Year: 2010

Cheers, tears and champagne

Andrew
Andrew

Wikipedia describes a brunch as “a combination of breakfast and lunch”. For us Pink Singers, it’s way more than that. Following six months of gruelling Sunday rehearsals and extra sectionals, learning music, lyrics and movements, hard work in organizing and producing the concert, various activities, some dramas and the concert itself, it’s nice to have an activity where we can let our hair down with plenty of food (and alcohol) while being elated yet tired after the big concert day!
I have been a Pinkie for 3½ years now, and this was my 6th brunch. I love food and alcohol, so brunches suit me to a ‘T’; however, this brunch was definitely my favourite yet. The fact that we performed what was described by the audience as our best concert to date certainly helped the good times flow, but what made this event more special was the fact that this was by far our most intimate brunch ever. Continue reading “Cheers, tears and champagne”

A little light music and a big bright future

Jenny
Jenny

Exciting times lie ahead for the Pink Singers if the summer 2010 concert is anything to go by.
Having sold out our previous show at the Royal College of Music, we set our sights on a larger and more impressive venue for our summer concert. Aspirations and professionalism were ratcheted up accordingly: new music included the fiendish Eric Whitacre piece With a Lily, whilst our courageous choreography team introduced us to the astonishing – if sometimes elusive – concept of the double bounce.
After many weeks of rehearsal and drilling, we found ourselves entering the imposing Cadogan Hall, with the rosters from Suzanne Vega’s performance the night before still tacked onto our dressing room walls – a heady brush with the big time. Although this was only my third concert with the Pinkies, I sensed unusual excitement and anticipation among my fellow choir members, perhaps a little lubricated by gin. Continue reading “A little light music and a big bright future”

Being in an LGBT choir is great!

Philip
Philip

Our very own Philip Rescorla is turning into a bit of a radio celebrity. After a successful stint a few weeks ago, he picked up the phone and appeared on the Joel Kafetz show on JNET Radio last night.
The programme focussed on the LGBT choir movement in the U.K. and featured interviews with the Pink Singers and our fellow choristers in Diversity, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, Gay Abandon, Loud and Proud and Rainbow Chorus. Every choir is slightly different, but everyone agreed that being part of a group like ours is a fulfilling experience, even more so when combined with a sense of Pride.
Joel complimented the Pinkies on the quality of our sound and played a recording of Vivaldi’s Gloria from our summer concert (listen to it from the 5:52 mark). As he suggests, we’re not just about Dancing Queen! Here’s the edited segment – enjoy! Continue reading “Being in an LGBT choir is great!”

The Pink Singers yearbook 2009-2010

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH_0JVMAtb8
The Pinkies are on our summer break at the moment, so now’s the perfect time to sit back and take brief rest. It is also a chance to look back on the year and review what the Pink Singers got up to in winter season 2009 and summer season 2010. It starts at the end of October with the anti-hate-crime vigil in Trafalgar Square and ends in the same place in July with the Pride London rally. En route? Hats, choral competitions, Eurovision, a volcano and lots and lots of singing.
Putting together the yearbook was the joint effort of all the photographers who have helped to capture the Pinkie magic through the seasons, so a really big ‘thank you’ goes to Al, Ben, Hsien, Oskar and Peter. With so many images it was hard to pick the two or three which perfectly encapsulated any one event. Stephen Sondheim’s Send In The Clowns as performed by the Pink Singers helped, of course, as did Michael Derrick’s masterful piano playing. So kick off your shoes, relax, and relive the last year with us.

Management committee – winter 2010

All Pinkies give a little bit of themselves to the choir, but every year there are a few Pink Singers who are generous (foolish?) enough to give that little bit more. Here’s a shout out to this year’s Pink Singers management committee and artistic team. Feel free to get in touch with them with suggestions or ideas you may have for the choir.

Management committee

Max, chair
Max, chair
Lou, communities director
Lou, communities director
Gareth, U.K. concerts director
Gareth, U.K. concerts director

Continue reading “Management committee – winter 2010”