KFC the Opera
A refreshingly honest account from one of our lovely tenors.
“Finding this choir has been serendipitous - singing once a week has kept me sane. ”
I've always sung. My Dad, a great music fan, was a Morris dancer, and I grew up encouraged to listen, sing and dance. At two I wrote the classic song "Willy Cat" (about our cat, Willum, Willy to his friends, obvs). At work I've always sung about what I'm doing to the delight/despair of my colleagues. From "KFC the Opera", to songs that got me through military exercises in the field. I sing to the present house cats, ripping off Morcombe and Wise ("Bring me Thomas, bring me Sam"). They like it. I think.
I've sung in a choir of sorts on and off from the age of ten, and sung tenor parts since about fifteen, when I met another girl tenor and found I preferred that part. I've written poetry and the odd song, occasionally with accompaniment. But, despite this love (including karaoke in Japan) I'm incredibly shy about sharing what I've written, and rather shy about singing alone. I'm not a great fan of hearing other people singing (they have to be pretty good!). But singing in a choir - allows me to sing at my absolute best. I'm braver and better. I rely upon others (perhaps they rely upon me too). I sing with a confidence and clarity that I couldn't command on my own.
Why sing? At best, silly sundry worries dissipate, and it provides the ultimate therapy. A balm to soothe all troubles. At "worst", it's still a great evening with friends, hearing music previously unknown, pushing the limits of my singing ability. I can read music but its not essential; within the choir we move and shift together. The right notes become second nature.
Finding this choir has been some kind of wonderful. I've made remarkably close friends, pushed my singing abilities and discovered new music. I've moved house and job in the last year, and become very fond of south west London. However, that's not been without its challenges. Finding this choir has been serendipitous - singing once a week has kept me sane.
Why sing with us? We're lovely. Well, we're my kind of lovely which could be your kind of lovely - find out?
