Tag: Music

Classic or punk rock

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

What is your favorite genre of music?

Basically I like classical music and punk rock.

Classical because of the complexity of the music, punk because it was the sound of my youth.

I love Sibellius, Rachmanninof, Tchaikovsky, Mendelson, Stravinsky, Holst, and many more. I can’t name all the symphonies, concertos or other pieces of music they wrote. My memory for music is in the tune, not the detail.

For that reason I can also enjoy punk rock and music of that era, people like Blondie, Ultravox, The Police, Bowie, Elvis Costello.

But apart from a few, stand out songs I cannot remember the names of their songs, singles or albums. It’s like I have a blind spot in my memory. If I do a quiz I never get music questions right. It’s just weird!

Get up, eat, go to bed? OK, Choir.

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

What are your daily habits?

Habits? What are they?

Life turned upside down when I started caring for my hubby. Everyday was different and it was hard to do things the same each day. Then he died and things got even less organised. Since then I’ve tried to regulate my life. Going to choir has helped. I’ve been in choirs for twenty years and that habit has helped my mental health. If the rest of the week is confused and mixed up I can hold onto the knowledge that I will be going to choir. Other than that I enjoy art and try and hold onto that habit. I would be lost without it.

Mystery?

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

For several years I was involved in a local community group that produced the Penkhull mystery plays. I was impressed by how the group wrote stories from scratch, made props like this green face, and organised music and stalls alongside the plays to make a wonderful mix of fun and theater for a local audience. I was  sometimes involved, helping paint scenery and took small parts in the plays.

Sadly the Pandemic stopped all of this and it’s taken a few years to try and come up with New Mysteries. Firstly we are putting on a small theatre performance called Harpers Titchy Theatre, with 3 minute plays, a few stalls and hopefully some music. The plan is that if this works we can put on a 20th anniversary year Penkhull Mystery Play in 2025. Wish us luck (or a broken leg)!

Singing

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

I love singing.

When I’m anxious it helps regulate my breathing. Concentrating on the music makes my heart swell with joy when we get it right. Time seems to flow. Music and song are so simple, so inate to being human. It brings joy to my friends too. We got together to sing for a friend recently. I’ve not included my friends faces because I haven’t asked their permission to use their images.

That’s the thing about anxiety, so many rules to remember and think about. What can I do? What should I do? But singing calms me, pulls my mind up and out of bad feelings. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of coping with anxiety. If you can take the first step and keep singing. X

Sculpture

Posted on Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I went out to Audlem yesterday to sing with our choir. Thankfully I got a lift there and back because I can’t drive that far.

We sang really well at the Music festival and managed to drown out a band that was playing across the road from us!

We had sung inside Audlem Methodist Hall for the first half and then outside in the garden for the second half. That’s where I saw this sculpture of two birds, I think they were doves, carved out of two tree stumps. I really would like to have a sculpture like this done in my own garden where I had to have a tree cut down because it was dying. I think whoever carved this is very clever.

Tonight!

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

What was the last live performance you saw?

Penkhull Ukelele Band tonight! Music like the Sloop John B, a couple of Beatles songs, other songs from the 1960s. Some fantastic Ukelele playing, singing, and fiddle playing.

I’m afraid I have a blind spot when it comes to music, I can sing a song  with a choir or on my own, but I can’t recall the words until I actually start singing. It’s the same with song titles, I can sing them, but ask me the title five minutes later? I’ve forgotten it! I can answer most quiz questions but the group and the title? No chance! I’m better at classical music, but I can’t recognise a symphony or a stanza. It’s very strange.

Ukelele band

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Not a good photo as I was shaking too much, but I really enjoyed the music of Penkhull Ukelele Band that was on at the Beehive in Honeywall, Stoke-on-Trent tonight. My friend gave me a lift there and I met some lovely people. I was trying hard to think of things to talk about, and in the end I hardly stopped chatting. It’s been a long time since I’ve met new people and I kept trying to persuade them to join local choirs!

Loneliness is a strange thing, you can try hard to communicate with people, but sometimes it and anxiety make you hang back. If I’d been asked to go on my own I know I would not have gone out the house because I would have worried about how I looked, or what I would say. As it was having a friend for support gave me the confidence to try something new. I’m glad I went.

I sing

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

What do you do to be involved in the community?

I’ve been in a couple of local community choirs for several years. Not church choirs, or ones where you have to audition or read music, but natural voice choirs where you choose where you want to sing depending on your voice. Sometimes I sing really low notes but sometimes I join in with the high parts if there is a shortage of sopranos.

I’ve got involved in local pantomimes and community plays as a Chorus member and even had a few roles in plays as a singer. It’s good for community cohesion and helps me mentally especially when I’m feeling down. It drags me out of the house when I would just like to ignore the world. I try and persuade people to join me as it’s been a big help to me over the years. It doesn’t solve all the issues but it ameliorates them.

If you want to be involved in the community I would recommend choir singing as an activity. Music helps calm you and can be very meditative.

Boat Band

Posted on Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I enjoyed going out to see the Boat Band at the Beehive tonight. It’s been over 6 months since I have been out to see them. The pub was quite full with jolly people and it was lovely to feel that mood wash over me. It felt very strange being on my own though. And odd not having my hubby to talk to. But I’m glad I went, I even tried singing a couple of songs.

It had been another long day and I had a hospital appointment in the afternoon, I’m so grateful that my friend came with me to keep me company although she had to wait for an hour and a half while I had a scan. I couldn’t stop shaking so I hope they managed to get good pictures.

Now I’m shattered, I need some food but I might just have a sandwich and go to bed. But I’m really glad I went out. Life has to have some good times.