Last performance of the year – Football Museum with mulled wine and mince pies

What did I say yesterday? We’re more secure now and usually have at least three for each part? Ah. An early start at 5.30, some terrible weather conditions that caused equally terrible traffic and a few sore throats and coughs reduced us to one soprano and two female tenors. At first at least. Then a few more folk arrived and we had a respectable three or four for each part. A certain temporary male tenor who has also been known to sing bass and even soprano was very welcome and kept us in check. Well he has to keep us all in check anyway. That’s his job.  

All in purple and black with added tinsel and hats.

Football Fans and Angelic Voices?

Or we might even describe what we did on Saturday 27 September as a super-busk? We sang for just over an hour in both the National Football Museum and the John Rylands Library. In both venues, we were very much the background but people did stop to listen and applaud.

The two buildings contrast starkly yet they are both iconic for Manchester. The National Football Museum is all gleaming glass and football images. It’s hard to get a sense of the sound you’re making there. The John Rylands takes you back to another time with its intricately carved panels, beautiful windows and old books. It’s easier to fill the space with sound there. 

Angelic voices?

Ironically half way through our event there we were treated to a “muted” performance by another choir. We had been intrigued by other people dressed all in black. Now we knew why. The performance was part of the launch for the Harmonious Society exhibition. Samson Yong’s work ‘Chamber Music II: Silent Scores & Non-Events’, part of the exhibition, explores the cultural construction of deaf people as disabled, in both current and historical dimensions and the performance was in keeping with that. Yes, they even found their note at the beginning and followed the sheet music in front of them. Maybe a good sight-reading exercise?    

In both venues we presented a good cross-section of our repertoire, singing many contrasting pieces: Deep River, I Got Rhythm, Kiss the Girl, Joshua, Here There and Everywhere / The Long Winding Road, How much is that Doggy? Kum Ba Yah, Soul Wind, The Way We Were Tears in Heaven, Smile, Can’t Help Falling in Love

For me personally this was a fabulous end to what had been a very stressful week. How do people who don’t sing manage?      

National Football Museum

Our tour of striking Manchester buildings continued today. The National Football Museum, Cathedral Gardens, is so big you can’t see it. Or maybe you can’t see it because it blends in so well. It matches the sky and the weather and changes with them, chameleon-fashion. It’s just a few metres away from Victoria Station and the main shopping centre. A refuge for shopping-hating partners?  It’s a fascinating place anyway, stuffed full of football facts and images. And it’s acoustically pleasing.