My mother, a musician in her soul, had us singing around the piano by the time I was 4 or 5, just very young. I was singing harmonies by 10 or 11 and my siblings and I were performing in competitions by the time I was in grade 4. We were each playing musical instruments at this time and we were on a schedule every morning before school. Probably to keep sane my mother had us rotate through three different activities: eat breakfast, practice piano, practice instrument, get dressed/ready for school. Then were were out the door to school. I don't know how she did it and found the patience. We were all pretty sassy and bratty, but funny...at least we thought we were funny.
Music continues to be a prominent part of my life and my siblings lives. Two siblings play trombone professionally and are active in their music communities. A sister married another musician and now we have three trombone players who serenade us at many family events. Here is a wee snippet taken 4 or so years ago:
In order: Teague, Tim, Lurene at family cabin at
Shuswap Lake, British Columbia
Women of Note Choir, with its 70 female voices is equally talented. Conductor and pianist both active musicians and teachers, and the women who sing are all experienced performers. I have the opportunity to be part of the larger mass choir and the smaller Chamber singers choir.
We are performing on Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30 at the Westworth United Church in Winnipeg and you are welcome to come. A mere $15 to hear an eclectic range of music including Let's Imitate Her Notes Above by Handel, The Prayer (in Slovanian, one of my favourite pieces) by Damijan Mocnik, four Hildegard Motets, a Navajo song titles The Sun is Luminous Shield, a seductress song called Maid on the Shore, Gilbert & Sullivan's Three Little Maids From School, a romping old west song Old Grandma (she is a sassy one too), Punching the Dough (which my nephew has retitled Punching the Gabe, in reference to is older brother), and finishing off with Rosephanye Powell's spiritual, Still I Rise. The woman singing the solo has a gigantic voice, that un-miked, can be heard above the other 69 women. She is amazing!
We have been rehearsing since January and I am ready for this concert, even though I have been without a voice for two weeks. I need to fix a few notes I keep missing, hop into my black top and beautiful skirt, then bring on Wednesday!
Good luck to us!
Good luck, although I'm sure you won't need it! I may just copy your idea of joining a community choir. It sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks for typing in the songs that will be on the programme, Tonia. Imagining them was as close as I am going to get to hearing them. I love singing in choirs as well. I sang in the University Mixed Chorus and we toured Northern Alberta when university was out -- my chance to go to small communities the names of which I had never heard of before. There are all kinds of cultural spill-outs for those who like to sing. Thanks for reminding me of this in your blog post.
ReplyDeleteArta