Showing posts with label performance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label performance. Show all posts

Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Bumper Christmas Post

As you can probably tell from my lack of blogging, I've been super super busy with Christmassy stuff recently. I wanted to post about different events separately, but I think it'll just take too long- so call this a bumper post of Christmas bits!!
My first 'exciting event' was going to see the pantomime with Young Carers. It was really good, and I enjoyed being a kid again in clapping along and joining in with all the audience participation bits!
Last weekend, I helped out with the local church's Christmas fair. I was in charge of one of the kids activities, where they made a silver sequinned bell. It was a lot of fun, but there was lots and lots to clear up afterwards!!
On Sunday, there was another party to help out with, this time one at my aunt's workplace. My mum and I did glitter tattoos for a couple of hours- as with the previous, it was fun, but got very messy very quickly!
On the last Wednesday of term, I had a day similar to last year, with Christmas events left, right and centre! The Sofa Gang had our Secret Santa present swap, which was great fun, and very cute.
It was also the school's music concert, which meant we had choir rehearsals during the day. It also meant that several members (though not all, unfortunately) of the Cat Family came back in, which was so good!! Also no flash mob, sadly- but, after the concert, GS and I had great fun, involving an upside down life-size Santa cut-out and the Music office. I think this warrants it's own post soonish!
Thursday evening heralded the swimming club's Christmas meal, for teachers, parents and Masters swimmers. It was an all-you-can-eat- hence I ate far too much, and I was so tired that I was practically asleep by the end! But it was good to see everyone in an informal setting.
 
As it probably sounds, it was a pretty exhausting week, and by Friday I was more than ready to crash- which I did by having a candlelit bath and decorating my room. A pretty perfect way to unwind and recharge!
Saturday and Sunday were both quieter days, spent doing Christmas present preparation. On Sunday evening I helped to run a fun session for the swimming kids, then went to the youth group Christmas party. Due to a key kerfuffle we ended up locked out of the building we're usually based in, so we had to find an alternative- which ended up being the local shopping centre! I'm sure we got a lot of odd looks, and we did get a bit of a reprimand for doing a human pyramid in the middle... Hehe! Also, I discovered the power of wearing glitter...
 
Yesterday (Monday), it was time for Mentality's Christmas event. We had a treasure hunt around the German Christmas Market, then finished with a very welcome trip to ZaZa Bazaar, a very popular all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in Bristol. There was much hilarity and it was a lovely afternoon/evening.In the picture, you can see the 'hairstyle' that one of my friends attempted on my hair. Yes, that is a cracker...
 
When I got back home on Monday evening, my sister, my mum and I decorated the tree/living room. It now looks all lovely and Christmassy!!
Finally, today I had Christmas with the Womb-Buds- we went ice skating, meandered around town, went to St Nick's Market, had bubble tea, got Kinder Eggs and explored the various Oriental supermarkets in the central area. All in all, a very lovely day!!
Phew!! It's been exhausting just going through all that I've done, never mind living it in the first place! However, it's all been fabbity, and I am very very excited for the next few days!!

Friday, 19 December 2014

Christmas Charity Ceilidh

Last week, The Midnight Fairies- the recently named folk band I belong to- held a Christmas ceilidh (Scottish barn dance, for the uninitiated) to raise money for Caring at Christmas, a local charity that helps the homeless during the Christmas period. In addition to the ceilidh itself, we also had live performances from different bands and soloists, refreshments (and by that I do mean mince pies), 'Pin the Nose on the Rudolph' and a photobooth.
Photobooth
Testing Out the Photobooth Stuff!
We were a little apprehensive about how the evening was going to go down, particularly as we put a huge amount of effort into it and wanted that to be recognised! However, it went really well. Enthusiasm for the dancing side of things grew over the evening, and by the last song we had a majority of people up on the floor!
Mid-Ceilidh
The evening ended up with a group rendition of Auld Lang Syne, complete with (beastly) tempo change.
All in all, definitely a big success for The Midnight Fairies, and made even better by raising over £130 for Caring at Christmas. Woo!!

Saturday, 5 April 2014

6) Perform something solo to a bigger audience

On Thursday, the Music groups for A level, GCSE and BTEC had their recital performances. I played four piano pieces for mine- it was a hugely hugely nerve-wracking experience, but I'm so glad I did it! Admittedly, it was far from the best I could do, which upset me a lot- but I'm trying to accept that it was the first time I'd done a performance like that, and my teachers have reassured me that there was nothing more I could have done, it was just the nerves. I get a chance to rerecord as well, so hopefully the performance that's sent off to be graded will be better! Everyone else who performed was absolutely absolutely amazing, and I am proud beyond words of them :3 Also, as we had to dress up smart, we took the opportunity to get a pic of AS Music. I know I've said this so many times, but I honestly love these pieces to infinity to beyond; they have made this school year so good- we have a million fab memories, and here's to many more!!
As Music 2013/2014

Sunday, 30 March 2014

Recital.

So so so the A level recital is on Thursday. In English: I have to play the piano. In front of people. This is... mega. And awful. I already feel like I'm going to throw up, so goodness knows how I'll be on Thursday. I'm trying to use positive coping strategies (clean for over a month, and I want to keep it this way), but I'm not going to lie, it is hard. I can't wait till after Thursday.

Friday, 7 February 2014

Ceilidh

Sooo on Tuesday folk group held the third barn dance!! Woo!! It went really well, and I am so so proud of everyone who took part, either music-wise or crazy-dance-wise. Let's bring on the next one! <3


Sunday, 8 December 2013

Number 37) Gain More Confidence In Performing

A couple of weeks ago, BB and I performed at our GCSE Celebration of Achievements; we did Pride (Amy Macdonald) and Mr Brightside (The Killers). Though I was hugely nervous, I felt it went really well- to the extent that I'd call it our best performance yet. During the last chorus of Pride I even felt able to get the audience to clap along, which felt pretty amazing!! So yeah, I think I've grown more confident in this over the year :) Thank you to BB, as always.

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Today Is A Nervous Kind Of Day

Yesterday, for the first time in a while, I made a choice between what is easy and what is right. As the theme suggests, it was by no means a lightly made decision. However, in the very short-term it made me feel better: now I just have to stick by it and see what happens next. Today could be a long day, but, for once, I'm feeling fairly hopeful. This can only be good.
On other, slightly nicer, nervous news: BB and I are performing in the school's breaktime music slot today. I'm singing, he's guitar-ing- Tank Park Salute by Billy Bragg. It's a fantastic song, but very very different to anything I've performed before, hence more nerves than usual. Excited, though.

Friday, 19 April 2013

Day 11: Post A Picture Of You Doing Something You Enjoy

Today was meant to be a picture of me gaming. Gaming? Really? I don't 'game'. So I've changed it again. Picture of me doing something I enjoy... Well, I've sourced a rare picture of me singing. It's not a great picture- this is why they don't get taken! However, this was a good day, and I enjoyed it :)


Performing Pride, Community Day, Winter 2012

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Depiction December: Day Twenty

A crappy picture for such an amazing day... But I managed to find Yazoo, chocolate orange, coffee and jelly when we went out to get dinner pre-concert. Add to that the fruit pastilles I'd already consumed, and it's fair to say that I was fairly hyper for a while!!
(GG, the folk leader/music teacher/newly established singer, may possibly have banned us all a while back from buying coffee. But I think I forgot about that.)

It's Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas...

I feel like I've neglected the blog recently... Sure, I've been posting, but only the routine stuff. I'm going to blame it on the Christmas rush and the desire of all teachers to pile on the work -_-
Anyway, Christmas is five days away- let's have a woop woop!! I'm looking forward to presents, of course... But mainly to seeing my family, part of which I'll be seeing for the first time in nearly a year.
However, that's not what I want to write about. My post today is about my super busy day!!
Today was my school's twice-yearly music concert. I've been in every one since I started my BTEC Music course, so despite that having finished in the summer, I was still keen to perform.
My friend BB and I did a guitar/vocal acoustic duet- me singing, him playing Estella (long story). We did Pride- Amy Macdonald, of course!! I think it went well; I really really enjoyed it, and I had a fair few compliments which is always nice :D It also made me realise how much has changed in the past two years, partly due to the BTEC Music. However, that deserves it's own post- I'm too exhausted to do it justice right now!!
I also played synth as part of the folk group, which was enjoyable as always. Finally, my third role was to sit back and enjoy the huuuuuuge range of music and talent on offer!
All in all, a great night- I think everyone who performed was fantastic, with a great big well done/thank you to my fellow midnight fairies!!!!

Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Ceilidh!!

Played in my second ceilidh today!! Very happy, but very tired.
Incase you're wondering, a ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee, don't bother trying to work out how!) is basically a Scottish barn dance; band plays, dance is called (taught) and fun is had.
I love the rest of my band to bits. Today was hilarious- we had random sound effects, guitar licking, glove stealing, excess kitkat eating and floor sliding as well as other events.
Unfortunately, we had a hard time getting people to come. As I said before, this really pisses me off- it's such a great experience, yet many people are too narrow-minded to give it a go.
Anyway, the band enjoyed it, and we think the lovely people who attended did, and that's all that matters. All that's left is to say thank you and a huge well done to the rest of my band, especially our crazy caller/band leader.

Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Eisteddfod

Forgot my slightly bigger piece of news... I played in an eisteddfod yesterday; a big thing for me, as I have a huge huge phobia of playing piano in public- due to folk/BTEC I'll play jazzed up chords in an ensemble, but little more. Both my teacher and I were surprised that I agreed to enter in the first place! It was a gut instinct, based on knowing that I need to increase my confidence.
It went alright; I could find a million and one things that went wrong, but my teacher and the adjudicator said it was fine. The adjudicator also commented that I'd played the 'middle section' well- that being one of the parts I'd found hardest! Practice really does pay off :)
I got both a medal and a trophy- the medal was for coming first in a group of one (I hate it when that happens, it just feels kind of pointless!), whilst the trophy was for getting the highest mark in two groups (three of us in it).
I'm glad I played, as terrifying as it was. I need to try playing in public more!!
Now I've got my Grade 5 practical to look forward to in December :/ However, I was also 'rewarded' with a new songbook (Amy Macdonald, of course! Though was sorely tempted by many others). Have been enjoying picking at parts of that, just need to actually choose and learn a song!!