Our upcoming concert on Saturday 11th January at London’s Cadogan Hall will feature homegrown arrangements from our talented choir members. The concert will include an amazing song “Define Me” that we all absolutely love performing and which has been known to move audience members to tears.
Tenor Simon Harrison talks about his music choice for the concert.
I first heard Define Me when I was on the music team a few years ago finding songs for our concert “Sing (when words are not enough)”. We were looking for songs that – as they so often do – help us to express deep and powerful feelings at different key times in our lives. When we saw this video and listened to the words we all agreed that we absolutely had to perform it.
As an LGBT+ choir most of us know what it has felt like to be labelled and judged and the pain and anger connected to that experience. Sometimes it can be hard to find any response at all. And then along comes Ryan Amador and suddenly he puts into words and music this amazing combination of vulnerability, hurt and defiance that connects me to my heart and soul. In the amazing music video of this song (where he duets with Jo Lampert) he expresses his vulnerability in his voice and with his face but they slowly undress to reveal their bare skin and this adds to a sense of both their courage and fragility. As the song progresses you see more and more slurs and labels are literally written on their bodies. Through the second half these words are intentionally and carefully wiped off. “You can brand me and burn me, but I won’t let it hurt me…”
We wrote to Ryan to ask for permission to arrange and sing his song and he has given the Pink Singers rights in perpetuity so this wonderful song can be performed freely by us forever – I never get tired of it! Our arrangement is by the talented Chris Chambers who builds the song over time to something very anthemic and moving. Each time we sing “let’s open up a song of safety and carry through the night…” I get goosebumps
Watch Ryan’s video and then come see the Pink Singers perform this for only the second time at a London concert.
Simon Harrison
By Special Arrangement – Part 2
Saturday 11th January 2020 – 7.30pm
Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square, London SW1X 9DG