I don’t want to alarm too many people whom I sing for – I’m not giving up singing in small groups for liturgical purposes, or taking part in workshops for small numbers of singers. Nor am I necessarily doing this absolutely and for ever – in fact, I’m always open to the opportunity to do something interesting and worthwhile, and to having my arm twisted. But for the moment I intend, where concerts are concerned, to concentrate on larger groups of 60 or more. (I realise this is a rather arbitrary division, but in my experience it seems about the right place to make it).
Severeral things have led me to this. One is the realisation that there are number of works I would like to sing, or sing again, that can only be done with a large chorus. Another is meeting a number of good singers who do a lot of symphony chorus singing, and clearly do not regard it as a second-rate option. Thirdly, after singing recently in a couple of concerts with a large chorus, I’m beginning to feel that this may be what I’m best cut out for. If I’m honest, this suspicion has been at the back of my mind for a long time, even from before I moved to Bath.
My history with chamber choirs has been mixed. There have been a lot of choral relationships which haven’t worked worked out, but no real recurring theme, unless it’s the dreaded ‘waiting list for auditions’, which never in practice leads to an audition. Sometimes I’ve had to say goodbye when I moved away from the area; other choirs, in particular the Brandon Hill Singers, just fizzled out. I had the misfortune to live in Manchester at a time when there were very few chamber choirs there (others noticed this, and several were started up at around the time I left). One local conductor said she admired my singing and musicianship, while treating me as one of the most dispensible of her singers. Another dropped me from his (very distinguished) choir explaining that he felt I wasn’t at ease in some of the repertoire they did, a fair comment at the time. Two other local choirs cancelled auditions at the last minute. And so on and so forth. I am beginning to conclude that I may have been barking up the wrong tree for quite a while.
I should like to make it clear that I’m not quitting in a huff the choir I’ve been singing with most recently. Far from it. But I do feel I need a change. Watch this space for news of what happens next.
Well it was good to see you in Exeter even if we did not meet up. I am about to write a blog post about the choir.
I’ve been rather touched that some people have expressed surprise that I haven’t had more impact on the chamber choir scene. Probably rather than asking me why not, they should be asking various other people, though I’m not going to be more specific here!