Singing Teaching in Paradise: One dedicated lady.

The choirs and ensembles this evening were very impressive. There is one teacher here who must work her fingers to the bone. She has a Chorus, a group of ensembles encompassing all ages, and in her teaching practise are adults as well. She does concerts and festivals and exams, plays for them and is there to support every day........I know only too well what commitment that takes, and how much energy it takes ! The only thing I can see that she doesn't do is a G&S show in the summer !

Her pupils are so well taught, yet she is always keen for advice on how to improve her youngsters technique. I don't think she is a solo singer herself or has had truly technical training, but my goodness she does a good job. I would love to tweak some of her pupils technical singing, there is such talent just waiting to burst out. She asked me last time I was here if I would consider coming and Masterclassing for all her singers for a day but somehow it never happened, so this time when we were having lunch I mentioned it and said I would be happy to do a day for them, she quickly texted the treasurer of her choir and he sanctioned her request ! So at some point this year I will make a trip here to Argyllshire and have the pleasure of working with them at close hand.

The ensembles ranged from girls SSA to Men's Barbershop Choir, Ladies Ensemble ( who sang The Seal Lullaby, my good Yorkshire friends will be interested in that, and I told them to let the piano have the main role !) and a Mixed Voice quartet called Veuve Clicquot who were tremendous and won with a magnificent 91 marks. The other choir which won an earlier class were called Bar None - a community choir which like Inner Sounds excludes nobody, and there is no audition. They had a wonderfully enthusiastic young male conductor who arranged the pieces especially for them, and what a delight they were - bright, breezy, well drilled and they sang with such healthy open tone. I loved it.

Tomorrow it is the Kindergarten Action Songs and the youth choirs - I wonder how many expensive props and costumes will be scattered amongst the babes in the action song class. My last lot of tinies, if you recall, had extras worthy of La Scala Milan !

Brava ! Brava !