[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Once upon a time you could only hear your favourite song if you travelled to a live performance. It was a special, one-off, shared experience.   ...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   It always seems to be the basses who forget their part. I used to think it was a bloke thing, but now I realise that there are good reasons why it’s h...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   For many of us, this time of year is just one concert after another. It’s great to be doing so much singing, but it can have its downsides. &n...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   There is often a mismatch between how good you think you are as a singer and what your abilities really are.     Some people vastly ov...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Occasionally I give questionnaires to choir members in order to get feedback on how people are finding the weekly sessions, what songs they like best, how ...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I’m probably preaching to the converted here as I guess most of you reading this already sing regularly.   photo by T Sundup   So ho...

2012十週年音樂會 高雄市文化中心至德堂 2012-11-16 指揮: 翁佳芬 伴奏: 許溎芳 詞：余光中 曲：周鑫泉 2011年高雄室內合唱團首次與周鑫泉老師合作：以詩人余光中的詩作為題材，讓作曲家以合唱創作為之詮釋。繼去年委託創作並出版〈答案〉(余光中原詩名〈江湖上〉)及〈昨夜你對我一笑〉後，高雄室內合唱團今年再次邀請周老師以混聲合唱的形式創作余光中的〈珍妮的辮子〉。 在這闕充滿故事性的詩品裡，在短短三段、每段四句的詩節中，余光中一方面簡單地描寫外表從長長辮子到一頭捲髮的...  more2012十週年音樂會 高雄市文化中心至德堂 2012-11-16 指揮: 翁佳芬 伴奏: 許溎芳 詞：余光中 曲：周鑫泉 2011年高雄室內合唱團首次與周鑫泉老師合作：以詩人余光中的詩作為題材，讓作曲家以合唱創作為之詮釋。繼去年委託創作並出版〈答案〉(余光中原詩名〈江湖上〉)及〈昨夜你對我一笑〉後，高雄室內合唱團今年再次邀請周老師以混聲合唱的形式創作余光中的〈珍妮的辮子〉。 在這闕充滿故事性的詩品裡，在短短三段、每段四句的詩節中，余光中一方面簡單地描寫外表從長長辮子到一頭捲髮的珍妮，一方面則又深刻地表達詩人內心一縷淡淡失落的複雜感傷：曾幾何時，珍妮那雙如夢般天真、純樸的辮子，竟變成今日「鮮」染、時髦的捲髮？在變化中，詩人感嘆、感懷著珍妮丟掉的豈僅是辮子。 在這首〈珍妮的辮子〉中，周老師以三段式的樂曲形式忠實地與詩人的詩作架構呼應。雖然代表「珍妮」的主題一如詩人與珍妮的相遇，在頭尾段落中重覆出現，然而隨著「辮子變捲髮」，鋼琴伴奏卻發生了截然不同的和聲變化。至於那個名叫「珍妮」的女孩究竟長相為何？忽而五聲音階調式，忽而西洋爵士和聲，作曲家頑皮地把中國內蒙民謠〈虹彩妹妹〉和美國知名詞曲作家佛斯特（Stephen Foster, 1826-64）的〈美麗的夢仙〉（Beautiful Dreamer） 做了一番跨越時空、令人莞爾的「選美」對話。 透過前奏與尾奏的串連音符，作曲家一如詩人同樣在思索、發問：在轉瞬飛逝的歲月裡，當社會不斷快速發展，審美觀、價值觀隨之不斷變遷，還有什麼樣的美好值得在記憶中好好珍藏？ （周鑫泉自述） 【歌詞】 當初我認識珍妮的時候， 她還是一個很小的姑娘， 長長的辮子飄在背後， 像一對夢幻的翅膀。 但那是很久，很久的事了， 我很久，很久沒見過她。 人家說珍妮已經長大了， 長長的辮子變成捲髮。 昨天在街上我遇見珍妮， 她拋我一朵鮮紅的微笑， 但是我差一點哭出聲來， 珍妮的辮子哪兒去了？  less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Imagine going to Soho with a group of like-minded friends and gathering in a dimly-lit, subterranean private room with plush seats and stylish decor. Fully ...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] A while back I went to a workshop run by the amazing Su Hart who has spent around 25 years working with the Baka people of Central Africa. Living in the ra...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] With far fewer people around at the moment, I am starting to hear things that I don’t normally notice. It made me realise that in our usually busy dail...