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Hi, My name is Rachel Hyde. I'm the music director of the glamour phones, and tonight we are rehearsing at Saint Andrew's Church on the terrace, three weeks out from our big concert as part of the Pride events in Wellington and then a huge concert for us at the Michael Fowler Centre. Can you describe, firstly, the big concert and then the huge concert? Yeah, the big concert is really exciting for us. It's here at our home of ST Andrews. It's a best of the glamour phones. I've been working with the iPhones for four years now, and this is a really awesome opportunity [00:00:30] for me to show everybody what I have done with the choir and what the choir has done with me. Actually, we've kind of grown together, and so we've picked all of our favourite songs from those four years, and we're going to deliver them as part of these pride events, just as a celebration of who we are and our place in the community. And it's really exciting, really cheap tickets so people can just come along and enjoy a night with us. Can you describe some of the repertoire? Yeah, we're doing a range of amazing pieces. So the centre of the concert for us is a piece we commissioned from Gareth Farr called [00:01:00] During these days. We commissioned this piece for the 30th anniversary of the passage of the homosexual Law reform in New Zealand. It was an extraordinary series of events we did, and we're really pleased to be able to sing that piece again. And then around that we've got some you could probably call a classic queer gay anthems, Um, both modern and older. We're doing an amazing song called The Fight Song, which the choir loves. We're doing songs like, Um, Stand By You by the Pretenders. [00:01:30] We're doing some George Michael Freedom 90 a whole bunch of songs that people will love, and it's going to be a really fantastic night. And then what about the huge concert? This is a huge concert. I can't quite believe we're doing this, but it's true the glamour phones are opening for the top twins who ever thought that would happen? This is the final night of the massive LGA conference that's taking place in Wellington. 400 delegates or more from all around the world are coming to Wellington to talk about issues that affect our community [00:02:00] around the world. And on the final night there is a concert at the Michael Fowler Centre. The top twins are the headliners, which is super exciting, and we're going to sing, and we will be singing a few of the songs from the night before. I'm not going to give away. It's going to be a surprise, but we'll be doing 20 minutes to half an hour, and I just can't wait. It's such a great night for the choir. And will this be one of your biggest audiences? I mean, Michael Fallas is huge. It will definitely be the biggest one if we pack it out. So come along and help us sing to our biggest ever audience. It's an amazing place, a great acoustic. [00:02:30] I've never sung in there. I've conducted in there before but never sung. So it's a first for me, and the choir is so excited not just because it's the tops, but because it's at the MFC as well. Now you've been with the choir for, say, four years. How has the choir changed you? Well, that's an amazing question. Um, I would say the choir has taught me a lot about myself and my my place in the community. Actually, in the queer community, um, I feel really happy and proud of who I am and I always have done. But the choir has given me a voice [00:03:00] in a way that I don't think I have before. Um, I think the choir has made me a lot more fun as well. Let me just lay that out there. I can be quite a serious person, but the choir has taught me some jokes that I never thought I'd know. And they've just really taught me to embrace the people around me and be proud of our community and and just stand up and be counted, and that's something I'll always be grateful for. So so after these two concerts, you're actually taking a little break for a while. Yeah, I am. I'm having a mini sabbatical. It's only six months, but, um, this is a [00:03:30] pretty full on job, and I do it in addition to actually having a full time job as well and working with other groups. Um, and what I decided to do was have six months where I wasn't waving my arms about, but I was actually thinking about my own music. So I'm going to spend six months playing the piano. I'm gonna get my cello out for the first. I'm in 15 years. I've just built a house and we've got a record player that actually plays records. And so we've got all of our records and I'm going to listen to them and re attach myself to my music inside myself. And then [00:04:00] that will allow me to come back to the choir at the end of the year with with with a bit of learning about myself and my music music, I think. And yeah, just just do something a little bit different for a few months. And so who's taking over the choir is really lucky. We've managed to get a young man called Thomas Nico to come along and conduct the choir. He's an amazing young musician, and he's going to have a great time with the choir. I know they've asked him to do some classical music as well as some other more standard glamour phones repertoire, [00:04:30] Um, and he'll be brilliant at that. He actually conducts a choir called Canto choir at the moment, who I also used to conduct many years ago. It's a small community, and Thomas has been working with us for a few weeks playing the piano, and now he's singing with us, getting to know the choir and getting ready to take on the the really the great honour and privilege of working with this group of people. Just looking forward to the two concerts in March. What is the piece that you're most looking forward to performing? That's an easy question, actually. It's a song [00:05:00] called This Is Me, which is from a movie called The Greatest Showman, which I have seen. It's a good movie. It's not my favourite movie ever. It stars Hugh Jackman, who is one of my favourites, but this song seems to have taken on an incredible life of its own. Um, on the news Just yesterday, apparently, Hugh Jackman turned up at a U in Auckland. Nobody knew about it, and the kids all sang. This is me for him, and he sang with them, and it brought him to tears. We sang this piece last year with a group of Children from a local school and some of the Children of our choir [00:05:30] members, and we're really hoping that they can join us again. It's an incredible experience to sing with this choir and Children. I will never forget that experience, and we're going to do it again. And just the song speaks to people, and it's a song. It's a statement about standing up and not allowing oppression to rule your life and not allowing bullies to take over and just saying This is who I am and it's an amazing song now. Rachel, your mom is here. Yes, she just [00:06:00] got off a plane from France. She's for her visit. Staying with me for a couple of months and the glamour phones is one of her favourite things in the world. So, needless to say, rather than going home, she came to rehearsal. It's the only reason I come really for the glamour phones. They're all my pals, and they stay in contact over Facebook and things like that and messengers. And so I love them. I I've adopted the whole lot. What's it like to see Rachel leading this choir? I'm so proud of her. She is the best female conductor that I have ever heard [00:06:30] which is and I'm I'm only biassed, but she is so that's you know, so I can't be prouder of it. I'll be My only thing is I think she should be wearing more rainbow wearing blue. I'm trying to give her a hint of the shocking pink. That's why it's great to have the choir loves my mom. My mom loves the choir, so it's a real We're a real That's right. Can I go and have a really, really strong coffee? Now, I I'll talk to you next [00:07:00] time and you'll just have to bend down or something, because you're much too tall. OK, thank you. Thanks. You Right, everybody, let's come together, please. I can see new people. Hello. Who are you? You're Sarah. Let's welcome Sarah to the alto. And I see new people over here as well. [00:07:30] Leanne and Joe. Great. Could we start with our shoulders, please? So some nice, relaxed shoulder arms backwards in your own time. You know how this goes? Very good. And my mum is back. Yeah, just noting that my mum gets the biggest cheer of the night. Uh, fingers behind your backs and just give yourselves a bit of a stretch [00:08:00] and the same forward. Very nice. And can you just as you give your face a massage, can you make some random interesting noises? Oh, very good. And can you give me a nice low? [00:08:30] Lovely. Uh, OK, let's do Let's do a great big lion breath. So a nice deep breath in and one more be more impressive. There's, like 60 of us in your own time. Very good. And just do me a nice big yawn. [00:09:00] Very good. Who wants to pick a nursery rhyme for me this week? Jack and Jill. Can you sing that for me? Jack and Jill went up the hill. Jack fell and broke his crown and came tumbling after once more please from the middle of the choir and went up to [00:09:30] let go. What did that start? Let's go up a tone 34 and went up the hill and [00:10:00] I could very good. That's enough of Jack. And before we start with a rehearsal rehearsal, I'd like us to fight song for a final bit of warm up, please. Fight song. This is my [00:10:30] Oh, [00:11:00] mhm! All right, sit down. Thank you, everyone. So the reason I chose that song to kick us off is that there's a lesson in how we have to start our upcoming performances. It's always hard to to start a performance. There's that weird bit where you come on and it takes us, you know, the first song or two to really get going. I don't ever [00:11:30] want us to be like that again. I always want us to start our performances with a maximum impact and then finish them with a maximum impact. But starting with impact is hard, which is why it's good to start with the wire because it really gets our souls engaged, all right, but it also accounts for the song, and that's a song that we should be able to deliver with impact. We know it. We know it relatively well. I always want you to think about how you start a performance and how you start a rehearsal. Give it your commitment from the beginning. That was not our most committed performance. It [00:12:00] was a bit Thursday evening. I our concerts on a Thursday evening at this time, roughly so you have to get rid of that. Thursday evening, I feeling in three weeks time and just deliver it straight away. It's a cracking song anyway. So, Freedom 90 let's start in the middle and get us singing with a bit that we're comfortable with, and then we'll work backwards from there. So could we go into the middle of the song, please? Well, it looks like the road to heaven, but it feels like the road to hell. [00:12:30] Hi. I'm Steven. Um, I'm the chair of the Glam Phones Committee. I've been doing this for about three years now. I've been singing with the choir for about five years. Yeah, And how did you get involved? Well, through friends, it's a community group. And, um, I know the choir has been going for nearly maybe 10 years now, and you just hear them? I heard them playing, um, out in the park, um, years ago, and I thought, Oh, maybe that's something I want to do. I haven't, um I hadn't sung for years [00:13:00] since secondary school. So it's been, you know, 15, 20 years and I got back into it, and I've been doing it since every Thursday. And what what do you get out of it? Oh, it's, uh it's um, about the community. You make friends here, um, and the support you get, Uh, but also being part of a community to, um, do something for the community to represent, um, the community and, um, perform for the community. Um, singing itself is great fun. Um, and [00:13:30] I. I often come to rehearsals on Thursdays, and it's, you know, I'm tired after a day's work, but at the end of the two hour rehearsal, I feel great. I, you know, rejuvenated. So yeah, it's it's it's a It's both a, uh uh, emotional support, but also a physical thing. It's like exercise coming here every every week. So what makes a queer choir? Is it the repertoire? Is it the people singing What makes a queer choir? [00:14:00] Well, I guess for us it's a combination of it all. It's, um, the people a queer, but, um, and we try to do queer music by queer composers and musicians. But, you know, not all of our music is like that, but it's also the way we deliver the music and what it means to us when we sing. So it's it's a combination of all that. It strikes me that It's quite AAA diverse group of people that come to the choir. Can you talk about that? Diversity? Yeah. [00:14:30] I mean, I think one thing that, um, I've seen over the last five or six years is that, um the composition of the choir has changed quite a bit. It was, um, at the start, quite a stable, um, close knit group. But over time, and our numbers have stayed, um, more or less the same, if not, um, having grown to about Fif over 50 members now. But we've got far more newer people coming in, um, far more younger people and people who are much more diverse [00:15:00] in the identity, I guess, um, participating in the choir, and I don't know what what it is. Um, uh, you know, singing is not that cool. It never it hasn't. You know, we don't have glee on TV anymore, but I think it might be to do with, um, our growing, um, part that we are playing in the community and being a place for people to, um participate and belong. So, yeah, that That's one interesting thing that I've seen over the last few years. So when you're [00:15:30] up on stage singing in a in a mass group of people. Uh, what is that feeling? Like? It's, I guess it's the feeling of unity, of being playing your part in in a bigger and a bigger thing. Um, and and you're looking out into the into the crowd. Um, you know, they are there to see you and be part of this. It's It's Yeah, fantastic. Now, there's been some, uh, disunity and and kind of fracturing in the queer communities [00:16:00] over the last year. Uh, especially, um, you know, I'm thinking of things like, um, the police and the pride parade. Um, also kind of corporate sponsorship, et cetera, et cetera. But it strikes me from the outside is that choirs are very unifying. And I'm wondering, can you talk about how our choirs and in particular the glamour phones, um, unify people? Yeah, I guess. Um, we are, um, first of all about the music. So the music is what brings [00:16:30] us together. Um, but you know, there is difference. Um, within the within the choir. And one thing that we've been emphasising more over the last few years is, um is that we are here for the community. We are a centre for the community. So, um, we we have to be open. The other thing is, you know, the choir started off as a a gay men's choir, and it opened up to women as well. But over time, um, it's it's become [00:17:00] policy that we just don't ask anyone. You know what what they're about, Like there's a reason why they want to come sing with us. And, you know, we've all been there like we've all been in situations where you don't you're not that comfortable talking about it, and that's fine. So I think being that strong basis of, uh, being inclusive and, um, being about each, um, being here for each other and about the music really binds us. We we have our differences, you know, we we But we have robust conversations, and and but at the end of the day, we're all here for [00:17:30] for the singing. Yeah, And speaking of singing, What's your favourite? What's your favourite song that you sing? Oh, that's a hard one. I think one of the my favourite songs has always been true colours. It's it's, you know, but done by an amazing amazing singer in the first place. Um, but it's actually really, really hard to sing. Um, well, and we've tried several times. Um, but also it's It's one of these compositions [00:18:00] where there's that balance of the the really sort of sentimental element. But then the real sort of release, Um, and for the 10 a part, it's also really high. So at the end of it, um, you're kind of high on on oxygen deprivation, really so. But it's it's great fun to say. And what's it like coming off stage after the performance? What What's that feeling like? Oh, it's always a bit weird for me because I have to address the the audience at the end. So, um, talking to them and, [00:18:30] um but but it's a weird feeling because the hour that you're on stage feels like five minutes. Um, but typically, one thing that we do, um, is a choirs. We always put on, um, refreshments and like supper afterwards. So it's not the end. Uh, when we get off stage, we've got another half hour hour to talk to our friends in our community, so yeah, it's it's like we've done something for them and now it's time to to enjoy each other's company. So I am a freshly graduated student. [00:19:00] Uh, I got involved in the choir in my second year of uni. My mom was doing singing lessons. I was jealous of her. Um, and she liked group singing. So we both came here because my mother is the most supportive person on the entire planet. Um And then when she stopped doing singing lessons, she kept paying for my admission to the choir. So I got to keep coming for three years now. I think this is my third year at the choir. So can you remember back to those first times you came and what that [00:19:30] feeling was like it was a touch overwhelming. Um, I don't read music. I did some like theatre in high school, but I very quickly jumped to like, backstage stuff because I found that really interesting. So actually, doing performance things again was really quite terrifying. And then I joined about a month and a half before a concert and then performed in the concert because, you know, fear is for losers. Um, but it was great. [00:20:00] The the whole choir is really just welcoming. And if you don't read music, if you don't know what you're doing, they arrange like sectionals on weekends so that you can practise your parts with people who actually do read music and know what it's supposed to sound like and everyone's willing to help out. Yeah, so So what is it like, uh, learning if if you're not actually reading the music because I mean, some of the stuff you're singing is actually really complex. Yeah, um, it's a lot of listening to the people who are around you so, [00:20:30] like, because the choir is split into actual sections, so sopranos on one side is on the other tenors front. Middle bass is at the back you need if you're not confident in the song or if you're not confident in reading music, it helps to be middle front of the group that you're in, because that way, everyone that you're hearing is singing your part and that way, so soon as you're matching everyone that you can hear, then you've got it. If you're sitting on like the borderline of two parts, then you'll start to kind of wobble, and that doesn't [00:21:00] help much. So can you recall what it was like, Um, having that performance a month after you joined. What was it like being on stage? Really amazing. Um, I hadn't really been involved much with the community in Wellington. Uh, I moved to Wellington part way through high school. And so once I kind of aged out of youth groups, I didn't really have a connection anymore. And so it was the first time that I'd seen like, I guess, the LGBT community beyond my [00:21:30] age group all gathered for a thing which was incredible, like I hadn't ever experienced that before. It seems to be quite a diverse group. And I. I wonder what What's the kind of the unifying things that bring people together with the choir? Um, I think music is definitely part of it. I think everyone at the choir does like music. Maybe they aren't necessarily as passionate about certain aspects of it as everyone else. Maybe everyone has different genres that they adore that kind of thing. [00:22:00] But everyone enjoys singing. Everyone enjoys part of the performance or just the community aspect of everyone getting together on a Thursday evening and singing the same kind of thing and just knowing that there are people in the room who understand where you're coming from and how you think about things. So describe, um, some of your most kind of favourite songs that you're singing. Um, I really love brave. It's one of my favourite songs, and there's a bunch of songs where everyone gets [00:22:30] involved. We've had songs where we've had, um, like kids from a school as part of the performance and their parents have come along, And it's really great to be able to have songs that, like, broaden the community beyond, just like what you expect when you think of a like LGBT Q choir. What would you say to somebody that, um, was a singer but had never been in a choir before and maybe didn't have the confidence to kind of approach a choir? The great thing about being in a choir is that if you [00:23:00] suck a little bit or a lot of bit, it's really hard for anyone who isn't new to notice. Like so long as you're following along well enough, and so long as you feel like you can keep following along, then you'll just get better. I can't read music I can barely hear Tune, I guess 90% of my way through songs and they haven't kicked me out yet, so I think you're good. Hi, I'm Gerard and I sing in the choir in the tennis section, but we all have extra jobs and [00:23:30] miners to arrange the ticket sales. And what are you selling tickets for? So it's for the glamour phones concert, uh, in association with the Pride Week in Wellington. It's going to be on Thursday, the 21st of March from 7 p.m. at Saint Andrews on the terrace. And this time we're going to be singing our greatest hits from 2015 to 2018. Lots of the old favourites what drew you to the choir? Um, I've always loved to sing, and for ages, I had very busy work and [00:24:00] and couldn't commit to things. But once that changed, um, someone said you should go along to the to the glamour phones, and I turned up and was felt very welcome from day one, and I really enjoyed, uh, working with the choir over the last five years. Can you describe that first encounter with the glamour phones. What it was like Well, yeah, um, the the good thing about it, um, on the singing side is that community choir and I I don't read music. I mean, I follow music, but I don't read music. And that's not an impediment, because there's lots of music readers, [00:24:30] and we have technology to support us in learning our roles. Um, on the gay side, uh, very welcoming and safe place. Lots of, um, lots of great people, uh, from around the city, all sorts of different jobs they come from, and they all bring a unique experiences and and expertise to help with, uh, running the choir. And and they all enjoy singing. What makes a rainbow choir? So a desire to, um, to to be with, [00:25:00] um, fellow community members. And, uh, particularly, uh uh, great. When you see lots of young people coming along, we have quite a few university students, Um, who who are here in Wellington. And we we form part of their extended community. And for many, we form part of the, uh, their actual family. Is they? They can be isolated due to distance and and and first time away from home for many of them, uh, or international, um, visitors [00:25:30] who who perhaps even have sung in their own, um, gay choirs back home and, uh, are joining us to, uh, continue with what they get out of a, uh, of a community choir like ours. And what do you get out of it? Well, as I said, I, I really enjoy, enjoy. And, um, it's a real, um you know, it's a punctuation to the week, Thursday night rehearsal, a couple of concerts a year and, um uh, just really nice to to to to have a good singing and and to [00:26:00] be part of something creative to to listen to the music, um, improving as we learn it and practise it and refine it. And, uh, some of the pieces are just absolutely beautiful when the choir sings them. And and so I have an emotional attachment to the music then and and And that's the joy I get out of it. What's, uh what? What? What's your favourite song that you sing? Oh, I don't think I I have one. There's only 11 or two in each repertoire, which are particularly fun. Um, we we're singing um, Hozier [00:26:30] take me to the church, and and and and that's, uh, that's the one that the tenors can get to belt out. So we all quite like that one. And and And there are others. Um, we sing some of the classical pieces on occasion. I remember once, uh uh, a couple of years ago when my mother died. Um, about the time of the concert, In fact. So, um, I I was back for the concert, but they sort of, um, dedicated to one of the rehearsals and sang a for my mum. She would have loved it, and, uh, I was able to record it and [00:27:00] play it for the family, and they thought it was lovely. So yeah. So the concert at Saint Andrews. Um, how is that going to be decorated? Well, we have a, uh, a limited budget this time. Um, so when we have AAA concert with a special aim, we often go, uh, uh, go out and seek sponsorship for, uh, stage management, et cetera. But this time we we have a We have a rainbow flag which is synonymous with our community. Uh, it's seven metres by three metres. [00:27:30] and we're going to be suspending that above the altar at Saint Andrews. Uh, who are very graciously. Um, uh, you know, consider as part of their family as well. And they want that up for a period before our concert, which is, uh, over the period of pride because they're intending to hold some, um, community, uh, services here for the, uh, for the community. And, um, it'll be really nice to to brighten up the church and and give it special meaning for Saint Andrews who have been very inclusive for such a long time here in Wellington. [00:28:00] Now, today, I don't know if you saw, but, um, the international airport here in Wellington the embankment at the front has got this huge, big painted rainbow. Have you seen that? No. I. I saw a thing on, uh, social media where they were were starting at, um, I remember being in Sydney a couple of years ago when, um, at the top of Oxford Street, they painted the pedestrian crossing for the first time in rainbow colours. Um, I. I was a member of the New Zealand defence Force, and, uh, at the time and I I had the [00:28:30] the honour of marching with the Australian defence Force the first time they wore uniform in the in the Sydney Pride parade. So, uh, we we have a connection through our defence force. Uh uh, network called Overwatch. And, uh, some of the representatives from the New Zealand Overwatch went over and and marched in the parade with the Australian, uh, defence support network. I'm not sure with the, um, embankment at the airport, if you can march on that. But you could certainly slide down it. Well, that's right. I think, uh, there's [00:29:00] also a pedestrian crossing in in Cuba Street going up. And I'm anticipating that there will be a few, um, uh, a few, uh, rainbow flags around the town. And I think with the defence force marching in the Wellington parade, um, there may well be an opportunity to perhaps, uh, um, throw a few, uh, uh, rainbow flags around a few armoured vehicles or something. I'm Jen and I live in Wellington, and I used to live in Auckland. So how did I get involved in the choir? Well, um, [00:29:30] I sang in gals, which was the choir in Auckland for 10 years and then moved down to Wellington for work. And at that stage, they were, um it was a male only choir, and, um, but they were looking to in to embrace women, and I came along at the right time, So I've been since I've been in the choir since then. And what draws you to choirs? I felt like I was coming home. Uh, so it's a family [00:30:00] community thing. Yeah. Can you describe what it's like singing just in amassed, uh, group of people? Well, you get the right song because it doesn't happen for every song. But you get the right song, and, um, it chokes you up can choke you up like I'm getting choked up now, and, um and then and then making a beautiful sound is is also fantastic. And, um and I really enjoy that. [00:30:30] I mean, there's lots of research out there about the benefits of singing, and, um, and how it increases your endorphins and positive emotions and stuff like that. But I don't come for that. Uh, although having said that, um, I can, you know, think Oh, can I be bothered going to quiet tonight and, you know, and then I'll come and it'll be it'll be a bus. It's worth it. What's the piece of music that just really gets you? What's the most kind of moving thing that you sing? [00:31:00] Well, there's heaps. But the one that I like at the moment is is, um um a a place by Morton Larrison. Um, on on the sacred night It's not quite the right title, but, you know, and it's he's He's a contemporary, uh, American composer, and I've sung his songs before with girls and and and it's just beautiful harmonies. [00:31:30] Can you, uh, describe for me some of the most kind of memorable concerts that you have been part of? Yes. Um, So periodically, the Australasian gay and lesbian choirs get together. It's called out and loud. And, um so I've sung in those Australasian out and loud choral festivals in Melbourne and, um, at the Gay Games in Sydney and two in whenever it was and, um [00:32:00] and also in Auckland. So those are the memorable times when you get, you know, 200 voices, um, lifting to the heavens. What would you say to somebody that that was a singer, but maybe has never been in a choir before and in particular. I've never been in a rainbow choir before. How would you? How would you sell glamour phones? It's the community that you come to. So, um, everyone's [00:32:30] extremely friendly. Um, Rachel is fantastic as a musical director, and, um, and we sing a great variety of different songs, and it's it's just exciting and fun. So, um, I'm Thomas, and I'm gonna be the interregnum sort of version of the conductor from March till I think it's October IG Square. And what does the conductor do with the choir? [00:33:00] Um, so it's actually I think the role is really musical director. Um, so it's not just waving your arms around and dancing in front of everyone making a fool, but it's also teaching the music and teaching how I want it performed. Yeah, different versions of music. Every kid does a slightly differently. And so you're about to step into this role, Um, for for a period of what, eight months? Yeah. Uh, that's a reasonable about time. March to October. So And once you're in the role, [00:33:30] how how do you want to kind of, um, shape the choir? Yeah. Um, so the choir does does quite a lot of pop songs at the moment, um, songs that reflect and such. Um, I'm gonna be doing one. I haven't announced it yet, So I'm gonna be doing one other piece with the choir that's more classical. Just because it's what I come from my my normal field. Um, background. So I'm gonna do one thing. I'm probably gonna do a whole lot of musical theatre stuff, but I'm not. I'm not gonna change so much. It's It's the [00:34:00] choir, as great as it is. And you were saying you came from a musical background. So So So what is your background? Um, so I studied classical performance at Victoria University. Um, I graduated 2.5 years ago. Now, almost three years ago. And, um, last year I was repetitive for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Um, I don't do too much playing more. Most of my playing is concertos with orchestras or or chamber music, but yeah, every now and then I do a recital or two. [00:34:30] And what drew you to the game of Thrones? Uh, actually, it's interesting. In my first year of uni, I think it was my first year anyway, um, I first or second year I met, um, their accompanist at the time, Michael. And he, um he got me involved with them for just a little bit of time. And Jean Malcolm was conducting. And I think the choir, some of them still know me. Um, and their conductor, Rachel Hyde, works a lot with well to chamber orchestra, and she'd seen me play with them. Um, [00:35:00] so I think it was It was her idea to get me along to come and take over for these couple of months. What makes a good choral singer? Lots of things. It's, um, crossings. It's chamber music. Singing in in in any sense, without a group is chamber music. So listening to people singing in tune, that's that's that can be less important than you think sometimes. [00:35:30] But, you know, text having fun, Um, I mean I. I see no point in having choir unless it's fun. But also, the text is the most important thing to me as a director at least can can you describe what it's like to be part of a mass group of people singing? Ah, well, it's a different flavour. and I think, But I, I really love it. It's It sort of gives you a bit of I. I don't wanna say courage, but it's sort of it's sort of epic. You sort of feel, [00:36:00] especially when the choir this big, this choir has got a reasonable amount of people, so that feels everything's sort of big, which is fun. One of the things from the outside that in my perception, is that it's a very, uh, unifying, uh, activity being in a in a choir, especially like a community choir. And I wonder, with so much kind of fracturing going on in the kind of queer communities at the moment, can you speak to, um, I guess how choirs can unify and [00:36:30] why they unify. I mean, choirs bring all sorts of different people together, which is a good thing. I mean, you have you have people here that otherwise wouldn't sing in groups just because they they want to be part of a group that's that's queer or queer friendly. Um, and then we've got people who love singing and they go to choirs every night of the week, and there's a few of those people at the choir. Uh, so it's you get, You do get a lot of different things coming together, different groups [00:37:00] in the square, especially more than I mean, I'm involved in a lot of choirs in Wellington, more than a lot of other choirs, the differences in people, which is really nice. Actually. It's part of what makes it really fun. And so why do you do it? I mean, I, um well, I really enjoy it pretty much. I mean, I was I was playing for the last four weeks just because they their account was in China. But I decided that I was going to stay on and sing because it's fun. But I'm not doing anything else Thursday night. So yeah, [00:37:30] and what would you say to somebody who loves singing but maybe doesn't have the confidence of of joining a choir if if if they're thinking of coming to this choir, I definitely tell them to come here because it's It's the sort of choir that it's It's very easy to fit in somewhere, and you don't you don't have to read. You don't have to be the quickest learner or anything. It's it's fun.
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