Singing Teaching in Paradise: The Messiah, and a hectic end of term......

It's been awhile ! The end of my term has been hectic in the extreme. After the highly successful concert four of the ladies and I travelled forth for the big adventure in Yorkshire. They had been invited by my singer friends from that area to join in the chorus for a memorial Messiah. This performance would mark the 100th birthday year of our singing teacher Middy, Betty Middleton MBE, who was so remarkable in life as a singing teacher, and her legacy has touched so many lives all over the globe.

We had a good journey down to Littlebeck near Whitby and as when I take the youngsters to Saltburn Festival in June each year, the ladies could enjoy the beauties of North Yorkshire, the smuggling town of Whitby and the joys of staying in Littlebeck Old Mill Cottage.

We had quality time sight seeing around the ancient streets and 199 steps up to the iconic Abbey, as well as delighting in the jewelry made of Jet, that black shiny stone which hails only from that part of the world. We rehearsed one evening, and worried a little about the final outcome - our musical director was a little lean on instruction by baton, so to speak. However, in the end and clearly with a stern Mid looking down on us, it went swimmingly and my Messiah first timers had the experience they so much wanted.

The young soloists all had direct connections with the lady herself, and sang so wonderfully making it an even more special occasion. They were, Rowan Pierce, Soprano, Fiona Mackenzie, Mezzo, Egbert J, Tenor and Tom Colwell, Bass. A fantastic young quartet who did themselves, and us proud.

We returned North almost immediately on Sunday after the Saturday performance, and then my monday was a LONG.....but unavoidable teaching day. Due to circumstances the exam day, which had initially given us a week after arriving home, was unceremoniously moved back and Tuesday morning was D Day ! This was tough on the two ladies who had been travelling and then had to take a high Certificate exam, but like troopers they all gave their best, and along with the other 11 candidates sang magnificently and achieved some of the highest marks I have ever had in a post singing lifetime of singing teaching ! Many many congratulations on bravery and courage in the face of exhaustion and travel fatigue, and many congratulations to all my others, some first timers, some old hands, but all performing in such a way as to make me a very proud teacher !

I then had to pick myself up and teach for a further two weeks....now that was a challenge ! However, it is all done now, the final lessons of a very long term done and dusted, helping backstage with Lorayne's Musical Theatre Christmas Shows, packing my case, finding elusive documents for travel, wrapping presents, banking, delivering cards and in the middle of all that doing the normal day to day log chopping and housework !

Phew. Now I can leave Paradise travel to Littlebeck to visit an indisposed Julia, due to a knee replacement operation, then off to Tilbury for a short cruise to the Christmas Markets in Amsterdam and Bruges, and finally down to my family for my birthday and the exchanging of gifts.

I feel as if I have deserved this one !