Hello, Goodbye

It's New Year's Eve. In some parts of the world it's already New Year's Day. And where am I? Relaxing at home with the family? Off out at a house party or getting cold and wet at a city centre New Year celebration? Nope. I'm working. And found out that I would be working less than a week before Christmas. This pretty much sums up 2012. It's been like that.

Last year, as the last whisps of 2011 melted away and 2012 arrived, I remember feeling quite melancholy. It was a feeling that clung to me for weeks. And not without good reason. When I look back now, as I'm about to close the door on 2012 forever, I can see it's been a year dogged with ongoing issues, few resolutions and lots of goals left unachieved.

The first half of the year, Granny was very poorly. We were all very concerned for her and to that I added the weight of concern for my Dad and cousins. Steve and I made two very long trips to Canterbury to visit as her health deteriorated and finally my last surviving grandparent passed away.

The second half of the year has been plagued with work issues, as my previous employer's contract came to an end and a new (incompetent) contractor came in to take over. There has been much anxiety in the build up to the transfer, which has manifested in people generally being unkind to each other. I've had to say goodbye to some great colleagues (and one very good friend who is bringing in the New Year in Australia). The final culmination of this has been mass redundancies and some really inappropriate and unfair actions by the new employer. This has been the single most stressful thing I have been through with any employer and I hope I never have to repeat anything similar in the future.

Our house is still on the market. It still hasn't sold. It's still causing a disproportionate amount of stress with dickish estate agents and a kitchen roof that continues to leak. We've missed out on a number of opportunities, the worst of which was a house with a turret. Even with the front of the house sinking, it was a bargain and it would have been a beautiful home. I fear I might always regret that as 'the one that got away'.

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However, 2012 has a few things worth remembering it for. I have waited for most of my life to see The Phantom of the Opera and I was not disappointed when Mum and I went to see it in May. It was spectacular and if I had been able to afford to see it again, I would have. I also saw Starlight Express this year. I've wanted to see it since I was about twelve so it's been a long wait.

May was a great month this year; as well as Phantom of the Opera at the Palace Theatre, Mum and I had a trip down to the Big Smoke so I could sing at the Royal Albert Hall with Sing Live and the Night of 1000 Voices. I love the choir. I love singing. And combining that with the trip and having Mum there was a real treat.

Mum, Steve and I holidayed in Cyprus in May as well. We lounged around the hotel pool and the hotel bar and the hotel restaurant and our room and didn't leave the hotel all week. It was almost perfect. But I really must stop eating milky and creamy things: My stomach can't take it!

In August Ann and I went into Manchester for one of those makeover days where they take photos. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and came away with a bunch of photos that I'm really pleased with. They actually make me look quite normal, and not strange or hideous. Although they do show I have a dent in my forehead. Investigations into the cause of the dent are ongoing. (I suspect Dad might've dropped me on my head as a child.)

One final highlight of the year has been Pinterest. Ah, what joy. And what agony. Pinterest inspired me to make some of my Christmas presents this year. Claire got a handmade bracelet that I was quite pleased with. My Dad received an iPad case made out of a recycled suit jacket. I gave my Mum a scrapbook of our wedding photos - it wasn't quite finished but I think she was really pleased to finally have a wedding album. Ann got a Memory Jar. And my in-laws... I made them a patchwork quilt, which I finished at 2.30am on Christmas Day. It turned out really well and I have a queue of people asking for me to make them one. So Pinterest has been a success in that it has lead me to achievements myself.

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Looking forward to 2013, I'll be graduating from the Open University, achieving my Literature degree. I'll also be going to see Wicked when it tours (another one of my favourite musicals ticked off the list) and I'm hoping to get to see a few more theatre productions this year too. I would love to see Avenue Q, although I'd be surprised if that opportunity rolls around this year. I'm really looking forward to the Les Miserables movie, and Sing Live's first concert of 2013 on the 3rd of Feb at the Bridgewater Hall.

I'm renewing my 2012 New Year's Resolution to read 12 books (I only managed 6, with 2 still on the go) but I think I might have to aim for 13 books as it's 2013.2013 will also see the first draft of the novel that I've started at least three times, and I'm determined to keep a diary. Writing has to be a focus of the year, if for no other reason than it's necessary for my degree, so I'm relaunching my writing blog tomorrow. I'm not setting a goal of blogging every day, but I want to make sure there is regular content, and if I'm writing everyday that should be easy... Should... Be... Easy. Famous last words.

I really want to spend a bit more time with friends this year; I feel like I've hardly seen Ann or Claire and I'd really like to meet up with some old friends that I haven't seen for a while. I'm already dreaming up a visit to Ally and Rich in Londonium, and maybe lunch or dinner out with Jo Jo from First Choice. And who knows what else I might manage to do.

So I'm making 2013 a year of friendship and achievement! 13 might be unlucky for some, but it's never steered me wrong. Hello 2013. Goodbye 2012.

15 Minutes of Fame

Hrrmm, 29th of June. That was the last time I posted. Two and a half months... before I know where I am it will be 2011! The reason for my long blogging absence? Don't Stop Believing!

I have posted about Sing Live a couple of times before. I started singing with the Sing Live North West choir last April and have since sung with them three times at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and I have also sung at the fabulous Royal Albert Hall in London. Every time I perform the experience gets better, so much so that I constantly ask myself how each performance can be topped. But somehow, it always is. This summer has been no different.

I think it was back in April when a group of singers from Sing Live Merseyside, Sing Live North West and Sing Live North East gathered in a car park in Gosforth (because we couldn't get into the Civic Centre that had been booked for the occasion) to audition for a new TV show to be broadcast on Five. None of us really expected to get through, but we got the 'call' at the end of June, inviting us to perform on and spent July preparing for our fifteen minutes of fame.

I often wondered about the experiences of TV show contestants, like those on X-Factor. In interviews, they all seem to spout wonderful things about how close they are as a group, and how much they enjoy the experience. I used to suspect that it was bluster. Exaggeration. Turns out, it's not.

Performing with Sing Live on Don't Stop Believing is probably the single coolest and most exciting experiences of my life so far. There are something in the region of 4,000 Sing Live members spread across 11 companies in the UK and USA but the eighty-five of us that performed live on TV are part of an exclusive club. We are ambassadors for the company we love, and for the 4,000 members who weren't able to sing with us. We did get to know each other really well, having spent days at a time together, and while there were occasional upsets, everyone was very supportive of each other. It was a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I will be perpetually grateful.

It's impossible to fully explain what it felt like to be part of the experience. Many people have asked if I was nervous - no I really wasn't, I was excited. Standing on the stage, head down, waiting for the music to start, was incredible. Thinking of the millions of people watching at home, including friends and family that were probably just as excited as me, and probably more nervous, was empowering. And if I thought there was a buzz before we went on stage, it was nothing compared to the buzz coming off stage after performing. The atmosphere was exhilarating. I felt a bond with the rest of the group that I have never felt before, and I would gladly give my right arm to do it again. Although I don't think that would make for good choreography.

If you would like to see how I spent my summer, you can watch the show in full by clicking here, or you can watch our main performance and the judges comments by clicking here. I hope you enjoy it. It's also worth saying that we're not a special group of Sing Live members that are better than others; we're not all amazing performers. We are ordinary people.

Anyone can join Sing Live and there are no auditions to sing with us. If you would like to be part of one of our performances, there is nothing stopping you. :o)

Time Flies...

Boy and how... September and October seem to have passed by at light-speed. Already it is a week into November, Christmas is on it's way and I have barely even started the shopping. (Normally at this point, all but a handful of pressies have been bought.) I am not very organised!

So why have two months been and gone without me even noticing? I have been busy busy busy!

September:
The month started off with a well deserved holiday. It's been the best part of twenty years since I last visited the Costa Brava. It was cheap and cheerful so off we trotted. I have to admit that I had hoped to rekindle something of my childhood wonder on this trip but I was initially disappointed. Short of gouging out my adult eyes and reinserting my eyes from twenty years ago, I don't think I could ever have overlooked the tired and tawdry surroundings, the graffiti scrawl and the general sense of decay. The hotel was very nice, but not without its problems - mainly location and some very thin walls that meant the light switch next door would woke us up a few times. Also, due to the crap exchange rate between the pound and the euro, it was expensive to eat and drink - both in the hotel and beyond - but we did manage to do a brilliant bargain day trip to Barcelona. We got a return ticket on the train that included a ticket for one of the open-top bus tours around the city at half the cost of any of the organised trips and the best thing was that we got to do what we wanted, when we wanted and for as long as we wanted. My impressions of the region didn't much change over the course of the week, but fortunately we still had a fantastic time. It was definitely worth it.

A few days after we got back from Spain, it was Last Night of the Proms time again - already so soon! We went up to Buille Hill Park at the top of our road for one of the Proms in the Park performances. We were treated to some fabulous musical fayre from the BBC Philharmonic, Juliette Pochin, Jon Christos and headliner, Chris de Burgh. As well as Last Night classics like Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance, the show included a bit of Gershwin, Pirates of the Caribbean and a stunning performance of Habanera.

The following weekend was busy in the extreme. The last big rehearsal for our concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday followed a singing workshop in Huddersfield on Saturday. The workshop covered a number of subjects and was led by Kevin Miles and Dirk Donahue, both of whom work for Disney in Florida. Kevin is the current captain of barbershop group, the Dapper Dans, and Dirk is the current captain of Disney's Voices of Liberty. Both fellas were really fun and fascinated by the fact that us brits pronounce all the lyrics correctly. :o) To finish off the day, the group had the chance to sing with an original Disney recording of God Help the Outcasts.

The last weekend in September was the big show - a Sing Live performance at the Royal Albert Hall! This concert was special for several reasons. First, the venue. The Royal Albert Hall opened in 1871 and has hosted the world's most notable performers. Every major soloist and orchestra has performed at the Hall, including modern greats like Pavarotti, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra, the Hall also welcomed classical greats like Rachmaninov and Verdi to the stage. Secondly, this concert was the crowning glory to a year long celebration of a decade of Sing Live. It was clear that this was an emotional experience for Sing Live founders, John Morris and Linda Metcalfe. Our Musical Director, Steven Roberts, was also thrilled to be conducting over 600 voices at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a long, tough weekend, starting on Saturday morning with drive down to London followed immediately by a full afternoon rehearsing - with all 630 performers for the very first time! Sunday was just as hard work, with a second full afternoon rehearsing, this time at the Hall itself. We barely had an hour to break before we lined up for the performance. But all the hard work was entirely worth it. I still can't express how amazing the whole experience was and I would do it all again in heartbeat!

This week we have just started rehearsing for the next major performance at the Bridgewater Hall. The programme will include lots of amazing Disney music, plus musical classics like 'Anything You Can Do' from Annie Get Your Gun. I can't wait!

Sing Live!

Blog posts have been a bit thin on the ground recently. A busy work schedule will do that to you because there's nothing worse than coming home after ten hours at a computer to sit in front of another computer! So, here I am, wondering what to write about. There's a few things in the news right now that interest me - or irriatate me - but nothing seemed to flow right. Then it occurred to me that I've done some pretty cool stuff recently and not mentioned any of it!

Think back seven weeks (has it really been that long?!?!) what were you doing? I was busy making final preparations to perform at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester: hair, make-up, dress, shoes, hair again, organising water bottles and snacks, more hair faffing... The day mostly involved a lot of hanging around and waiting. Mostly due to the fact that half the band got 'lost' on their way to the Hall. Eventually, however, we had enough brass to get started on the technical call - our first rehearsal with the incredible National Festival Orchestra Big Band. I have been to 'The Bridge' a couple of times with my folks. We heard the BBC Phil performing Beethoven's choral symphony in December last year and then Greig's piano concert and Fingal's Cave (one of my most favourite pieces of orchestral music) earlier this year. But I was totally unprepared to step out onto the choir circle for the first time. Looking out over the empty auditorium from the 'other side' was amazing, nevermind when the band struck up and everyone started to sing. That single moment was almost better than the performance itself. Especially since the second time I stepped out on the choir circle I felt my stomach physically lurch as the empty seats were suddenly filled with bums and eager faces were staring back at us all. Not to mention my looney mates in the back row waving like nutters! Fortunately, any nervousness was relatively short lived. In fact most of the show is a bit of a blur. I remember it being very hot - this was right in the middle of the heat wave - and I remember my feet hurting... a lot! But the whole experience was awesome.

So awesome, in fact, that on July 26th I did it all again on the Bandstand in Kensington Gardens!

We did a selection of music from the Bridgewater Hall and this time around it wasn't just people from Greater Manchester, but we were joined by fellow choir members from Merseyside and the North East. It was a long day and we spent most of it on a very uncomfortable coach, interspersed with walking. We had a bit of time in London before the performance so Steve and I went for a wander around Harrods, which is only a 20 minute walk to Kensington Gardens. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything, but if it was possible to get a mortgage on a £135,000 set of speakers we would have! Steinway apear to make some stunning audio systems as well as stunning pianos! If anything, I enjoyed the performance at Kensington Gardens even more than the Bridgewater hall, simply because I was much more relaxed and we could see the enjoyment on the faces of our audience. But this show was special to me as well, because the 26th of July would have been my brother's birthday. He brought music to my life as I was growing up because he had an infectious passion for it. Plus his stereo, TV and keyboard were always turned up full blast so the house constantly shook. When he died our house became oddly silent. This concert on his birthday was a great way for me to celebrate and remember his life.

One other cool thing about the trip to London was seeing the Royal Albert Hall in the 'flesh'. The R.A.H. looks out over Kensington Gardens and it's the venue for my next performance, which will be on September 27th, and will be hosted by Judith Chalmers. The choir will consist of around 800 people from the UK and America and we'll be performing songs from the musicals of the stage and silver screen. I can't wait! Tomorrow we're having a big rehearsal in Halifax, so it will be an early start for me.

So as you can see, I have been bitten by some sort of crazy singing bug. But what makes all this possible is the fantastic group of people behind Sing Live. The company motto is "Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things In Exciting Places". I am just about as ordinary as anyone else and I'll soon be singing at the Royal Albert Hall. If that doesn't fulfill their motto I'm not sure what will... maybe St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican next year!