I'll Make Music....

The Sunday session at the Guernsey Eisteddfod is always a special one - the festival moves to St James Concert Hall, where we hear all the sacred music classes from vocalists, choirs, and church organ. The Hall itself was looking a little worse for wear today, with lots of scaffolding in place for repairs, as well as a huge arch in the way on the stage (which also meant the beautiful pictures in the arch couldn't be seen). A shame, but thankfully this didn't detract from the wonderful music on display.

We opened the afternoon session with the Church Organ Under 18 featuring Archie Purdue performing 'Prelude no. 8' by Bach. A suitable start to the Sunday session, I always feel the Church organ class kicks things off with the grandeur these sessions deserve, and I thought Archie handled this piece and the instrument well. Organ is not easy - I've had many people over the years assume that, if I can play the piano, I must be able to play the organ, and that's just not the case! For a start, organ music reads three (yes, three) staves of music... bear in mind that piano only reads two, and most instruments only have to deal with one! Theres also several rows of piano keyboards, AND you have to play a set with your feet.... not exactly easy, but Archie seems to be taking to this quite well. A lovely performance, earning himself a Commended result

Next up, we had the Choirs; Church/Chapel/Religious/Community Class. An increasingly popular class this, which I think is great to see, and I encourage more and more community choirs to enter it - I would love to see this class as big as the Mixed Voice choir class! Alderney Voices were back in there final class of the Eisteddfod this year - I personally thought that they sang the best they have all weekend, so I was disheartened for them to only receive 83 Marks again, I thought they deserved more than that. Festiva presented their usual wall of sound we come to expect from such a big choir, which sounded great. However, I do feel that their program was rather samey, there didn't seem to be must contrast between their songs, and I would love to hear them do something with more attack and more up-tempo next time. A deserved Highly Commended mark of 86 though. The winners of the class were States of Harmony, with an impressive Distinction mark of 88. This choir seem to be consistently working on their sound, and producing good results year on year, which is lovely to see.

Next up we had two choir classes - Choirs; Sacred Junior School Age, and Choirs; Sacred Secondary School Age. In the Junior School Age class, we had sole competitor Melrose Canto. This choir were super - they sang beautiful with a lovely blend, they looked smart, and they delivered a perfectly charming performance, which was superbly conducted by Jean Owen. A well deserved Distinction and the trophy, well done girls! The Secondary School Age class featured three choirs, the Combined College Cantorum (a group comprised of singers from both Ladies and Elizabeth College, Rhapsodie from Grammar School, and St Sampsons High School Chamber Choir. Some lovely singing from all the groups here. I did feel that perhaps Rhapsodie had been a bit ambitious with choosing to sing Ola Gjelio's 'Northern Lights' - we sing this piece in The Accidentals, and I can tell you it is a hugely challenging piece. I also think they were perhaps down in numbers due to the recent imposed isolations due to Corona Virus. But I applaude them for challenging themselves, and turning out to perform, as their first piece was wonderful. St Sampson's High School were very impressive to me, especially given that they were unconducted, and they had very good stage presence and stage craft. They looked like they were really enjoying themselves! The winner's of the class were the Combined College Cantorum, who took the win with a Distinction.

Winner of the Sacred Solo U18, Ellie Evans

Following the choirs we had the Sacred Solo Under 18, which I felt was a really amazing class of beautiful and fabulous singing, from all who performed. In my opinion, the marks were perhaps on the low side, as I really thought the singing in this classes was exceptional from everyone, and I would have had everyone given Highly Commended and higher for sure. Some magic moments happened in this class; Kiriana Hutchinson's 'Gethsemane' was beautifully placed, with a lovely pure and sincere tone - I feel there is much more to come from this young singer, who was the youngest in this class (aged 11), and really held her own against the older singers. I also thought that Oscar Armenta-Jeffreys showed amazing promise with his voice, and has incredible tone for a singer so young, definitely one to watch out for! A really close call here, but in the end the class was won by Ellie Evans, for an incredible performance of 'I Look to You', for which she received and Outstanding. We finished off the afternoon with the Operatic Solo, which I feel really has a home at the St James session, despite it not being a sacred class. I would love to see all the classical vocal solos held at St James, I feel it's the right venue for that these genres of singing. The class was won by Leonie Pike with a Distinction mark of 87.

Starting off the evening session was the Sacred Solo Over 18 - a little thinned out than it was intended, due to a few drop outs, but a stellar class of wonderful singing none-the-less. I'd like to make special mention of Bev Herve, for this was her first time performing at the Eisteddfod, which is no mean feat in St James! Well done Bev, I hope to see you again next year! I particularly thought that Dominique Ogier's performance of 'God Help the Outcasts' was especially poignant, showcased with exceptional technique, and I felt very moved by Darren Alderton's sincere performance of 'Lord, I need You'. There was a four-way tie for 2nd place in this class, which included Dominique and Darren, as well as Lee-Ann Hawkes and myself, all on a Distinction mark of 89, but it was Lindsey Veillard who won this class with an Outstanding mark of 90. I always love hearing Lindsey perform in this class, because I always feel her honesty and absolute commitment in this genre. These songs really mean something to her, and it shows in her performances; a well deserved win indeed!
- Now... there's something I feel I need to talk about, which has come about based on a few remarks I have overheard which have frankly upset me, and that is, just what qualifies as a sacred solo. It seems there are a some out there that seem to think that 'sacred' means only 'classical' singing, which, I'm sorry, it's complete nonsense. SACRED means that the piece is religious in nature; it's text, it's meaning, it's spirit. The rules are very clear; a song that is sacred in nature. There is NO mention of this needing to be a classical piece in any way shape or form, just as there is actually no rules that state the piece needs to even be Christian in nature! Religious expression, whatever your views, takes many forms, and in music can be felt and expressed in every genre. We only needed to look at the Under 18 class which was won by Ellie Evans; her piece was clearly in the Popular idiom, verging on Gospel, and her expression and performance sold the meaning of the sacred text. Likewise, class winner of the Over 18 Lindsey Veillard did the same thing; she expressed the meaning of the text in a sincere and heartfelt manner, but she just happened to perform in a Classical style. Both performances were exceptional, the genre they were performed in is irrelevant. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion on what they like and enjoy musically, but you can't tell someone that their medium of expressing themselves isn't valid! There is room for everyone in art, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure there's meant to be room for everyone's expression of their faith, whatever that might be, as well. Right, rant over, moving on....

The next class was sadly pulled due to illness, which meant moving on to the Oratorio Solos - for those that perhaps don't understand why there appear to be two classes with the same title, Class 1143 is for those that have never won and Oratorio Class, and Class 1144 is for those that have. We saw Leonie Pike, who is proving to be having a great eisteddfod thus far, who won class 1143 with 89 Marks, and Lindsey Veillard who won with Class 1144 with an Outstanding mark of 90 - again, another singer who is having a really great festival, fantastic job ladies! Closing out the evening, we had a class of wonderful Sacred Choral Music, in the Sacred Choirs Over 18. Two superb choirs here, in Bel Canto, and The Accidentals. Bel Canto performed first, with three intricate pieces, all a cappella, which I thought they pulled off very well - I especially enjoyed 'Even When He is Silent', some amazing chord progressions in this! I did personally think that there could have been a little bit more facial expression from them, particularly in the Latin text pieces, which would have sold the meaning of the texts even more than the beautiful harmony. But overall, some impressive singing from Bel Canto, as always. The Accidentals followed, with three contrasting pieces, with 'Lord of All Hopefulness' (arranged by myself), a lilting hymnal, Bobby McFerrin's 'Psalm 23', which unusually changes the expressions of He and Him to She and Her (as a dedication to his mother), and closed with Karl Jenkins 'I'll Make Music'. Nancy said of this choir that the unity of their sound was impressive, as well as their shaping of phrases and expression of words. In my mind, this was a closely run competition, so I was surprised that Bel Canto was only awarded a Highly Commended of 86 for their efforts, I would have given them much more than that. On this occasion, The Accidentals were awarded the trophy and an Outstanding mark of 90.

Overall, an wonderful day of music making, and of beautiful expression. I hope that anyone who attended either of these two sessions today took something meaningful home from them, be that a feeling of joy, reflection, or perhaps in hearing something you didn't think would move you actually move you. Always remember;

Art is work, Art is love, and Music is for Everyone.