Well, the last 7 or so weeks have certainly been very different for us all, not least for Dunnington Community Choir.
Determined not to go into hibernation over this period of isolation and enforced shelter, we have adapted to the current "new normal" and pursued our commitment to singing together via online platforms. We meet every Tuesday evening at our usual time: 7.30p.m., but virtually, via Zoom. (Whoever invented that app was inspired and I'm sure is a multi-millionaire by now!) This provides us with opportunity to connect, share snippets of our "Lockdown" lives and run through whatever pieces we are currently working on. Sadly, there is no possibility for us to sing together in real time via the web. Whoever can invent that will be a billionaire!
Our means of learning and practicing new and known pieces is by following weekly rehearsals on YouTube. Vanessa is recording at home and uploading sessions for us all to dip in to at our leisure and it seems to be working rather well. Of course, it's nothing like the joy of singing together. We can only pray that that day will come soon. But in the mean time, we're soldiering on and giving this our best shot.
Over the past few weeks we have stepped (with some trepidation) out of our comfort zones and recorded ourselves singing our parts for two of the songs we have learnt since Lockdown.
These audio recordings were then emailed/ WhatsApped to Vanessa, who then spent time mixing all the voice parts together and producing our virtual combined sounds. Please enjoy the results below:
Our first virtual recording is a sweet and lilting Shetlandic lullaby: Balloo Baleerie
Still keeping with a Caledonian theme, we next recorded the stirring Touch the Sky from Disney's "Brave"
Our next project is a bit more of a challenge technically as we are aiming to video record ourselves singing a couple of familiar African songs which will then be spliced together into a virtual choir video... Watch this space!
We're not going to be held back while the world has hit the snooze button! But we can't wait to be singing our hearts out together again - as every choir should...
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