The Choir ( in a bit of detail)

Today I thought I'd share you my experiences at Choir in a bit more detail
More flesh on the bones, so to speak.
I'll try and paint a picture.
Last night, choir started in its usual slightly haphazard way.
Some people drinking tea in the corner of Gwaenysgor's small village Hall ( a building which used to be a one room village school) offset the twenty five or so other choir members who started to find their places in a large circle of padded chairs. The sopranos ( the most confident and most senior members of the Choir) sit in their seats of power at twelve o'clock. The altos ( the largest number ) sit at 3 o'clock and the tenors ( all ladies) sit at 6 o'clock .
Me and the 7 other basses sit at 9 o'clock.
The warm up is always a bit of a bunfight as the choir numbers range on good days to 40 or so

Jamie, our choirmaster , with his RAF 1940s moustache and 28 inch waist is a powerhouse from the get go, so after  a few stretches, Hollywood-esque acting squeeze  your nose and sing MEEEEEEE at the top of your voice and a bend over to touch your toes ( I don't do that one in case I fart) he throws himself around the centre of the circle whipping us all up into a bit of a middle aged frenzy before the first number.
Last night we sang a four piece African song.
Now, Jamie sings the verse he wants to each of the groups in turn and we all copy him like puppies.
As he sings he indicates the note he wants with a flattened hand, a movement complicated by his legs and bottom which dance around and kick and jump in time to the music.
it's the oddest thing to witness if you are not used to it for he looks like a moustached Woody from Toy Story (albeit a Woody with a nice designer cardigan and trendy brogues)
Within 10 minutes were were singing something new, catchy and rather good.
No one noticed that one of the sopranos was standing in the corner by herself dancing wildly to the African beat. Or if they did, they never said anything.
I always sit next to Peter who is a retired gentleman farmer. Peter is my new best friend because I bought him a trendy water bottle at Christmas as he kept knocking his water glass over during the more energetic numbers.
Peter has thick white hair, has a voice like John Gielgud and looks like he wears tweed 24/7.

Like I said its all rather relaxed with Jamie only shushhhing up the chattering Sopranos occasionally as he patiently tried to get us basses to hit the right note during a particularly hard version of Blur's Tender
We couldn't quite nail Blur last night which was a shame but just before we finished for the night we sang Tsmindao Ghmerto and for a minute into the Georgian hymn that certain magic happened ( as it so often does) and our voices started to blend quite wonderfully helped of course by the acoustics of the village hall roof, a talented yet frenetic conductor and a wish to get it right

tsmindo ghmerto

we hope to join this gathering of community choirs in the Autumn

Our Jamie is conducting!