The last time I wrote about our concerts, we had done one gig at a local Women’s Institute which had gone down very well and we were about to sing at a local church, together with the Holbeach Town Band who were also doing a set.
This second concert was also successful, though probably not as good as our first one. We sang to our backing tracks for most of our set but did join together with the brass band at the end to sing ‘Jerusalem‘ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. The band were terrific; we sat listening to them playing and were very impressed, particularly one young man whose solo on the cornet was absolutely beautiful.
So to our next gig which is next Saturday, 13 October at Broad Street Methodist Church, Spalding: a gorgeous venue for singing with excellent acoustics. Our Musical Director, Craig, not one to let us rest on our laurels, has decided to add a couple of new chorus numbers into the set, which has really put the wind up us as there is such a lot to learn in a short space of time and both songs have four-part harmonies.
His chosen songs are from the Sister Act films. The first one, ‘I will Follow Him’ or ‘The Twitter Song’ as I call it at home, was an easy one to learn for the alto ladies as we had the melody. Hoorah. The sopranos found it a little harder. Our chaps were okay with it, I think. All agree it’s a fabulous song. But we need two soloists: one to sing a few lines which Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) sings and another to do the real screechy soprano part which Sister Mary Robert belts out at the end of the number. Muggins here is currently practising the screechy bit, along with a few others, to see who can do this justice. It’s an absolute nightmare as it has to be sung loudly, preferably with a chest voice, but is so high there is a real danger of the song being murdered.
Have a look at the video from the film here: the difficult solo bit is from about 2 minutes in:
We were just starting to get used to this one, when the MD throws another Sister Act song into the mix; this time, ‘Oh Happy Day’ from the movie sequel. This has the potential to be a great song but this time we altos have the harmony which is a bit dull and we found it hard to find our notes. In fact never has a song title been so contrasting to our mood. We were a real miserable bunch on Monday when our MD tried to jolly us up and tell us we were doing fine. We weren’t doing fine, we were making a dog’s dinner out of it and we were all making faces at each other which, of course, he was well able to see. I did feel like a churlish schoolgirl, wanting to tell him to shove his Happy Day where the sun don’t shine….but we battled on.
Now, back at home, with a CD to practise to, I think I may be able to do this. Of course it helps I now know the words. For years I used to think it was ‘when Jesus was’ when apparently it’s ‘when Jesus washed’. Makes sense when the next line is ‘my sins away’. No idea who is going to sing the solo for this one. As we’ve only got one rehearsal left before the concert, we need to work quick or Happy Day will be an Unhappy Night. Or we’ll just drop it until we can do it justice.
Right, where’s me wimple?
Just channel one of the school nuns and you'll be fine!
Why didn't I think of that! Oh I've loads of inspiration now.
Hmm, quality not quantity? Better to drop a dodgy number than ruin a good concert trying to do too much. The screechy solo sounds quite a challenge!
Thankfully our MD would never let us attempt something if we were going to mess it up, so if it's not right we will keep practising and put it into the set for our Christmas concert.
The solo is a bugger, though. One of those ones that you really just have to go for it, with the worry that if it's wrong it will be all too visible…and audible!
Don't worry about it, everything will be fine. If you need help in reaching the high screechy note, try the simple solution of a hungry ferret down your trousers/skirt/knickers. Worked for me.
Jesus washed? I always thought it was Jesus walked.
Trousers/skirt/knickers? Can I add 'habit' to that list? No problem hiding a ferret under that.
Any advances on Jesus walked, anyone?
Break a leg.. I am sure you will all be wonderful 🙂
Looks like we will have someone to video it now so I might put some on here if it's any good!
Good or not, we want to see it either way.
Marion in Panama
All sounds very challenging and very scary. Courage mon brave!
It is scary, CQ, which does make me wonder why I put myself through it. I'm far more stressed than I used to be when I was younger doing this kind of thing.
Yeah channel Sr. Macken, or St. Wright, or Sr. Scott. Were they still there in your day? Don't do Sr. Hine tho'. she was a tyrant. 😀
Definitely Sister Wright – she used to say, 'If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well'. Don't remember the last two!
What a thrilling thing! Last time I sang full on like this I was nine and in our school choir at St Josephs. I realise now I am very pitchy.
I'm sure we could find room for you in our choir, pitchy or not!!
I hope you were singing whilst you were typing! Good Luck x
I was, I was! As long as the boys aren't in the house, I can squawk to my heart's content.
The international women's choir I sang with last year was directed by a former opera singer who has an advanced degree in vocal music from the uni in Berlin – I have always felt that she assumed all of us had similar credentials, even though I'm sure her ears told her differently. It does always seem like directors are more ambitious than their choir members, doesn't it? In any case, I bet you'll do a great job. I love this type of music – beloved of churches in the American south, you know…
Oh heavens, Carolyne, your director's credentials are amazing. Our MD is a trained singer and is lovely with us but when he says, " you just move up to the A" he is able to make the sound pertaining to that note whereas I am only able to recognise that the note is higher than the previous one! I know not what an A sounds like.
Oh, you're so brave and must be so talented. Any singing I do (strictly limited to the shower) always winds up being the screechy part, regardless of how it was written.
Brave, yes. Talented? Depends on what criteria this is based haha! I'm most definitely an amateur. But I always sound tons better in the shower or the kitchen, than I do on stage.
And now that you've got those words figured out, you can work on the Cross-Eyed Bear…
Haha! For about 10 seconds I had no idea what you were on about 😉