What do you know? It may have been Radio 3 and BBC 4 last year, but that was only show-casing 2 pieces really. THIS YEAR, BBC Radio Ulster are are coming along to Down Cathedral to record this, our 16th annual Carol Service for broadcast on Christmas Eve!
Great Stuff!
Can't wait to get back to Downpatrick - brings back lots of happy memories of my own school carol services held there all those years ago. But there's two dates before then to get right first - the hard work is starting to pay off! St John's Church of Ireland next Friday for the concert of many names and many lighting scenarios ...
:)
DT
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
And tonight Matthew, Grosvenor are under the guest direction of ...
Well it was last night actually and we finally found out we had an impressionist as a musical director!
He was doing his best to sound like either Sir David Attenborough, deep in some rainforest, Adam Sandler playing 'Little Nicky' or one of Marge's sisters in the The Simpsons ... and what a quiet rehearsal was had with everyone straining to hear him, but the voice did start to return near the end at least.
And the other landmark last night was Grosvenor reaching it's 16th birthday - nice to see we've managed to keep five of those founder members there too ... just so we can remind them of how old they are :)
Anyway - a week off next week, and then the big push continues towards Christmas!!!
DT
He was doing his best to sound like either Sir David Attenborough, deep in some rainforest, Adam Sandler playing 'Little Nicky' or one of Marge's sisters in the The Simpsons ... and what a quiet rehearsal was had with everyone straining to hear him, but the voice did start to return near the end at least.
And the other landmark last night was Grosvenor reaching it's 16th birthday - nice to see we've managed to keep five of those founder members there too ... just so we can remind them of how old they are :)
Anyway - a week off next week, and then the big push continues towards Christmas!!!
DT
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
September comes and goes ...
I've said it before and i'll say it again, but WHERE DOES THE TIME GO???
The start of the new session has seen the choir grow in size to around 40! Exciting times all round (even if it does mean a steep learning curve for the new members (!) but you'll all enjoy it when it all comes together - i can guarantee it)
The next big thing coming up is a choral workshop day organised by the Ulster Society of Organists and Choirmasters in Carrickfergus on Saturday, where we get to be guinea pigs under the direction of Dr Martin Neary - i wonder what he'll think of Grosvenor compared to the choir at Westminster Abbey? No pressure ... i guess ...
DT
(... not at all phased by the news that there are distinct lack of other first tenors on Saturday either ... ooh er ...)
The start of the new session has seen the choir grow in size to around 40! Exciting times all round (even if it does mean a steep learning curve for the new members (!) but you'll all enjoy it when it all comes together - i can guarantee it)
The next big thing coming up is a choral workshop day organised by the Ulster Society of Organists and Choirmasters in Carrickfergus on Saturday, where we get to be guinea pigs under the direction of Dr Martin Neary - i wonder what he'll think of Grosvenor compared to the choir at Westminster Abbey? No pressure ... i guess ...
DT
(... not at all phased by the news that there are distinct lack of other first tenors on Saturday either ... ooh er ...)
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Practice makes perfect!
And it all kicks off again tomorrow night as we make our way back to St Johns!
Hope the members have been keeping those vocal chords in shape (and not just lubricated on a Saturday night out! ;)
But then again, there is a little kindness as we get the following Monday off for the bank holiday (not that i get it off in work - no more breaks til Christmas) but it's short-lived as there's a demo recording for a new Belfast based musical project on the Wednesday! Back with a bang!
Onwards and Upwards and i can't wait ...
DT
Hope the members have been keeping those vocal chords in shape (and not just lubricated on a Saturday night out! ;)
But then again, there is a little kindness as we get the following Monday off for the bank holiday (not that i get it off in work - no more breaks til Christmas) but it's short-lived as there's a demo recording for a new Belfast based musical project on the Wednesday! Back with a bang!
Onwards and Upwards and i can't wait ...
DT
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
So much for the Summer !?
Not wanting to wish away the holidays, but come on - this weather is getting as bad as last year!!!
Well, i didn't get away on that wee spanish holiday i talked about in the past, but for all who know us, i can suffer that wee bit for the future benefits in the long run...
A month of our choir break is past. September, and a busy Autumn session beckons, but we did have our Lucy's wedding last Friday to keep us busy last week in the lovely surroundings of the Culloden Hotel. All singings went well and sure, we even had a little staircase sing-song while waiting for the bridal party to come over for photos.
(I hear the party was a bit of a hoot too (which i unfortunately missed) and i hear that nameless parties enjoyed themselves immensely until they had to head back to Tuesday, via 3 or 4 stop-offs at Saturday, Sunday, Monday on the way...)
Sure, we're only young once :)
DT
Well, i didn't get away on that wee spanish holiday i talked about in the past, but for all who know us, i can suffer that wee bit for the future benefits in the long run...
A month of our choir break is past. September, and a busy Autumn session beckons, but we did have our Lucy's wedding last Friday to keep us busy last week in the lovely surroundings of the Culloden Hotel. All singings went well and sure, we even had a little staircase sing-song while waiting for the bridal party to come over for photos.
(I hear the party was a bit of a hoot too (which i unfortunately missed) and i hear that nameless parties enjoyed themselves immensely until they had to head back to Tuesday, via 3 or 4 stop-offs at Saturday, Sunday, Monday on the way...)
Sure, we're only young once :)
DT
Monday, 29 June 2009
Summer holidays!
What do you know? The summer break is now upon us - what to do with our Monday nights? For me, it meant a glass (or two) of white and watching 5 sets under a new roof at SW1. Will the week end with the young lad from Dunblane being labelled (as Sir Terry has commented) the 'Dour Scot' or a British tennis great??? Time will tell.
Our last gig of the year was up in Carrickfergus in front of the Castle as part of the NI Armed Forces Day celebrations, and i have to say - i certainly enjoyed it! A nice mix of pieces ranging from wartime medleys and mixing some of our recent repertoire with an ultra current (and hastily arranged) little nod in the direction of the late Michael Jackson - i trust it came accross ok on the night :)
BUT - the summer shall be broke up just a little as we get to sing at the wedding of our Lucy - at the Culloden, don't ye know! Good luck with the last minute preparations.
And sure - if the notion takes me, there might just be some more updates on here!
Onwards and Upwards!
DT
Our last gig of the year was up in Carrickfergus in front of the Castle as part of the NI Armed Forces Day celebrations, and i have to say - i certainly enjoyed it! A nice mix of pieces ranging from wartime medleys and mixing some of our recent repertoire with an ultra current (and hastily arranged) little nod in the direction of the late Michael Jackson - i trust it came accross ok on the night :)
BUT - the summer shall be broke up just a little as we get to sing at the wedding of our Lucy - at the Culloden, don't ye know! Good luck with the last minute preparations.
And sure - if the notion takes me, there might just be some more updates on here!
Onwards and Upwards!
DT
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Word for the Day
The word for today is "mawkish"
The meaning:
1. Excessively and objectionably sentimental
2. Sickening or insipid in taste
My thesaurus adds these thoughts:
Adj. 1. mawkish - effusively or insincerely emotional; "a bathetic novel"; "maudlin expressions of sympathy"; "mushy effusiveness"; "a schmaltzy song"; "sentimental soap operas"; "slushy poetry"
hokey, kitschy, maudlin, schmaltzy, schmalzy, bathetic, sentimental, slushy, soppy, soupy, mushy, drippy
emotional - of more than usual emotion; "his behavior was highly emotional"
Thanks to banjo for bringing this word to our attention - i have learnt something today
:)
... i shall try to keep my interpretation to the upper side of mawkish ;)
DT
The meaning:
1. Excessively and objectionably sentimental
2. Sickening or insipid in taste
My thesaurus adds these thoughts:
Adj. 1. mawkish - effusively or insincerely emotional; "a bathetic novel"; "maudlin expressions of sympathy"; "mushy effusiveness"; "a schmaltzy song"; "sentimental soap operas"; "slushy poetry"
hokey, kitschy, maudlin, schmaltzy, schmalzy, bathetic, sentimental, slushy, soppy, soupy, mushy, drippy
emotional - of more than usual emotion; "his behavior was highly emotional"
Thanks to banjo for bringing this word to our attention - i have learnt something today
:)
... i shall try to keep my interpretation to the upper side of mawkish ;)
DT
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