newbies

A little Pink bottle goes a long way…

“Why have you got bright pink nails, Miss?” must have been the most asked question of the day in my primary school. Why, indeed…

This Saturday was the culmination of the Pink Singers’ 30^th birthday celebrations: the ‘Hand in Hand’ festival and concert at The Troxy in Limehouse. As a new Pinkie, this was the day I was to ‘pop my concert cherry’ and – despite the 6am alarm bell, the 90-minute trek into the wilds of East London and the fear of being in the same room as 500 bananas (don’t ask) – I was beyond excited!

The five months since I auditioned for the Pink Singers has flown by, yet we have achieved so much. I am so honoured to be part of such a talented, creative, intelligent, loyal and passionate group of people. People who have created an incredibly powerful exhibition; people with the vision to commission Richard Thomas to compose music for them; people who have welcomed choirs large and small from around the British Isles to come and share a stage with them; people who can sing and dance so amazingly well it takes one’s breath away.

James Burton leads Va Pensiero (Photo: Pete Stean)

At times this season I have felt a bit of a fraud, sneaking in on all this wonderfulness halfway through. However, standing in the foyer of The Troxy on Saturday morning ready to buddy one of the visiting choirs, I wore my Pinkies’ t-shirt with pride and truly felt like I belonged. There was such a buzz of excitement as the doors were opened and the crowds flooded in. Over 400 participants, dressed in all colours of the rainbow (what else?), were here to sing and celebrate with us – how amazing!

The vocal workshops were both fun and informative. They took us on a journey from opera to medieval music, via world music and ‘belting’! All 500 of us joined in with gusto and it was a great way for us to bond with our new friends from the other choirs.
By the time the concert was due to begin, I was pacing up and down the corridor practising my very small, but seemingly epic, introduction speech for the Deep C Divas. When I’d exclaimed a week or so beforehand that I was from Leeds I didn’t realise it would mean stepping into a spotlight and addressing the crowd.

Pink Singers' set (Photo: Pete Stean) — Pink Singers’ set (Photo: Pete Stean)

Our first song, ‘I, Choir’ went down a storm. It was the first part of our three-part commission by Thomas, and as it was a world première, we had no idea what the reaction to it would be! The laughs and applause told us all we needed to know. It was so special watching all the other choirs sing and dance, one of them for the first time ever. But, I couldn’t wait for the time for our set to arrive. The ‘tropical’ conditions inside the Troxy, owing to a good ol’ fashioned heatwave made our hands a little clammier than usual, but that was soon forgotten as we watched a series of stellar performances from all our fabulous guest choirs. All of a sudden it was time for our set, and we were up on stage. From the moment the first few notes of ‘Jericho’ sounded, the whole thing flew by in a flash. I got the giggles when the risers started squeaking in time to our choreography, I almost got all the moves right, and I smiled one of the biggest smiles of my life when the audience clapped and cheered our final number, ‘Earth, Wind and Choir’, joined in wonderful harmony by all 500 voices who joined us for the day.

Thank you Pinkies, for making the first half of 2013 so unforgettable. It’s sad having to go back to reality until the Autumn…

“You know you’re not allowed nail varnish in school, Miss – you’d better take it off before Mr Foley sees you.” And so, I will go home and reluctantly reach for the remover, happy though that the little pink bottle will be there, ready for next time…

P.S. We’re 30 Concert (Part 2 of 2)

The whole choir at rehearsal in December 2012. Photo by Simon Pearson

In the second of a couple of posts, Newbie Lara reflects on her first season as a Pink Singer, and reveals a little bit of choir romance to boot!

My very first rehearsal with the Pink Singers, I remember I’d originally felt so shy and nervous to step into what I’d earlier read to be ‘Europe’s longest-running LGBT choir’ of about 80 members, I almost turned around and went home! Having previously made a habit of keeping myself just a little distanced from the mainstream hubbub of the LGBT community, I was a little unsure and had my reservations about joining such a large choir of its type.

Yet as I approached the rehearsal venue, brain chatter by now in a state of drastic panic and near evacuation, I was immediately greeted by friendly smiles and hellos and introduced to a gaggle of equally timid potential newbies (and I should mention here in a sad attempt to embarrass her, that I have been seeing one of these other newbies for the last few months now and it was one of the most unexpected yet awesome things to happen in my life to date!). We were then escorted into the building to watch and take part in the first rehearsal of the season, and the second I heard the choir burst into a fantastically uplifting rendition of the gospel piece, ‘Joyful Joyful,’ I was hooked! My previous reservations vanished on the spot, particularly after spotting the colour co-ordination of Murray Hipkin’s fabulous bright pink socks and shirt.

As someone who has had quite a lot of choral and singing experience, it’s always fascinating to me to see how different groups operate, and one of the immediate attractions of the Pink Singers was the vast array of different musical styles within the repertoire. From classical Brahms and Mozart, to the show tunes of Les Miserables and Hairspray, across to pop covers of Tina Turner and Elvis Presley, it seems there is nothing this choir won’t try! There is truly something for everyone in the Pinkies, and the choir welcomes people with open arms from all walks of life, whether they have had previous singing experience or not. Whilst I personally aspire to make singing and performance my career, I have felt so humbled to enter into such a loving family of some of the most interesting and inspiring people I have ever met. We have IT consultants, business managers, charity workers, lawyers, teachers, doctors, artists, dancers, and even the odd musician here and there. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, if you love to express yourself through song, the Pink Singers have a place for you.

My first season has been especially exciting, as this year is an ongoing celebration of the Pink Singer’s 30^th anniversary! We started this January with a fantastic first concert in Cadogan Hall to celebrate the choir’s ‘greatest hits’ in conjunction with our brand new CD recording, ‘The Pink Singers, P.S. We’re 30’. This included a whole range of different music specially selected in order to reflect the history of the last 30 years of the Pink Singers, tracing the political, social and cultural changes that affected the LGBT community, alongside the choir’s own development. For me, this gave a whole new meaning to the powerful opening and closing song of the concert, ‘Hand In Hand’, reminding us that historic events and the lives and actions of all people are intrinsically connected.

I have been blessed to grow up in an environment where it is gradually becoming more acceptable to be a member of the LGBT community, a fact that should not be taken for granted. Our hard work this season as a choir, plus all the direction, help and stories emerging from the wonderful committee members and our artistic directors have taught me so much about our brothers and sisters before us who fought hard to get where we are today, and how much work there is still to be done across the world to make our voices heard. Through a cleverly put together combination of photomontages, documentaries, speeches, and different types of live performances (with choreography!), we blew away our audience whilst also moving them to think and reflect. ‘That performance certainly conveyed a message,’ is what my father said after our performance, for which we received a mighty standing ovation! This ability to both entertain and provoke people to think and reflect is one of the most special qualities of the Pink Singers.

I felt honoured to be amongst so many talented new friends in Cadogan Hall and to receive such a positive response, and I’m so looking forward to the rest of the year to come. Happy Anniversary to The Pink Singers I say! Thank you all for making me feel so welcomed, and here’s to the next season ahead!

P.S. We’re 30 Concert

The 30th anniversary concert, ‘P.S. We’re 30!’ is performed to a sold-out Cadogan Hall. It features songs from each of the choir’s three decades and celebrates the journey that the choir had made, politically and musically. In the first of a couple of posts, Newbie Gary reveals all about his first concert experience as a Pink Singer.

Well I did it: I got through my first “Pink Singers” concert, the culmination of 5 months hard work by the choir.

I remember back in the summer when I decided I would go along for an audition. I was very nervous, but everyone was so friendly and helpful. There is so much talent in the Pink Singers and I am still in awe of the fact that I am part of such an amazing group. The Newbies Party was great fun and a chance to meet everyone socially, and made settling in a lot easier…

My first season was challenging, as firstly I don’t read music and secondly I hadn’t realised how much learning I would have to do away from rehearsals, especially for this bumper season featuring over 20 songs to learn! However the rehearsal piano tracks were a big help, but I’m sure many people were a bit scared when I have been singing along to them on my iPod whilst walking the dog!

In November, mid-way through the season we recorded a CD, which was brilliant, and sounds amazing. It makes me very proud to see my name on the sleeve. It’ll be available to buy online very soon!

Rehearsing at Cadogan Hall. Photograph by Hsien Chew

So it was suddenly 19th January and Concert Day, I can’t believe the performance went so quickly, and I only forgot my words once as far I know which I am sorry to say wasn’t during a number involving choreography! I was nervous throughout most of the first half, but the response of the audience to every number was amazing and made all the rehearsals so worthwhile, and I only just managed to hold back the tears after the final rendition of Hand in Hand to which we received the most amazing standing ovation.

In the short time I have been a ‘Pinkie’ I have had a blast, and made some good friends. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly, and if I’m honest I am a little sad to lose my “newbie” tag, but I am looking forward to our next season (starting on 17th February) already!

You can read the second post in the series here.

Timeline datestamp: 19 January 2013

Newbie Fiona on becoming a Pinkie

A bit of impromptu singing at the Newbies Party. Photo by Pete Stean.

I’ve always loved singing and the sound of harmonies in unison, but had never considered joining a choir until I downloaded some tracks from the Pink Singers website, I was lucky enough to have caught the audition date in October and popped along to the space where the Pinkies rehearse, dragging my nerves with me.
As soon as I arrived the choir welcomed me and made me feel at home. The first part of the day involved listening to the readings of the songs. They were so good, and I was so terrible I wanted to run a mile, but the alto section looked after me and I soon relaxed, singing along when I felt confident that I’d picked up the tune. What fun! Continue reading “Newbie Fiona on becoming a Pinkie”

Comparing Notes

It’s often said that the middle Monday in January is the glummest day of the year. Marooned between paydays, together with the combination of plummeting temperatures, seemingly endless dark mornings and the twinkling festivities of Christmas all but a distant memory, “Blue Monday” is always a struggle to get through. This Blue Monday however is proving a little easier as I’m still grinning from ear to ear at the memory of my full-length debut concert with the wonderful Pink Singers, ‘Comparing Notes’ that took place on 14 Jan 2012. And as Magic radio blares out I Don’t Feel Like Dancingacross the office this morning, let me sum up for you what a fantastic weekend it was to pop my pink cherry…….

After hours of intense rehearsal, the day we’d been waiting for finally dawned, sunny and crisp, and as we gathered hesitantly outside the stage door by the imposing facade of Cadogan Hall, there was a real buzz in anticipation of what we were about to embark on. Having been lucky enough in my previous life as an actor to perform at some great venues, walking out on a new stage is always exciting and today was no exception.

Murray, our Musical Director, was quick to put us at ease though, taking us through a gentle warm-up and getting our bodies and minds focused for the job at hand. The first few bars of Lux Aurumque sounded a little hesitant as our ears adjusted to the new environment, but it wasn’t long before we were in full voice, enjoying the gorgeous acoustics that Cadogan Hall provides.

Seeing the show gradually coming together throughout the afternoon, lights, projections and the fantastic addition of the beautiful string quartet, all added to the excitement and news that ticket sales were heading towards record levels, made us all the more determined to make that night’s show all the more memorable. Finally the arrival of the wonderful gentlemen of the South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus, our guest choir, made sure that the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves would be a highlight of what was to come.

The final countdown soon began backstage and the dressing rooms were a flurry of hair and makeup, last minute choreography checks and preening of pink roses and feathers. Kate, our Chair, took a few moments to thank everyone who had worked so hard to make the night possible (with the help of some black and pink M&Ms!) and it really struck me then how hard so many people had worked behind the scenes to make what we do run so smoothly.

Before we knew it, the clock had swung round to 7.30pm and we were on. Lux Aurumque set the scene perfectly, its shimmering chords sending us well on our way. It was amazing to spot so many friendly and familiar faces in the audience and you knew they were with us when you could hear a pin drop during The Blue Bird, holding their breath as the final soprano note rang beautifully through the auditorium. The effervescent energy and incredible voice of Larry Newman made Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat (already going down as a Pinkies classic) a chance for us to start showing off our finely honed choreography before SWGMC joined us.

As we came off stage to watch the boys from Cardiff strut their stuff, the energy felt amazing and we knew that the second half could only get better.
The SWGMC opened part 2 brilliantly with a medley from Chicago, followed by – amongst others – a great arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody (BSL interpreter Zane, resplendent in his pink gloves, did more than justice to the stylings of the great Freddie Mercury with his signing!). Then it was the turn of our string quartet, (the Pink Stringers?!), to enjoy their moment in the spotlight with beautiful contrasting Dvořák and Gluck pieces.

Finally the Pink Singers returned to the stage for the last few songs – including Pinkie Chris’s stunning arrangement of Make You Feel My Love before we busted a collective move to Scissor Sisters and The Black Eyed Peas. Murray asked the audience, by now on their feet, if they wanted more so we duly obliged with Katy Perry’s Firework, our sparkling rings working to perfection creating a stunning final firework image for the audience to take home with them.

After a few drinks in the bar with friends – none of whom had been to a Pink Singers concert before and who all promised to become dedicated groupies in the future – it was on to the after show party at Bar 229. Gary, our Social Secretary, had, as ever, come up with a real find of a venue and it was great to celebrate a brilliant night with the rest of the group knowing that our hard work had really paid off. The DJ certainly knew her crowd, spinning the cheesy pop until the wee hours and throwing in a few tracks from the concert which we couldn’t resist singing at the top of our voices.

Finally to finish off the weekend in style, I couldn’t miss the traditional Pink Singers end of season brunch at the Retro Bar. As we got stuck into the various goodies that people had brought, we compared notes (geddit!) on the previous night’s events and got to know the gents of SWGMC before bidding them a fond farewell with promises to visit in the future.

So all in all, I’ve had a fantastic first concert weekend with the Pinkies. It’s been a huge honour to be able to work with such a dedicated and talented group of people who genuinely love what they do and I can’t wait to do it all over again with them. So, never mind “Blue Monday”, here’s to “Pink Monday” and may there be many more…

Paul

Timeline datestamp: 14 January 2012

Share

Copy short link