Lara: One of the most exciting elements of our 30th Anniversary celebrations this season that Mina and I share with you now, is the commission piece, being written for us by Richard Thomas, the artistic evil genius behind Jerry Springer, The Opera. After having worked previously with this notorious potty-mouth of a composer, there has certainly been an air of curious hubbubadry within the choir over the last few weeks. It was only recently that the first part of Richard’s 3-movement work was completed and released ‘unto the hounds’ as it were, much to our insatiable intrigue. Finally we were to discover the meaning behind numerous post-it note exercises used to write the piece itself, in which we were asked by Richard to answer several specific questions about being in a choir.
Part 1: I, Choir seems indeed to offer an extension of just that: an introduction into the choir as an entity, including what it can express, explore, create, and what it can draw out of an audience. In a style that reminds me somewhat of Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Mr. Thomas has laid down his own simple yet effective modern day highway into the heart and soul of what it means to be a choir.
Continue reading “On rehearsing our new commission, Part 1: "I, Choir"”
Tag: 30th anniversary
A summer of celebratory events
After months of secret preparation we’re thrilled to announce our programme of summer events to mark our 30th anniversary, including a concert featuring 15 other LGBT choirs from around the UK, a world première, an exhibition charting LGBT history in London during the last thirty years, and a set of vocal workshops open to all.
We’re so excited in fact, that we’ve made a special microsite which is packed with all the details of what’s happening and how to get involved.
Find out more now!
Our 30th Anniversary
We celebrated our 30th anniversary year in style in so many ways, that it’s taken quite a while for us to distil the enormity into this 4:30 clip.
Huge thanks to all photographers from within (and without!) the choir who worked on documenting the year: Hsien Chew, Liang Wee, Ben Park, Oskar Marchock, Pete Stean, Simon Pearson, James Cronin, Jake Milligan, Boy oh Boy Photography.
Relive our year and listen along to Richard Thomas’ composition ‘Earth, Wind and Choir’ performed by the Pink Singers and 21 other LGBT choirs at our choral festival Hand in Hand in July 2013.
And if this whets your appetite, check our yearbooks from previous years: 2011, 2010.
Timeline datestamp: 07 April 2013
Scholars Workshop: Three Decades of Social and Political Change
Once upon a Sunday, in the darling month of March, the Pinkies gathered together to hear three leading scholars discuss the last three decades of social and political change within the LGBT community, Louise Chambers, Sasha Roseneil and Jeffrey Weeks.
As a Spring baby of 1989 and having grown up unaware of most of the significant developments that occurred, I was personally very keen to learn about the last 30 years, and more specifically how it linked in with our own history as a choir. If it wasn’t for the time limit I’m sure we could have continued our discussion for hours! Continue reading “Scholars Workshop: Three Decades of Social and Political Change”
Lights, camera, action: PS@30 filming workshop with Martin Gooch
So this season with the Pink Singers is shaping up to be quite unlike any other season previously seen before, as we work to mark the glorious 30th anniversary of the choir. To celebrate such an occasion, we are planning workshops, interviews, a timeline presentation, a new choral commission, and liaisons with other choirs across the country in conjunction with this year’s Pride celebrations. What an utterly delectable snack-box of jollies to come! Continue reading “Lights, camera, action: PS@30 filming workshop with Martin Gooch”