Monday 18 July 2011

If music be the food of love, play on!

If music be the food of love, play on: give me excess of it...Shakespeare

http://youtu.be/SHf13uK0ZVI               -


Purcell: If music be the food of love / Andreas Scholl   (My favourite counter tenor!)


Now the school summer holidays have finally arrived, I am able to put a bit more time into my own singing work which last week started with recording some repertoire with one of my fantastic work colleagues, accompanist, Gary Prior.

The idea is to put some of my best work onto my website and onto CD that I will be able use to promote myself and hopefully get some new singing projects out of it.

Working full time in a very large and busy music department, I have found this year that I have had little time to indulge in my own solo repertoire. However, this is where I have to be quite savvy over the summer and find ways to incorporate this into my job next term.

I will have to work hard to present myself as a freelancing soloist and work hard to make new musical contacts, find new fellow musos to play with and get out there! After all…

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox: (November 5, 1850 – October 30, 1919)

Back to the recording:

 After two hours of some exquisite playing from Gary, I was happy with only 10% of what I sang. So soon after the end of a very busy term, I was exhausted and it showed in my voice. Such a pity, but I’ve certainly learnt a lot! I have to be better prepared physically for such an undertaking- I don’t think I was aware of just how much preparation and fine tuning is needed to come away with something you feel is worth having on disk.  Hoping to tackle this again this summer and have some more audio on my website http://www.katieeels.co.uk/.

Watch this space!

J

Saturday 16 July 2011

Sea Fever

"Sea-Fever" I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking. I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over. By John Masefield (1878-1967). (English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967.)