Hello from the outer 'burbs

Hi Pa,

I just thought I'd blog and let you know how my most recent Choir concert went. We sang at BMW Edge a couple of Saturdays ago. The concert was appalling, as the venue wasn't sound proof and the noise from outside came in. At first there was just a little noise from the Indonesia Festival, which was tolerable, and easily drowned out by our singing. Then, during a Cello Sonata with Piano accompanyment, a Greek wedding struck up the LOUDEST DJ set in the history of the world in the restaraunt next door. The conditions were intolerable, yet the musicians persevered till the end.

Then we had interval, where we all discussed our dilemma. All the choristers dreaded the thought of having to go on stage and compete against the din pounding in through the window. The night had been all but ruined.

Thankfully, our concert manager managed to negotiate an hour and a half's silence for us to complete the concert. So we sang our main work in peace, we sang well, and had no further mishaps. At the end, all the choristers sang a spontaneous 'victory' peice down in the basement dressing rooms - we sing this at the end of every concert. But I did not sing, not because I haven't yet learned all the words, but because I wa left feeling rather flat after the previous disasters of the night.

I had invited about 10 friends and family to come and watch the concert, and felt incredibly embarrassed for the conditions they were subjected to. Though we had sung well, and continuously for 45 minutes, my night was ruined. The release of energy from a performance was so dampened from the events of the evening, that even now, a couple of weeks later, I feel like I have not performed.

We were going to record the concert, and I was planning to get you and Nana a CD of it. I'm sure the best recording equipment could not have withstood such a racket.

But the night wasn't all bad. We went out for coffee afterwards with the friends who had attended the concert. It was a good catch up.

Well, that's the biggest news from this neck of the woods. I hope you are well, please say 'hi' to Nana from me. I hope to visit you guys on Wednesday night (around 6.30ish).
See you then.