Entry Blog from Angela - SIMON SAYS NIGHT!

Hello everyone!

I am going to give you a little update on what happened last night at Simon Says.
For those who are not aware, Simon Says is a singer / songwriter's night organized by the Goldsmiths Ensemble where all Goldsmiths music students and Ensemble members are welcome to perform!

It is a great opportunity to meet people and hear diverse and interesting music.

There is always such a special and friendly vibe at Simon Says. People are there to socialize and listen without being judgmental. I performed there my self in different occasions in the past three years and it was a great experience because you can really feel everyone's support.

It is a night where all genres are played including poetry and spoken word. It is a very creative and artistic evening, everyone is welcome to come and it is FREE so even better!

I met good friends last night and I was blown away by their performances.

I suggest you checking out this event and why not... perform!

Here are some photos I took to give you an idea of Simon Says 'cosy' atmosphere and some of the acts on last night.

Hope to see you all soon!
Angela.

Blog From Karolin

The great thing about singing is it makes me feel good, I feel free, I feel open, I have fun. Isn't that the best thing to have?

After surviving a week of coughing people around me, I finally received the flu from a nice donator who want's to stay anonymous (who ever it is... ).

Still rehearsals are going on and apart from not hearing a thing it
was good to be in the group again and rehears together. You get really
used to it after a week being so close together... although there are
lot's of new faces, it amazed me how fast everyone caught up with the
rest. I think it works like a wave that just takes you and sways you

into the right direction or maybe there are just lot's of really good and ambitious people...

Wednesday I just stayed for an hour which is really sad but passing on germs is not one of my hobbies... sorry! 

Hope everyone had great fun and you did all movements correct so I can learn them, hihi!

I wish you all the best and see you next Tuesday,

Karolin

The Ensemble Rehearsing The Yesness

Here is a snippet of what goes on in our rehearsals. This particular clip is the ensemble learning the choreography for The Yesness, lead by Struan (Choreographer) at the beginning.  I feel this captures the fun that we have, even when we're tired and weary. Towards the end you can see that the ensemble are passionate and getting more into it.

Enjoy

Van

Van's Audio Blog - Thursday 8th October

Yes, that is me in the picture.  I hope you enjoy the voice blog. Remember, Simon Says is TONIGHT at Goldsmiths Student Union Bar. Free entry all night. 8pm start. See you there.

Van

Wednesday 7th - Blog Entry from Angela

Hello everyone!

Today's rehearsal went very well, we have had some new and old faces joining the ensemble all of which I was really pleased to see!

After last Friday's success, when the ensemble performed in Goldsmiths Great Hall, the ensemble is now getting ready for the major event of this month: the Barbican performance on October 26th! And we are all very excited!

 The tickets are selling out very quickly so you will have to hurry if you do not want to miss this fantastic event.

Next week we are meeting in Goldsmiths Great Hall from 4:45 so come and join us if you fancy being part of something special.

Whether you are an experienced singer or not it does not matter. We have discovered that everyone is able to stretch themselves into something never done before. You will be surprised of what you are able to do if you really believe in it!

Hope to see you all next week!
Angela.

Angela

Friday - Day Of The Performance - Karolin (Member Of Ensemble)

So here was the final day...

I was so tired in the morning.  We were rehearsing in a great hall, and warming up with Kate, which was really nice. I like the exercise of giving and taking energy. It straightens me. Performance-wise I feel I can't give anything today and I am so tense.  My shoulder-rolling is more a shoulder-cracking and I get dizzy in 'Waiting' because I feel I'm waiting too long.  Poor Eska is stuck in traffic so she is running a bit late.

Finally we start the rehearsals with Eska.  It's ok but I think everyone feels we’re not quite there. Why are there still some parts I just can't get my head around?  Some bits feel like I'm singing them the first time - Oh my God! How difficult can it be?!!

We have a break and afternoon rehearsals are in good old CC.  I've been better and my feet hurt... but I take a look at Eska – she’s on tour, busy rehearsing and gigging, and her energy is as fresh as a morning’s breeze which motivates me.  As she talks about giving and taking between the choir and herself I wake up a bit. We go through the whole set and I really try (but I’m still tired and am still making mistakes, aaaargh those tappings!).

We break until 7pm when the concert starts. I have a huge cookie, which I think is absolutely delicious (no I didn't get paid for that!) and relax for a few hours, mhhhhh... that was nice!

The concert starts with the classical musicians which is really nice, I enjoy it.  But I get more and more excited – I can't wait for it to be our turn - and finally.... tatatataaaaaa - we're on!  We did it! 6 songs (yes we learned 7), 4 days, around 24 hours of rehearsing.  Matthew is here, which makes me even more nervous. Kate and Strewn stand in the back and have this look on their faces, I'm not sure who was more nervous!  But Eska, oh my, she looks stunning (her shoes are just from outer space!).  To her it is the most normal thing to do.  It just works, it just works, it just works, it just works. I feel prepared, I feel secure in my place, I feel great within the group, I feel as if I am part of something great, I feel the songs, I feel Eska’s voice and Alice’s emotions (she's fabulous!). I feel myself, I feel nervous, I feel the full impact of Matthew's ideas... I feel good.

And at the end I see this grin on Struan’s and Kate's faces and I know we nailed it -  yeeeees, I feel we nailed it! Everyone was just fantastic.

BIG THANK YOU, TO ALL OF YOU!!!

Karolin

Blog From Alex Geldenhuys (Member Of Ensemble)

After spending the week, trying to stand as still as I possibly can, my feet feel like they have actually been chopped off at the ankle and my big toes have gone to some tropical destination on holiday!

I can’t, hand-on-heart say that I don’t feel a little jaded after the week of mental, physical and emotional investment that I, and the rest of the motley crew, have made.

That being said, I’ve just watched the clip that Matthew Herbert made about the journey that he, and the masses involved in the “There’s me and there’s you” project, undertook and it dawned on me; I too am part of this process (I know!  How slow am I in this realization?!)  The realization that I am, along with all in the ensemble, part of the process of this voice and part of the never-ending journey of the message of the album, is pretty awesome. However, it’s a double-edged sword and I realize that the irony is that I too am part of the problem.  Nonetheless, whether I have similar or differing opinions to Matthew Herbert, at least it has made me further aware of and further analyse my place on this planet and I reckon that’s a pretty good start. The bonus, of course, is that I get to “read” a newspaper on stage whilst a bunch of people watch me, the power!  The power!..........(seems to have gone to my head ;-) )


Alex