Singing Teaching in Paradise: The ups and downs of life in Paradise

Sorry for the long lapse in posting, but it has been a very busy and somewhat upsy downsy couple of weeks. A dear friend whose two lovely daughters I teach has had a hideous time with the untimely death of the girls' father, a young man, and the Paradise vet.

She is coping so well, and being very strong for the girls, but I fear it is a long haul ahead, and much pain and suffering. My heart goes out to her, and I know many in Inner Sound were horrified, upset and feel so much for the family. Tragedy.

I also attended the wedding of J's daughter in Yorkshire. It was altogether a most beautiful day from the first moment of the ceremony through the gorgeous garden setting to a magnificent meal in a marquee constructed over the river which runs through the small estate they own in the Yorkshire National Park.

I sang with my old friends from my youth, in the service and I think the congregation was suitably uplifted. I half scolded the bride when she glibly informed me that she watched me make a mistake towards the end of the John Rutter 'For the Beauty of the Earth', when, being used to conducting the piece I inadvertently sang both the soprano and alto line, one after the other ! I roundly told her she should have been too bound up with her delightful groom, and the emotion of the day, to bother looking at the singers! Good job I've known her since her birth ! Cheeky girl ! ( I did indeed make the said mistake !)

I then returned to Paradise for the funeral of the vet, which I must say was packed both inside our Catholic Chapel, and outside. He was much admired and greatly liked both by humans and animals alike.

I did a little teaching at the end of the week, since I was at home sooner than I thought I would be, which was fortuitous as two new teenagers wished to come for a consultation lesson. They were both talented and responsive, as well as enthusiastic, so they both sang well and I am delighted to say, will be joining the merry timetable from next week !

I also had something of a soprano revelation by Friday, but I am still quite overcome by it, so more of that tomorrow! Edge of the seat stuff you see!

Life is full of changing emotions and circumstances, but I must say, this last week or so has been a positively enormous storm cell of darkness and light.

On the whole I think I prefer equilibrium, when I can get it.