Flying Solo

Today

Summer wouldn't be complete without my regular visit to Holland House at Cropthorne. This year the Laetare Singers gathered again, under the able baton of Ralph Woodward. One of the aspects I enjoy is the opportunity to sing a solo or two.

Now, I'm no professional and otherwise rarely have the chance. And it doesn't seem to matter that the "performance" is actually a little run through with an audience of about six camp-followers; I still feel as nervous as though I was about to perform in the Albert Hall.

This time I sang the solo in Ravel's ravishing "Trois Beaux Oiseaux" and hope I sounded OK

In My Day

Apart from the chances offered me by Gregory Atkin when  I was a teenager I never developed a solo singing career. In 1988 I joined Cantilena Choir and discovered two things. Firstly, a longish "dry"  period in which I'd done little or no singing, had left me struggling to reach top notes that had once been easy. Secondly, our Music Director occasionally asked me to do minor solos, something I found pretty scary.

To help rectify these things, I decided to have some singing lessons, something I'd never done before. After some trial and error I found the perfect teacher for me.  Viola Nagel, a charming Canadian singer, lived in Glastonbury and we already knew each other, having sung together a couple of times in a local occasional chamber group. She sympathetically helped to bring out my natural qualities and I discovered that those top c's were still there! With her help, I attained my Associated Board grade six & seven and performed at local festivals.

I didn't pursue any possibility of local solo opportunities; simply using what she's taught me to improve my day-to-day singing and any little solos I'm asked to do. Even now, if I have anything more than the shortest piece to sing I will often contact Viola for a lesson to help with the best delivery.

None of this, I'm afraid, takes away the anxiety before and during performance which  may explain why I've never aspired to become a second Emma Kirkby! And I hope I'll know when the advancing years finally wreak their havoc with my voice and have the grace to stop.