One-Armed Bandit
- Trills on a Tuesday
- Jun 12
- 3 min read
Eamonn explained to us that he will be having a long-awaited operation on his shoulder, and although the timing is not great, he has put a plan into action to enable to keep continue to build on our excellent progress with Elliot stepping for two weeks while he recovers. He will then have Tim, our pianist, to play on his return and he will be able to conduct and direct us with one arm, as his shoulder will be strapped up.
He will be like this for the concert too, but that will not deter him from getting the best out of us.
We are gradually working our way through the programme, so we started with All My Trials. This needs a full sound from the Basses and should have an earnest and heartfelt feel to it.
It is not doom and gloom!
When Eamonn asked us to close our folders and sing without the music scores, we all surprised ourselves and actually looked up and sang it all the way through. There was just a little confusion with order of ‘Brothers’ and Sisters’; just remember brothers always comes before sisters and you’ll be fine.
We will be singing this song with no music opened, so be prepared!
You’ll Never Walk Alone; Altos you set the tone for this as you start with intensity as if you are geeing people to get them going.
Sop 1s, be prepared for that high note in ‘You’ll never walk alone’. Use your bodies and stretch your mouth wide on ‘never’ and you’ll easily hit that top note!
Vincent needs to be carefully watched for the cut offs. Some of them are much shorter than you expect. Tenors & Basses are carrying the tune for most of the time (unusual, I know!), so make sure you tell the story and look up at the audience as you do so and keep them engaged.
Sops, you have a difficult task to keep your ‘Oohs’ bright. Try keeping a rictus grin the whole way through them.
The last ‘will’ in ‘Perhaps they never will’ should have more of a ‘weel’ sound.
The Logical Song is to be sung with elation and revolution and by the time you get to the last page look up and sing out your do, do, dos and feel the seven ‘ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba’ at the end.
Here Comes the Flood has long toffee like phrases. It is spiky and weird on page 6 ‘When the flood calls….’ Right up to ..’minds.. then it becomes warm and lush with ‘Don’t be afraid to cry ….’
Tenors, please mark the change of notes on ‘it’ll be those who gave their island…’ at the end, so it is the same as you have previously sung.
You’re the Voice to be sung as if it’s like a party.
Start the ‘Ooohs’ at the beginning with intensity, looking up and getting everyone’s attention.
The first ‘gun’ is not as long as you expect it to be.
Use the ‘w’ of ‘Woah’ to spring from to get the energy going. The ‘Woah’ should sound more like an ‘ah’ sound.
‘Woah’ is sometimes on the same note, but come off it and back on again to give it emphasis. This is called a dinge.
Please do your homework on Here Comes the Flood and let’s really nail this.
Make sure you know all the words to All My Trials.
Look over Crossing the Bar, The House of the Rising Sun, Matthew & Son and The Rhythm of Life.
Let’s make Eamonn proud of us next week and send him on his way to being a one armed bandit with a smile on his face.
Comments