A Big Fish and a very Consistent Corpse....

.... I know, that's a really weird title, but trust me, all will be revealed!

But before I do, I will start with the morning's music! Saturday morning's sessions set us up for another fantastic day of music, starting with Marie-Claire Benoist contesting both the U18 and Open Harp classes. Sad to see her the only competitor in these classes, although not that surprising given how unusual a choice of instrument the harp is for young musicians! Marie-Claire picked two very different pieces for her two classes, and I must say I think it was the first piece in the Under 18 that really captured everyone's imagination, showing just how interesting and varied the Harp's sound could be. Following these classes was the Under 11 Viola class, which sadly has no trophy at present. It's worth noting, if you flick through the programme that there are a fair few classes that don't have a trophy, and because trophies are all donated, it really is up to the public to help out and decide to give a trophy. Personally, I'd like to see, at the very least, every class for the Under 18's with a trophy to compete for - winning isn't everything at the Eisteddfod, but if you are fortunate enough to win, it's nice to have something to show everyone - right? Anyway, back to the violas! A really lovely class this, showcasing yet more good teaching for young string musicians in the island. It was class winner George Walker, performing Prelude from Bach's Suite I in G major (originally written for cello) that really showcased the viola's capabilities, and indeed the amazing skill set of this young musician - very promising playing from this young man, one to watch for the future!
- A morning made up of small, yet (as Peter Hewitt says) 'perfectly formed' classes, we were then treated to the Under 12 Folk Solo, Under 12 Piano Duet and the Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18 Brass Solo classes. Again, really promising work from all the musicians here. I particularly want to praise Hannah Smith in the vocal folk solo, for competing in her first eisteddfod and for being brave enough to do it completely on her own! There are some adult performers still too scared to do that, so very well done indeed!

After the morning's interval we began the music again, starting with the Under 12 Double Bass class. Another one of those instruments which most people wouldn't immediately think that they want to play, but as Peter Hewitt was keen to point out, is a tremendously vital and useful instrument to know how to play. Being the sister of an electric bass player, I know he's a very busy musician because there are an abundance of guitarists but few good (and indeed, even fewer very good) bass players available. I hope this is advice that these young players will remember, as if they continue to learn double bass they will be invaluable to classical, jazz, rock, and all manner of genres! Some very good commended work in this class, from both performers. The Vocal Girls 10 and Under 12 class was next, which showcased a lovely variety of the more classical sounding voices in the island. Very promising quality in all these young ladies' voices, and a good sense of narrative as well. Congratulations to Rachel Dawson for winning that class. Closing the morning we were treated to the wonderful atmospheric Piano Film music from 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in the Under 18 Piano Film class (and my praise to Hamish Glass for doing it all from memory!) and the always delightful Gateway Club performing as a choir for the Melody Press Printers Trophy. It's classes like this one that, more than any other, highlight the importance of music, and just how rewarding, healing, therapeutic and just jolly good fun it all is! Gateway Club really showcased how much fun music is, and should be, with a fantastic bit of audience participation to boot. A well deserved Highly Commended performance indeed!

We kicked off the afternoon session with a brand new class to the eisteddfod, the Under 18 Country & Western Song. Even with only two competitors, this was still a wonderful class, and managed to show the audience the variety that exists in this particular genre. Dora McGahy won the class with a lovely version of 'Who I am' by Jessica Andrews, but I really want to mention Olivia Younger's performance as well. I've seen Olivia develop as a performer over the years, and I've come to know her as a singer who is very good at a lot of styles of music: Pop, Jazz, Classical, Musical Theatre - but today I saw something, and heard something really magical in her performance, to the point where I had to say to her that I think she's 'found her genre'. Sometimes the music we are actually meant to be performing comes to us in the most accidental ways (I didn't really discover Jazz singing until I was doing my Masters Degree!), but it's a good lesson for all to learn - try ALL styles of music, and see what resonates with you.

Next came the 'big hitters' of the day, the Under 18 Musical Scene, and the Under 15 Songs from the Shows. It is in the former of these classes were we find the reason for my title of this post, as GATE provided us with two scenes in this class: "Big Fish" (originally a film by Tim Burton, which I highly recommend!) and "The Lucky Stiff", which gave us the delightful comment about a young actors ability to make a convincing corpse! A great showcase of young musical theatre talent, and, as always, a lovely snippet of shows that people might not ordinarily know about, but may now consider going to see. GATE (and indeed, other drama schools in the island) do have a great way of bringing to the public's attention these "under the radar" shows in events like the eisteddfod, which is really commendable. I did feel however, that these particular performances seemed ever so slightly under prepared - they just didn't have the usual extra polish I've come to expect from them, and I wonder if that's due to the Dance World Cup and it's unfortunate scheduling - I wonder if some of these young performers are stretching themselves a little thin, something I think we all (as parents, friends and teachers) might want to keep and eye on.
- Continuing on with the Under 15 Songs from the Shows class, this really highlighted a lot of amazing talent in the island, as evident by the insane number of competitors sharing 2nd places - 7, in fact were all awarded a distinction and shared the 2nd place spot, but it was delightfully hilarious rendition of "All Alone" from Spamalot, performed by Reece Kilminster and Drew Robilliard that pipped them all to top spot.

L-R: 'Lucelli", Harry Giubelio & Charlotte Hardwick

The evenings session had a strange vibe about it, starting off, as we were informed that, sadly, a lot of competitors had had to pull out for various reasons. However, I think all dismay was promptly washed away as we were treated to the Under 18 Vocal Pop Duo/Trio/Quartets, who paved the way for some real high class music making, with both competitors being awarded Distinctions (and the narrowest of decisions separating them). As Peter Hewitt commented, both participants were incredibly communicative and engaging, but for very different reasons. Indeed, later in the evening the Over 18's class, which was won by Fourtissimo with another Distinction, showcased this groups great command of the music, and the ability to draw the audience into the story of music they had chosen to perform.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Open class is another that is not so widely contested, but I think actually shows great promise for the future. Thinking about the young Musical Theatre talent we've already seen so much of at this eisteddfod, many people are keen to forget that 'Musical Theatre' encompasses more than the modern rock/belt styles of musical, and indeed goes even further back than the likes of Roger's and Hammerstein in the 1940's - Gilbert and Sullivan, with their 'Operetta' style of music were the beginning of modern day musical theatre, stretching away from the heavy Opera genre, and more towards the 'light entertainment' category. I think these older styles of musicals are really important for young theatre performers to learn about, and to have a go at performing. It takes a different set of skills to do this music well vocally, but the same skills theatrically, and many may find a liking for a genre they never knew about! It was Matthew Fallaize who won this class with a fabulously 'two-faced' performance of 'A more Humane Mikado' from 'The Mikado', and a Distinction mark of 87.

Matthew Fallaize with the Gilbert and Sullivan Trophy

We then proceeded on to the Over 18 Male Voice Choir class, featuring the Guernsey Welsh Male Voice Choir. I've often thought in the past that this choir seemed like they've held back a little - I had the pleasure of hearing a European Male Voice Choir in Prague once, and the power of that male voice sound just hits you like a well intended freight train! It's a sound I've been longing to hear from the Guernsey Welsh Male Voice choir for a long time, and tonight I think they've started to really encompass it. Peter Hewitt remarked, "There's nothing better than 4-part male voice a cappella singing", and it's true - when done right it is so powerful and moving, and it was their final piece in Welsh, "Rachie" that really connected with the audience, and gave us a glimpse of what they can do. I really hope Paul Cosnett continues on this sound, and pushes this choir to open themselves up to an even bigger and better sound in the future.

Rounding out the evening was the Old Familiar Class, and the Over 18's Choirs Folk/Traditional class, featuring a lovely array of traditional music, and, in some cases, 'new' traditional music. It was lovely to see the Alderney Voices back on the island for another Eisteddfod this year, after their success in the Sacred section last year, this time additionally competing for the Folk class. A tentative start, I think they realised quickly that Beau Sejour Stage is anything but the gorgeous acoustics they remember from St James! That said, they performed really well, and the adjudicator remarked on how Bob Chilcott (composer of their second piece, "Buffalo Gals") would be really pleased with their performance - fine praise indeed. The final win of the night, was deservedly that of GYT Choir, who, I must say, performed the best I've heard them. I must again praise Elizabeth Beacom's fine solo singing (and indeed, command of the choir!) in their opening number, but it was the haunting atmosphere they created with their final piece 'The Hanging Tree' from the Hunger Games that really captured imaginations, earning them a deserved Distinction.

For someone who 'doesn't give out Distinctions lightly', Peter Hewitt gave one in almost every class today, which I think just shows he's really starting to see just how much skill, talent and commitment our local musicians have - and I think the best may still be yet to come....

'Alderney Voices' - back for more at the Guernsey Eisteddfod