June and July were busy months. The Sixteen managed to start the Choral Pilgrimage in June. It was great, but also a little strange to be performing in so many beautiful cathedrals around the country once more with restrictions still in place . We as performers and the audience had to all be socially distanced from each other. This meant smaller audiences and so in most venues we performed a shorter programme twice over. The music making was fantastic. Oh how I have missed this over the last 18 months. I was also able to give a workshop to the talented and delightful choristers at Derby Cathedral. That was the the first time the boys and girls had been able to sing together in over a year.
Another teaching year also came to an end. A year that has started, stopped and started again, where students have had to socially distance, windows have been left wide open for ventilation, music stands wiped down between lessons and masks worn whenever walking around a building. Thankfully online teaching was able to mostly finish this term except for a few students who had to isolate. This form of teaching definitely has its merits, especially during the worst of the pandemic, but I still feel that teaching face to face is a far more satisfying experience for all concerned. My students have been wonderful this year despite the challenges and all my exam students have performed brilliantly.
Then there have been my choirs. On Monday 17th May we had a marvellous full choir rehearsal in a local hall, only to be told the next day by the Government that choirs could only meet indoors in groups of six. This was really hard to accept and even harder to understand when watching so many fans at the Euro football games singing without any restrictions in place. As ever we were resourceful in finding ways to sing together. We rehearsed in the hall with limited numbers but were joined by others outside the hall singing in through the open windows, and some more on Zoom. Our summer concert couldn’t take place due to restrictions on numbers effectively making it impossible to have our usual audience. Instead we had a garden party for one choir, singing to a few friends and a BBQ for our smaller choir plus invited guests as our audience. The weather was kind to us on both occasions and it was fantastic to sing and meet together again.
July was also the month I tidied the ‘loose ends’ up for my coaching course. I am now fully qualified as a coach! This is a great feeling. The course was inspirational and has brought me so much joy. It was wonderful to be learning again. The people I met on the course and those I have coached have been fascinating and lovely.
For the last two weeks we have been away in our caravan. This is the break our family so much needed. As I sit here on a rainy Thursday in Somerset my mind is already beginning to think ahead and plan for the future. This year there are more decisions and plans to be made than usual. After over 30 years singing with The Sixteen I will be stepping down from the main group at the end of the year. I am not retiring, just changing my direction a little. I have many years of wonderful performing and musical experience that I want to put to good use. I look forward to working with Genesis Sixteen later this month and in September and hopefully other groups and choirs in the future. I also want to explore the ways in which my new coaching skills can be used to benefit young musicians. Already I have seen the effectivness of coaching in my teaching of singing and with those in various careers and lives. Now I want to work with those who wish to explore other ways in which they can change direction and focus whether that be in their organisation, careers, studies or other areas of interest.
So as the rain falls and I sit here snug in our cosy caravan, I look forward to more of the Choral Pilgrimage in September and October. I look forward to starting another academic year of singing teaching and to educational work with The Sixteen and other choirs. And finally, I look forward to meeting and coaching many new clients who are eager to move forwards in their lives and careers.