About
I’ve always wanted to sing in a choir. When I was 12, I was told that I couldn’t join my church choir because I was too young. I pointed out that both my brothers were in the choir, and I was more or less the same age as they were, but this wasn’t reason enough to let me join. They were boys. I wasn’t even allowed to join the school choir; I had to play the recorder instead. All I wanted to do was sing. Much like Herbert in Monty Python.
I finally joined a church choir in a little village called Isleham, near Ely, which was wonderful until I became pregnant and couldn’t sing anything in a minor key without bursting into tears. I didn’t sing in an ensemble again until I joined an a capella singing class at Brockley Rise in London. My first solo performance was in front of about 8 people and I don’t think I’ve ever been more terrified.
Things have moved on. I have performed in front of hundreds, nay thousands, of people in the past few years. However, it’s only ever been as part of a choir. Whether or not I’d have the balls to sing solo at either the Albert or Festival Hall is likely forever to remain a mystery.
