The first rehearsal for a new show is always good. Most of the time, this is when we get to see the music for the first time - occasionally we might get it the week before - and get an idea of how the show is going to work.
It's also time to work out exactly what solos might be up for grabs. If you've ever sung in any amateur choir, you'll probably know how that goes. A mix of people wanting to audition with their favourite song, and people who guard their choice of song like it was the Crown Jewels. I almost came to blows with a fellow mezzo several shows ago when I chose the same song she had and she was desperately trying to think of a way for me to have done it on purpose.
I'm not going to set myself up as some kind of saint, here. I can be every bit as grabby for solos as any Rachel Berry. I can be selfish, and frankly a bit of a cow. But I know what I'm good at, and I know when to step back and say "yeah, I can't sing that".
This time around a rumour is going round that there actually won't be any solos. I wish I'd had a camera when people heard it. Next thing you know, the usual 'pot' of soloists are all falling over themselves to try to convince each other that it's fine - fine, I tell you! - if there are no solos. After all, we're all happy in the main chorus, aren't we?
Well, sod that for a game of soldiers. I'm not pretending. I don't want to be lost in a crowd, I want to stand at the front, with a spotlight and a mic. I love the full choir songs, but there's nothing quite like the rush of singing on your own, or with only a few others, and knowing you're nailing it.
Kaylee is particularly funny about the rumours. Kaylee is actually almost as good as she thinks she is, but you can almost see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to think of a way to back out of this show if there isn't a solo for her. The last time she wasn't cast, it turned out she had a "huge project" at work that demanded all of her time...
As usual, nobody knows anything. The music we have is good this time around, a decent mix of pop/rock/Broadway that ticks all of the boxes. Personally I think Bill won't be able to resist putting solos in too. We'll see!
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
New show, new drama
Just to get you up to speed on where I am now - a couple of weeks ago we started rehearsals for a new show. My choir - for this blog I'll call us Resonance - has well over 150 people and together we make a great sound, so the day we first sing together after a break is always a bit of a high.
In theory, we don't have to read music, but in practice most of us do, to some level. My own music-reading skills are moderate at best, but I pick things up so quickly that most people think I'm a lot better at it than I actually am.
So far we've done quite a few concerts together, and frankly we're bloody good. We have a couple of CDs - no, you won't find us on iTunes (yet), they were sold independently - and have taken part in so many smaller shows and concerts that I've lost count. We all know each other fairly well. Before I really get into the story of our latest show, let's have a quick rundown of our 'main characters'. Obviously, this isn't anyone's real name!
Mags - Organiser, people-mover and occasional stand-in for Bill. She has the job of conducting and rehearsing us when Bill is away, and of monitoring attendance and general paper-pushing when he's here.
Christian - Holder of the purse strings. The representative of the local authority that provides our funding.
Kaylee - First soprano, thirtysomething, probably the most technically gifted person in the choir. Fully aware of how talented she is, but doesn't like anything approaching criticism - as she rarely gets criticism, it works out well!
Claire - Mezzo soprano, late twenties, more pop than Broadway or classical. Not Kaylee's favourite person. Genuinely nice girl, ridiculously talented, but never picks up on other people's feelings at all.
Dee - Alto, early forties. Serviceable voice enhanced by an excellent stage presence. Fairly practical.
Charis - Thats me! Mezzo soprano with alto tendencies, decent at pop, rock, Broadway but only serviceable at anything classical. Tend to end up with the character parts due to the presence of Claire.
Keith - Tenor, good singing voice but not the Pavarotti he thinks he is. Late forties. Like most tenors, prone to diva fits to put a soprano to shame.
Grayson - Tenor, late forties. Solid singer with no delusions of grandeur.
There are many others, who I'll introduce as and when they surface!
In theory, we don't have to read music, but in practice most of us do, to some level. My own music-reading skills are moderate at best, but I pick things up so quickly that most people think I'm a lot better at it than I actually am.
So far we've done quite a few concerts together, and frankly we're bloody good. We have a couple of CDs - no, you won't find us on iTunes (yet), they were sold independently - and have taken part in so many smaller shows and concerts that I've lost count. We all know each other fairly well. Before I really get into the story of our latest show, let's have a quick rundown of our 'main characters'. Obviously, this isn't anyone's real name!
People
Bill - Our choir leader and 'man in charge'. He comes up with the ideas and mostly brings them to fruition. A very talented man, and so far most of Resonance would walk over hot coals for the man.
Mags - Organiser, people-mover and occasional stand-in for Bill. She has the job of conducting and rehearsing us when Bill is away, and of monitoring attendance and general paper-pushing when he's here.
Christian - Holder of the purse strings. The representative of the local authority that provides our funding.
Kaylee - First soprano, thirtysomething, probably the most technically gifted person in the choir. Fully aware of how talented she is, but doesn't like anything approaching criticism - as she rarely gets criticism, it works out well!
Claire - Mezzo soprano, late twenties, more pop than Broadway or classical. Not Kaylee's favourite person. Genuinely nice girl, ridiculously talented, but never picks up on other people's feelings at all.
Dee - Alto, early forties. Serviceable voice enhanced by an excellent stage presence. Fairly practical.
Charis - Thats me! Mezzo soprano with alto tendencies, decent at pop, rock, Broadway but only serviceable at anything classical. Tend to end up with the character parts due to the presence of Claire.
Keith - Tenor, good singing voice but not the Pavarotti he thinks he is. Late forties. Like most tenors, prone to diva fits to put a soprano to shame.
Grayson - Tenor, late forties. Solid singer with no delusions of grandeur.
There are many others, who I'll introduce as and when they surface!
Confessions of a thirtysomething choir nerd...
When I was at school, I loved to sing. I was a member of my school choir, and continued the interest through University with a few productions there.
What happened next? Well, I graduated. As a lot of former students can attest, that isn't as easy as it sounds. It's time to get a job, and suddenly nobody cares about the solo you went through three auditions and one almost-catfight to get. Nobody remembers how you brought the house down in 'Chicago', or your killer version of 'With One Look'. People look at you, say "No experience!" and turn you down flat, and each time it eats away at your confidence just that little bit.
That's what happened with me. I always knew I wasn't West End or Broadway style good, knew I would never stand out in a crowd enough to make a career of it, so I found myself looking for ordinary work, only to find that the things I was good at, the things I cared about, weren't worth anything to anyone else.
So eventually, when I got an ordinary job, I settled down to do it. Somehow I didn't have the confidence to join any of the established choirs in my area - I no longer had the nerve to walk into a room full of people who already knew each other.
I watched 'Glee', and I couldn't help feel for Will Schuester and his attempts to recapture his glory days through his students. I knew how he felt, missing the lights, missing the applause.
So one day, when I saw an advert in the paper, saying that a new choir was looking for members, I jumped at it. 'New' meant that nobody else would know anyone either. 'New' meant a fresh start. And maybe, just maybe it would make me feel as good as it had before.
That ad in the paper was over a year ago, and I've never stopped singing since. If you love 'Glee', if you belong to a choir, if you're involved in amateur theatre in any way, or even a bit curious about what goes on, you might find my stories amusing. If not, well, I've got a record of them anyway!
What happened next? Well, I graduated. As a lot of former students can attest, that isn't as easy as it sounds. It's time to get a job, and suddenly nobody cares about the solo you went through three auditions and one almost-catfight to get. Nobody remembers how you brought the house down in 'Chicago', or your killer version of 'With One Look'. People look at you, say "No experience!" and turn you down flat, and each time it eats away at your confidence just that little bit.
That's what happened with me. I always knew I wasn't West End or Broadway style good, knew I would never stand out in a crowd enough to make a career of it, so I found myself looking for ordinary work, only to find that the things I was good at, the things I cared about, weren't worth anything to anyone else.
So eventually, when I got an ordinary job, I settled down to do it. Somehow I didn't have the confidence to join any of the established choirs in my area - I no longer had the nerve to walk into a room full of people who already knew each other.
I watched 'Glee', and I couldn't help feel for Will Schuester and his attempts to recapture his glory days through his students. I knew how he felt, missing the lights, missing the applause.
So one day, when I saw an advert in the paper, saying that a new choir was looking for members, I jumped at it. 'New' meant that nobody else would know anyone either. 'New' meant a fresh start. And maybe, just maybe it would make me feel as good as it had before.
That ad in the paper was over a year ago, and I've never stopped singing since. If you love 'Glee', if you belong to a choir, if you're involved in amateur theatre in any way, or even a bit curious about what goes on, you might find my stories amusing. If not, well, I've got a record of them anyway!
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