How are you doing?

Hello singers! How are you doing? It’s been such a looooong hard time for many people but things seem to be getting better.Here’s a video of my Wrexham choir singing ‘Better Times will come’ by Janis Ian – we recorded outdoors last December.

I’m reeling from the latest sudden about turn announcements from DCMS meaning that choir regs are now stricter than they were in the Autumn when rates were high and there were no vaccines.. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57240510 Most Choir leader’s carefully laid plans (track and trace, covid safety agreements, Risk assessments etc all in place)  have had to be scrapped and I’ve had to burn the midnight oil contacting everyone, finding outdoor venues, cancelling indoor ones etc. Anyway, am all set for the summer term now, meeting everyone outdoors and watching the weather! And breeeeeathe

Last Autumn/winter singing outdoors became challenging as the weather worsened . I always find a sheltered spot for the choir, but it’s less easy for me to be dry. So my solution was to try and find some sort of outdoor see through tent/ greenhouse for me to keep my zoom equipment dry (I always broadcast a live zoom to those at home) I looked and looked – little was I to know what I was looking for is called an ‘All weather soccer mom pod’! Of course it is!

It pops up but does NOT pop down and will never see the inside of its bag again! And a warning about leading singing on zoom after dark -this is what happens

Recording projects

My focus in 2021 has been on keeping my 5 lovely choir communities going weekly on zoom. We’ve been busy doing various recording projects to keep us entertained and creative over lockdown. As a composer I’m used to multi-tracking on my Cubase software which has been very handy for these times. Choir members send in their recordings on their phone sung to a backing track I make, and I edit all their voices together into one track.
A laborious process but worth doing I reckon!
I composed some music for a very moving poem by Evrah Rose , sung and spoken by my Wrexham Community choir –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep6sAuSW3HY

And here is Helen Yeoman’s  ‘Love is the Power’ sung by my Calder Valley Voices.

https://vimeo.com/540575435/cb2e12dba0

Summer!

From now, things can only get better with the weather! Here’s some of my current outdoor singing spots
A covered car park in Hebden Bridge – not very glam but excellent acoustics . And My ‘Open Voice Community Choir ‘ in Alexandra Park, M/cr – I laid out lots of flower pots to measure the 2m! 

Sun and Moon Festival

Yes, Sun Moon festival is happening and I’ll be leading the singing there.! 25th August – 1st September in Surrey. (Unless things take a sudden turn for the worse of course)
I will see how things are and may sing outdoors, rather than in the big hall, but it will be socially distanced and covid safe as all my singing has been in these strange times.
More info and booking here 
https://www.sunandmoonfestival.com/

I’m not planning any other singing workshops for the time being until things settle down. But please do get in touch  if you’d like to set one up  in the future. 
Keep in touch with any thoughts, suggestions – can email me on carol.donaldson.music@gmail.com 
I cannot wait till we can meet again in person. Meanwhile – KEEP SINGING, however you can!
All those lovely endorphins, seratonin, oxytocin are made when we sing and they are scientifically  proven to  lift our mood.
Lots of Love to all, Carol X