Thoughts from a concert
I had a wonderful concert on Priston, near Bath on Sunday. Priston, which is a picturesque village 20 minutes from
Bath, hosts a music and food festival yearly. Arriving a bit stressed from a delayed train I noticed how relaxed and friendly the whole atmosphere was. It had a calm community feel which was obvious from the start.
The concert in which I was participating also showed the talents of two other young musicians; another classical singer and a flautist. Both of them were, by coincidence, attending the same school, Bristol Cathedral Choir School, where I had studied at Sixth Form. They were both excellent musicians starting to explore where their musical gifts could take them.
The church where we were singing was gorgeous but tiny. Though I am now more used to larger audiences, it was fantastic to have such a close connection with the audience, to gauge their reactions and responses to my songs.
My favourite part of the evening definitely had to be the choir who sang in the second part of the concert. Armed with a glass of wine and the pressure off after a successful recital, I loved hearing their pieces and learning their inspirations. They sang traditional and folk tunes, most of which they had arranged themselves. They also had some of their own compositions. What I loved about this choir was their passion and creativity. The harmonies blended perfectly and they were always together, but the look of joy and mischief on their faces really made their performance come alive. They actively encouraged audience participation and told fantastic stories through the medium of music (heard of The Reddleman, or Bristol's Princess?) The experience reminded me yet again how important the relationship between the audience and performers is, and how you, as a performer, have such delicate but powerful control over your audiences.
Thankyou Freshly Brewed, what a joy to hear a fantastic choir!