Progress over the years - a few photos!

2006 - singing at a wedding party

Posting these pictures is not about creating an ego trip! I find it really helpful comparing my performances as there is always so much one can learn. Looking at my photographs, I can see how much progress I have made with posture!

We were actually having a laugh in this photograph - I wanted to sing a particular song, but the group and I had never played together before - so we struggled trying to find the tune and the correct key! We did get there in the end!
Moral of the story - make time for a rehearsal with your musicians!!!!

Music in the garden 2006

This was another fairly early 'public' performance. It took place in our garden in July 2006. Lots of friends came, including my singing teacher and one of her musicians, a local drummer and a number of others. It was great fun as each person contributed something to the day and we raised money for our cancer support association. Here I spotted terribly hunched shoulders and my head was jutting forward pretty badly.

2007  Students Concert

One of the great things we have done  as students, is to put on concerts. This one in 2007 was part of the October Rose or International Breast Cancer Awareness month events. As we hosted the concert in our village, I had to open the show. I had chosen to sing a Gershwin number, which I had done before at an earlier concert and messed up! In lesson time and rehearsal time leading up to the show we had really got it sorted! So it  should have been ok.
 The guitarist accompanying me started off, but  could I  find the note? In a word NO!  My teacher came up to help...... Eventually we recognised that I had been given a different starting key! Well we muddled through, but it was not a good start. This is one song I will NOT bring out again!!!!Fortunately I had another couple of songs to perform. These went without a hitch!

Same show - different song and what a difference. Here I am confident, relaxed and clearly enjoying myself. Posture is good, and head is properly placed.

This was a French song by Barbara : "Une Petite Cantata." Since learning this song, my voice has changed and, much as I love it, I have not include it in my repertoire, as it doesn't really suit me any more.

This picture was taken in 2008. I was taking part in a summer concert organised by our Christian Community here in the Poitou Charente. I had been working on getting my guitar playing back together for some time and as well as singing with the aid of play-back tracks, I included a more folky song. I'm not actually performing her, but introducing the song which was 'Daddy's Taking us to the Zoo Tomorrow'

Christmas Eve 2009

For two successive Children's Christmas Eve services, I have helped provide the accompaniment for the songs. In 2008 I used our key-board, but for 2009 I decided to use my guitar. One of the songs was 'Il est né le divine enfant'. I had to sort out the chords, and develop the finger-picking style I wanted to use. It also meant I could try out using  the grid system I had been taught.

Cold fingers on a key-board in 2008 weren't very successful, (but then my key-board playing these days leaves much to be desired!) Playing the guitar with cold fingers was also was tricky, but everyone was very complementary, and enjoyed the speed with which I played this carol. It is very often sung incredibly slowly!

Here's to the next opportunity to make music and, hopefully, give others some pleasure.