I have been a part of the alto section of this wonderful Choir since our first concert in 2012 and it is amazing to reflect on just how far we have come. In the run up to the concert we met together twice a week and had one Sunday intensive rehearsal where the set was brought together. It has been fascinating to see how songs develop, grow and change, just as we as individuals and as a choir have grown and changed.
The music, our wonderful Artistic Director Barb Jungr and our ever patient Choir Director Gareth Fuller, keep us on our metal. In this concert the sound and blend of the Choir felt lovely, being together on stage, waiting to begin, we all felt bonded and ready to give our all, together.
Photo by Andrew Rushton
Photo by Andrew Rushton
I was lucky enough to be part of the group that helped to create new songs for the concert and wrote the words to a piece called Shooting Stars, which was shaped, pruned, transformed, arranged and set to music by Barb Jungr, Mark Brennan, George Reilly and Gareth Fuller. They give us such inspiration and share their talent, skill and time so wholeheartedly it is quite overwhelming.
When I first heard how magically Barb had transformed my words I was in a beautiful garden, feeling both joyful and sad, celebrating the life and passing of a dear friend who had also had faith in me as a visual artist in the early days of my career. Tom's band The Red Hot Chillies were playing and it was strange not to see him there with his trumpet. I remembered the happy time I had had painting a riotous mural on the walls of his music room in Gretton. I think he would have enjoyed becoming part of the associated memories stitched inside the song.
The song also contains walks over wet, windy fields with my dear friend Ros, without whom I would not be singing, but most of all it contains memories of three small boys and their Dad and all the walks and picnics we shared in Stoke and Northamptonshire. For quite a long time he didn't recognise what that the song was about us
" I never showed you parks and gardens" he said
It was only after I listed all the places we had been that he felt happy to accept the song was for him.
It was a moving experience to be able to sing the song as soloist with the wonderful DRTT Choir. It is hard to put into words everything this journey has meant to me. There is so much still to learn, so much I need to improve, but for the moment all I can say is I loved every moment.
During the whole day and into the performance there was a real sense of joy and community amongst the Choir which we wanted to share with the audience, I think we succeeded if this comment from Twitter is anything to go by!
