Saturday 23rd April 2005
I was privileged to be invited to star in a concert in aid of the British Heart Foundation but felt that if I was to do this I needed to make sure the charity I cared about, CANCERactive, was also represented. The concert took place in a church in Northwood, Middx. on St George’s Day and raised over £1,100 between the two charities.
Even though I have sung since I was three and been professionally trained, as a dedicated amateur this was the most musically challenging performance I have done to date. The concert featured myself and Adam Hepkin - a stunning baritone who is currently in training at the prestigious Guild Hall and destined for great things! Along with Robert Venn (our Director and Accompanist) we put together a terrific programme of favourite songs and duets, spanning a huge variety of musical styles from opera, through operetta, to early and modern musicals. This required much learning both of music and words and a flow through different singing styles, tones and emotions. From ’Faust’ and ’Don Giovanni’ to ’Porgy and Bess’, via Gershwin and Novello, to ’Phantom’. All rounded off with a serving from the incomparable ’West Side Story’.
We were joined by Paul Tucker who offer some first class classical piano interludes and Shirley Askew with a couple of brilliant monologues. We all worked very hard preparing for the evening and gave of our very best. The audience reaction was full of accolades (and flowers) - one lady said quite sincerely that she would not have missed the evening for the world.
My thanks go to Rosemary Finney who instigated and sponsored the event, my fellow performers, our audience and supporters, and all the helpers, led by Gill Venn, who made the evening such a success.
Fiona Aucott