Come along to Notes from a Small Island, our concert celebrating the best of British songwriters and composers this Saturday at Hackney Empire, and you’ll get to see not just the Pink Singers, oh no – you’ll be entertained by three choirs from across the UK.
First up is Citi Choir, a brand new chorus of about 30-40 singers who all work, rehearse and sometimes perform at Citi Bank in London’s Canary Wharf.
They’ve been singing for just over a year after appearing on a very big television show fronted by a very famous name in choral circles, but that we aren’t allowed officially to name for reasons of mystery and suspense.
The group contributes to Citi by performing at client and employee events and has started to support charitable causes, recently performing in New York City for an event for the American Cancer Society.
Secondly are the wonderful South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus. Formed in 2008, they now have about thirty regular chorus members and a jam-packed schedule of performances booked throughout the year.
They are very proud to be part of a strong Welsh heritage and proud to be playing an active role in the local community. At the heart of the choir is a passion for music, for expression, for fun and for connecting with friends in South Wales and across the globe.
These fine chaps have built a fierce reputation over the years and we’ve sung with them many times before, most recently back in October 2013 in Cardiff. It’ll be a real treat to perform alongside them once again and we know our audience will love it.
Still time to get your tickets for Notes from a Small Island – buy tickets from the Hackney Empire website or by calling 020 8985 2424.
Tag: concerts
Notes from a Small Island – The Final Countdown
After months and months of planning, it’s almost showtime as the Pinkies are on the final countdown to our much-anticipated return to the Hackney Empire this Saturday 19 July. So what exactly does go on behind the scenes? Pinkies Chair Mark gives a brief glimpse into how we get ready for a concert of this scale.
We’ve been rehearsing for Notes from a Small Island since February – with four hours of rehearsals every week. It’s only really in the last few weeks though when things really start coming together. Sunday rehearsals invariably become more anxious as we move ‘off copy’ and begin singing from memory. We’re standing in the right concert positions too, with our placings marked up with masking tape. Concert props have also started appearing and we have to get used incorporating them – remembering to sing and dance at the same time!
Where we do choreography for some numbers, this last week is the time to finally commit the moves to memory. We usually rehearse in a dance studio with large mirrors, so it’s easier to copy others if you get lost. The last few weeks though mean you’re on your own, as the curtains get drawn across the mirrors. These mirrors are also our secret weapon. To help us practice, we film ourselves doing choreography and post these videos online for Pinkies to strut their stuff in the privacy of their own homes. By filming the mirrors – right hands are right hands and left legs are left legs, which helps enormously in committing the moves to memory.
The last week of rehearsals also highlight for people the songs they need to work on in the last few days – but also gives reassurance that others have been nailed. Last minute cramming invariably follows, using part-specific piano tracks for each song to lock in the notes and recordings of the full choir in rehearsal to pin down entry cues from other voice sections. We have a special members section on our website where we keep all these practice materials – lovingly called ‘Pink Bits’.
The final part of our preparations is a dress rehearsal just a few days before the concert where we run the show in full and polish off any rough edges. Even on concert day we’re working hard too. The choir will be onstage from lunchtime, fine-tuning each piece while we also run a technical rehearsal to synchronise lighting and sound.
It’s been incredibly hard work, but we’re thrilled to be performing this Saturday with such a fantastic theme – the best of British Songwriters and Composers. One of our aims as a choir is to excite, entertain and educate our audience. You’ll have all of that in abundance.
Tickets are available now for £10-30 on the web or by calling 020 8985 2424. Discounts available for groups of 8+ and concessions.
One month until Notes from a Small Island!
A month today we’ll be on stage at Hackney Empire performing the best of British composers and songwriters for your delectation, joined by the wonderful South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus and Citi Choir.
We’re so excited that, yes, like last autumn, we got a bit excited and made another silly trailer. Here it is for your enjoyment.
Tickets are selling briskly for Notes from a Small Island – especially for the good seats – so get yours now if you want a good spot!
Stepping into the limelight for the first time!
A Night at the Movies was the culmination of my first season with the Pinkies, and so I was continually reminded I was “popping my Pinkie cherry”. Prior to joining the choir, I had never been to a Pinkies concert. Although I had performed in choirs for many years in Sydney, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I be nervous? Would it be a professional appearance? Would the concert ‘come together’ on the night?
Any uncertainty I had was soon eased upon arriving at the venue. As I walked from the Underground station to the venue, there was the most glorious parade of Pinkies carrying the most sensational array of hat boxes, suit bags, suitcases full of makeup, the obligatory feather boas and of course the absolutely necessary glitter that is required for such a concert.
There had been many months of rehearsals leading into the big day. There had been a lot of blood sweat and tears – and literally tears from all of us on different occasions trying as we tried to memorise repertoire and choralography (aka choreography for choirs).
The afternoon of the show was spent in a full technical rehearsal. It went something like this… Start a song. Stop midway. Move to the right. Readjust lighting levels. Have a sip of water. Start the song again. Stop again. We’d moved too far to the right. Shuffle the left. No the other left. No no. Keep going. Have a sip of water. Have a chat amongst ourselves. Fix the balance between the band and the choir. Have another chat. Okay start again. Repeat. Next song. Repeat the process. Have another sip of water.
I was soon starting to realise any apprehension I had about the concert had been far too premature. What was quickly unfurling was an A-Grade professional performance of the highest calibre – choir, bigband, piano, solos, movement, lighting, videos, audience interaction, emotion. There was an apparent degree of pre-performance preparation and thought put in by a very talented team of Pinkies. We were scheduled to deliver a fun-filled and spectacular evening. Continue reading “Stepping into the limelight for the first time!”
A Night at the Movies guests: The London Gay Big Band
Tickets for A Night at the Movies are now all sold out! Keep an eye on our website in case any extras become available at the last minute, and keep Saturday 19 July free in your diary for our next London concert.
On Saturday 25 January we’ll be joined on stage by the hugely talented London Gay Big Band! They’ll be helping us bring to life a whole host of movie music favourites. Having heard them perform numerous times, most recently with the lovely London Gay Men’s Chorus at their Hallowe’en Ball, we’re delighted to have them join us.
The London Gay Big Band was founded in the summer of 2011 and is a full-size, 20 piece, jazz orchestra made up of talented musicians and vocalists, bringing a fresh vibe to the London music scene.
Since its formation, the Band has gone from strength to strength, performing at a number of high profile events and venues throughout London and beyond, including the Southbank Centre, the main stage at Trafalgar Square for World Pride 2012, main stage at BT London Live in Victoria Park (part of London 2012 Olympics), The Langham Hotel, Hackney Empire, Floridita, Clapham Street Party, The Lord Mayor’s Show & Charing Cross Theatre, among others.
More information and details of their other upcoming shows