himself by conducting our entire performance using his umbrella. This made him much more visible for the tenors, middles and basses at the back. Thanks Mladen!

And as for the singing . . . we were fabulous of course! See you all on the main stage for Pride 2008!

Froot Loop Cereal Straws

I love Froot Loops, which for some reason you can't get in the U.K. (probably for child protection reasons). When I go to the States I want to eat this for breakfast every day. Yum...

Look Up At The... Well You Tell Me!

I've been manic with work so haven't really had a chance to do a post on our recent concert. That said, here is a video of us in action (or mainly Mladen's bum in action) as we debut Anthony's song "Look Up At The Stars" at the Royal Academy.

Not much movement from us since we were singing backup. In rehearsal and on stage all you can hear is your section's line, so it is pretty amazing to hear it all from the front and what it sounds like when it actually comes together. I think it is really super that we are supporting Anthony, especially since this song is all about his father and Alzheimer's disease. The lyrics and the music (and we) really are beautiful.