New York!

[izzie7]

Normally, I don't post much here, but I have to share this at least a bit. The last 2 weeks were school holidays, & I finally persuaded my husband that it would be good to go to The States. We struck a deal with our 14-year old, that we got a week in New York for us, which would be followed by a week in Florida for her (yes, theme parks), and it

Comments

[aesposito]

Yes, cities do smell different... I feel that way everytime I go into Chicago (we live in a suburb), like I'm being attacked with all kinds of new smells all at once, some pleasant, some not so much....

[rosie55]

Sounds wonderful! I've never felt tempted to visit NY but you've have almost persuaded me here. Mmm, the Met, tantalising indeed! Aren't open topped buses great as a way to do a first recce and familiarisation?
Sounds like a fair deal with your daughter - I took my kids to Paris when they were about 10 and 13, we got a day or two in Paris, exploring Montmartre and the city and a day or two in Eurodisney. Funnily enough, if you ask them about it now, ten years later, it's strolling around Montmartre and watching crepes being made for you at a stall and then eating them, and the view from the top of the steps at Sacre Coeur that they remember, even though we all quite enjoyed Eurodisney!
I'm so glad that your back held out and that you were able to enjoy yourself so much. Thanks very much for sharing this with us - any pics?
PS: What voice do you sing? Or are you the workshop facilitator? I sing second alto!

[izzie7]

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about NY (or the US generally, to be honest), so I was quite surprised how much I loved it. I wouldn't want to move there, but it was a terrific place to visit, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It's interesting that you say your kids remember Paris more than Eurodisney. I've just checked my daughter's YouTube site, & she mentions NY more than Florida, so I think she's probably going the same way. We've got stacks of pics, but they're on another computer at the moment & need sorting out

[rosie55]

Despite singing for nearly fifty years now, many of those within the 3 Choirs area, I have never done Gerontius, though my daughter, oddly enough, has sung in it twice, by the tender age of 24! I can imagine Tavener being ghastly, he is one of those composers who can produce an ethereal sound which appears very simple and isn't! My choir is doing The Creation, which is rather good to sing and has some very lyrical bits in it. I think we are all doing some Vaughan Williams this year , our Musical Director has some lined up for our summer concert. As this is being shared with our twinned French choir, it is suitably English, too.
Happy singing!

[izzie7]

Yes, The Creation is fun, although I wish there a few more proper singing bits as opposed to all those little injections, which mean you can't switch off gently for a bit while the soloists do their stuff!

I love Vaughan Williams, although I think I prefer his orchestral writing - he seemed to have a thing about setting Walt Whitman's poetry, and as I don't care much for that poet it makes some of the choral singing a little odd. We are performing Into the Unknown Region & Riders into the Sea with Richard Hickox next weekend (it's being broadcast on Radio 3, but I'm not sure when) & some of the latter piece especially is proving very tricky still! I'm sure you'll have fun doing some later on - do you know yet what you will be singing?