Post #149 - Choir Reprise

Regular readers will be aware that, although I love to sing, maintaining a suitable place in any choir is difficult for me - I refer to these related posts:

General choir woes:

https://faspie.blogspot.com/2015/10/post-12-more-insomnia-choir-musings.html

What happened after the Easter 2017 concert: 

https://faspie.blogspot.com/2017/05/post-106-some-people-aint-got-no-sense.html

So, it's now 2019, I'm enjoying watching Glee on Amazon Prime Video and decide that it's time to get my voice out of storage.  I'm a fairly competent singer and with practice, I can improve.  So, I've heard about a singing group which meets on Monday lunchtimes and is located approximately 3.9 miles away from Chez Logic, and after a bit of finding out about what its all about from a member of my previous choir whom I'd recognised in a group shot, I contacted the Choir Director.  The Director was lovely and when I said that I had quite a lot of choir experience, was a tiny bit concerned that I may be pitching myself too low (not literally, although I am a soprano who often moonlights as an alto, so that might actually be true.) 

I went along, the church hall was located in the same road we once rented a flat in back in 2003 (that's one for the property fact fans amongst you.)  I arrived about ten minutes early, but the room was almost full, which is bizarre because in my other choir, people turned up late and it never started on time, but maybe that was because it took place between 19:30 and 21:30 and these people had jobs?  And lives.  The Choir Director was really friendly and welcoming and handed me a song sheet with lyrics on ... hmm, OK.  OK, please excuse me for being a bit of a musical snob here, but I do like to sing from a musical score as it makes working out the harmonies so much easier if you can see if the notes are going up or down for starters and whether they're crotchets, minims or triplets etc.  Also, the dynamics of a piece are totally lost without it - how would you know when to speed up, slow down or get louder? 

I did explain to the Choir Director that I had autism and it had affected me in earlier choirs.  She was duly sympathetic.  I squeezed myself into a soprano seat, as indicated, but nobody around me even said a simple "hello", in fact, the whole group seemed downright standoffish.  In my other choirs if I'd been sat next to a newbie I'd take the time to ask them their name, if they'd sung before and other such pleasantries (without sounding like a weirdo) - it's just good manners. 

Needless to say I won't be going back; it's great for people who just like to sing in a casual manner, but I like I said before, I want to improve.  Also the timing's all out of whack as the end of it coincides with school kicking out time, which as we all know is a nightmare on the roads and buses.   

Post #44: My Aspie Son

Until recently I believed that my son had what is commonly referred to as 'Classic Autism'. I now no longer feel that he has and does indeed share my diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome.

Why is that? Well, the similarities between both of our respective personalities is fairly uncanny, plus he's extremely verbal.  Mind you, who knows where anyone actually sits on this lovely autistic spectrum?

Post #12 - More Insomnia + Choir Musings

Oh for goodness sake, this is driving me crazy now. It's nearly 3:30am and I cannot sleep.  Again. Yes I know that I shouldn't be on a screen, but hey, writing's good - yeah?

I'm a member of a local choir. It's fun, I adore singing and was studying for my Grade 4 with the choir leader/music teacher until my fragile mental health forced me to stop. I started singing back in 2010; I used to sing in a church choir as a child but gave it up for decades. I began with a few beginners' group courses and then joined a central London choir for about eighteen months in total and then my work ensemble. Actually, I think I'll detail my experiences on one of my other (many) blogs.

Right: ASC. Singing's great for the soul, but I do struggle somewhat with the logistics involved. For example,  I walk the three miles there as I haven't driven for many years now because of extreme anxiety. I often get a lift back, but I don't wish to be a burden. The room itself, which is the music department of a grammar school can get very crowded and last week one of the other altos was behind me and her continual chewing and talking was vexing me. She's a nice woman and we've spoken many times; she even has a grandchild with ASC. It's not easy for me though as some of the other choristers are flat; this is because you don't have to audition to get in, which is a double-edged sword.

Oh dear, I sound like a right old moaner don't I? I'm not, honestly.