Learning Curve

To say it has been a while since my last blog would be a slight understatement. But I'm prompted to write again as another summer course in gospel singing looms next week. I and several members of our gospel group are going to participate and we hope to learn lots of new songs as well as get some valuable advice on vocal technique. For some, it will be the first time they have taken part in such a course and for others we are returning for a third year running.

So what has been going on since March? Well, we have continued to meet once a month and taken part in a few concerts and got together quite a little repertoire. We took part in the annual 'fête de la musique', France's national music festival where everyone takes to the streets and makes music. We were with the village's main choir, as usual, but the gospellers stepped forward to sing "It's Me, O Lord" and, "This Train" as well as others we had already sung before ("Bless The Lord", "I'm Gonna Wait"). The whole choir even bravely tried a rendition of "Little Cabin" which we haven't quite mastered. This was a challenge I made for us with Karen Gibson last year so when we have a recording of a better version, I'll blog it, or send her a copy to see what we've done with 'her' song!

Over the various concerts, I have learned more about leading. I insist on no wordsheets and so I have to mouth the words perfectly for the singers. Of course this is a bit challenging when they're not all singing the same thing (!) but by the time we're in a concert situation they usually know the song well enough for that not to matter. Although I always praise the choir after it has sung (no demagogy there, I'm sincerely inpressed by the good job they do), I often fail to recognise the stress that singing in English brings them. Apart from constant reassurance, I don't think I can do anything else about that. I guess it helps that I'm an English teacher because I can give them tricks to better pronunciation. The stress shows and so they have a bit of trouble smiling and looking joyful while singing despite my grimaces to get them to show their teeth.
But during the 'fête de la musique' I found the solution...wear trousers that are slightly too big! As I jumped up and down encouraging everyone to invest their energy, my trousers gradually moved southwards and I had to keep clutching at the waistband. This had the whole choir bearing broad grins! And the crowd. And the photographer from the regional newspaper who'd come to report on us. Generously he used a different photograph to accompany his article!

In a very brief way that brings us up-to-date. Now we're contemplating rehearsing something for the open stage at the gospel summer course. We won't all be present, of course, and I'm not sure everyone is on board but we'll see.

And next year?? Well, the group seems keen to continue and I'd like to, even though I find it exhausting. I have just received news today that I shall be working closer to home next school year so that will make it easier for me to organise rehearsals but I shall be working with children with learning difficulties (politically correct term for problem children) and so I'm not sure my energy levels will be much higher! The Lord will provide!

I shall blog again but I won't promise it'll be soon...
Gospella