Coventry Singers of Peterborough
Sep. 11th, 2007 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
desoto_hia873When I moved to Peterborough last year, I had to leave Atlantic Voices: The Newfoundland and Labrador Choir of Ottawa, the choir I founded, behind. Now that I’ve adjusted to my new job, new house, new routine, etc., I figured it was time to find a new choir.
Last night, I joined the Coventry Singers of Peterborough. It’s very different from what I’m used to: it’s an all-women’s choir, it’s a small choir (maybe 20 members), and I’m probably the youngest member by at least a decade. There are lots of second sopranos and altos, but only one other first soprano—in part because it’s an open choir (i.e., no auditions), so most members have little formal training, and also because the upper range is the first to go as you age, so many of the older sopranos just don't want to be reaching for those notes anymore. Despite the facts that I’m probably a mezzo-soprano rather than a true soprano and I haven’t sung anything when not accompanied by my iPod in nearly a year, I was urged to sing the first soprano parts. The other first soprano has a lovely strong voice; consequently, I’m thinking of taking some voice lessons so that I can do her justice when singing next to her.
The repertoire of this choir is also different: Atlantic Voices sang Newfoundland, East Coast, and Celtic songs, while this one focuses on much older music. We ran through several 16th-century canons and madrigals last night (which sent me scrambling for Wikipedia this morning to find out just what canons and madrigals are). On paper, they look a little dull, but when you get the harmonies right, they’re really cool. And terribly dignified. I feel like a grown-up now.
I did love Atlantic Voices—it was, after all, my baby—but I’m looking forward to the opportunity to sing more classical music, just to see if it's something I can do. I’m seized with a sudden desire to really learn to sing well. My natural singing talent is okayish, but not great; with instruction and practice, I might be able to achieve a solid ‘good’ someday. So that’s my goal.
Oh yeah—one of the other members mentioned last night that the group has been in existence for more than forty years, and one of the original directors back in the day was Robertson Davies. Yes, that Robertson Davies. (Probably only the Canadians on my flist will recognise the name, but I thought I'd throw it in there anyway.)
Last night, I joined the Coventry Singers of Peterborough. It’s very different from what I’m used to: it’s an all-women’s choir, it’s a small choir (maybe 20 members), and I’m probably the youngest member by at least a decade. There are lots of second sopranos and altos, but only one other first soprano—in part because it’s an open choir (i.e., no auditions), so most members have little formal training, and also because the upper range is the first to go as you age, so many of the older sopranos just don't want to be reaching for those notes anymore. Despite the facts that I’m probably a mezzo-soprano rather than a true soprano and I haven’t sung anything when not accompanied by my iPod in nearly a year, I was urged to sing the first soprano parts. The other first soprano has a lovely strong voice; consequently, I’m thinking of taking some voice lessons so that I can do her justice when singing next to her.
The repertoire of this choir is also different: Atlantic Voices sang Newfoundland, East Coast, and Celtic songs, while this one focuses on much older music. We ran through several 16th-century canons and madrigals last night (which sent me scrambling for Wikipedia this morning to find out just what canons and madrigals are). On paper, they look a little dull, but when you get the harmonies right, they’re really cool. And terribly dignified. I feel like a grown-up now.
I did love Atlantic Voices—it was, after all, my baby—but I’m looking forward to the opportunity to sing more classical music, just to see if it's something I can do. I’m seized with a sudden desire to really learn to sing well. My natural singing talent is okayish, but not great; with instruction and practice, I might be able to achieve a solid ‘good’ someday. So that’s my goal.
Oh yeah—one of the other members mentioned last night that the group has been in existence for more than forty years, and one of the original directors back in the day was Robertson Davies. Yes, that Robertson Davies. (Probably only the Canadians on my flist will recognise the name, but I thought I'd throw it in there anyway.)
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Date: 2007-09-11 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 09:46 pm (UTC)