My family went to Glasgow for the bank holiday weekend in order to set up my living accommodation ready for the new college year.  We went to Ikea to get some odds and ends and  I bought two picture frames to make my own pictures for £6 each, I’m going to work on them this weekend.  I’m there for three years so we white washed a couple of walls, cleaned from top to bottom and I painted one wall bright pink, there’s only so much white a girl can live with, well I started the wall and my parents did the edges and the second coat :).  I suggested blowing glitter from a paper plate on to the wet paint of the second coat but my parents frankly weren’t impressed!  I even showed them the You Tube video of how to do it.  B&Q had a three for the price of two on paints and I spotted glitter glaze in a tin so that went in the trolley and on the wall, Mum ended up using the paint roller on the wall to stop me making a mess, it looks fab.  Stardust and Sparkles strikes again.

Tuesday, I’d volunteered to help out in a summer school master class at the Conservatoire (RCS) and left my parent’s window cleaning, mopping and putting up a bookcase, sadly I really wanted to help ;).  Dads now an expert on putting up Ikea Expedit furniture.  I bumped in to one of my best friends from school, Oscar, who was doing a musical theatre summer school class, he thought I was at home.  I went on a week’s vocal summer school at RCS the August before I started in September last year, it was such a great experience.  This Tuesday the master class was for trainee music teachers.  Stephen Robertson, the Head of Vocals, put me through my paces and I had a fabulous experience working with him and watching him working with the other volunteer students.  As soon as I finished we drove back to Cheshire, it’s a three and a half hour journey, so I promptly fell asleep in the back and the journey went fast for me.

RochdaleConcert

Wednesday, today, my last concert  with Russell Lomas for 2013, also featuring Elliot Gresty on clarinet.  I was thrilled to see some familiar faces in the audience, people I remembered from my concert there last year, Caitlin Griffin and her Mum from Jayne Wilson’s singing classes and school were there, Dennis and Helen Kay from Tideswell MVC, Gill who took photos and video, Tim Kennedy a fabulous pianist who had accompanied me at several music festival competitions and John Powell.  I must admit when I first saw John a tingle of competition nerves went through me, as John is a professional adjudicator but fortunately he didn’t have his head bowed and a mark sheet in front of him today. Actually when I finished I wished he did have the adjudication feedback sheet for me, I always found this an excellent way to improve future performances.

I finally had time to catch up with my blog this afternoon and evening.  I broke off to try out a couple of new songs.

I’ve got to plan a couple of Christmas songs do you have two favourites, preferably in my range to suggest ?  I have performed O Holy Night and Silent  Night (in German) and would love to hear your suggestions.

The song I have posted from today’s concert is Per la Gloria d’adorarvi.  The aria is from the opera Griselda by Giovanni Bononcini and is probably one of the best known from the opera.  I hope that you enjoy the performance 🙂

130 thoughts on “My Summer Finale”

    1. Hello Hilary, I’m happy you enjoyed it.

      It’s a lovely venue and they even serve up pie and peas followed by sponge cake and custard in the church, I could smell the pie (meat and potato I think) and mushy peas but I couldn’t join them enjoying their lunch as I was singing shortly afterwards.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. It’s fabulous your daughter would love it, I didn’t enjoy painting as much as I thought I would though 🙁 I turned my music up but the fiddly bits were boring.
      Thanks for your compliment about my video, I hadn’t realised I co-ordinated with the stained glass windows until I watched this back 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  5. O Holy Night is definitely a good one; it’s one of my favorites and absolutely beautiful. Another favorite of mine is O Come O Come Emmanuel. Hope this helps. 🙂

    Reply

  7. The emotion you are putting into your singing is breathtaking. Is your smile in the first few seconds one of anticipation, joy, or something else?
    Overall, pure excellence. Enjoyable to hear.

    My suggestion for Crimbo songs would be “I Saw Three Ships (Come Sailing In)” or my fave “Oh come all ye faithful”

    Hope your dad recovers from his “Ikea” experience! We are seasoned experts. In fact, the new catalogue has just arrived.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Philip, I really like to get in the mood of each song before I begin and I intend to do a lot of work on that skill this academic year.
      I’ll listen to your first song suggestion I’m not sure if I know that one, Oh Come all Ye Faithful is a good one thank you.
      The hardest thing was putting up a mirror over my keyboard so that I can watch myself sing, I didn’t realise he’d have to measure it accurately, it’s a good think I didn’t do it!

      All the best
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. I’m pleased you enjoyed my performance, I’m grateful you took the time to tell me as your continued interest in my training and performance is really encouraging.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thanks Dan I’ll tell them 🙂 It will not be long now before I return to my studies and my family is the one thing that I always miss the most. But I know that they are there for me if I need them.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thanks Andrew, I like the idea of camping, the only trip I ever planned was with school and they cancelled it a week before I was due to go, after buying pink hiking boots, a lilac sleeping bag, a pink back pack – I think that you get the picture 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thank you 🙂 It’s hard to know how much movement to put in to the performance of a song, there are two schools of thought on it, some people like you to move a lot while others prefer you not to distract from the voice.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  16. Wow. I remember saying I wish I could have been there. This is ABSOLUTELY wonderful. So happy you included the clip, it’s wonderful! Many blessings in your obviously fruitful endeavours!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Melissa, I’m glad you could feel a part of it for a moment. Don’t forget to have plenty of sparkles on your cup cakes, I can’t walk past them if I see them sparkled up 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  17. You are always amazing. If you ever get the chance, maybe you could video tape of you singing, Ave Maria. That would be awesome. Emery Me(eM)

    Reply

    1. I sing the Bach/Gounod arrangement of Ave Maria as there are several versions, but I’ve never recorded it, if I get around to it I’ll let you know.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thanks Lisa, I saw your Dad helped you with your Greece sculpture it’s great to have that support. I can’t wait to get back up to Glasgow in a couple of weeks now. What my flat mate will make of the crochet drinks mats and flowery touches I’ve put in the living area only time will tell 🙂 LOL

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  20. I was there! The whole set was amazing! you just get better and better and I cannot wait for your performance at the Plaza Theatre in Stockport in October.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Gill, you would love the sparkle wall, talking about my sparkle wall have you got any sparkle crafting papers for my picture project, I need bright colours?

      I’m going to put some work in to my acting when I go back to Glasgow ready for my October performances my drama friend Charlotte has offered some help.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  21. Nicely done!

    As for Christmas songs, if you don’t mind dipping into contemporary pieces, The Pretenders’ “2,000 Miles” is a gorgeous song and could be arranged simply but effectively with piano. I especially love Holly Cole’s version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMDBjBc4yXc

    And if you haven’t heard of I Furiosi – they’re an amazing Toronto-based baroque ensemble, and they also include their own spins on contemporary music in their concerts: http://www.ifuriosi.com/

    All the best with settling in & the upcoming school year.

    Reply

    1. I love contemporary music Cathy, thanks for the suggestions as I haven’t heard of all the songs you’ve mentioned so I’ll have a listen.

      Thank you for your best wishes,
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hi Koko, I am glad that we are “In-Sync” about this post. I wanted to put one last song on before I move back up to Glasgow for the new school year. It will be so exciting though and I will try and keep you up to date on my blog.

      By the way I love what you have done using the flower symbols at the end of your comment 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. Well I’m glad you put a song out. Best wishes in your studies. I hope you will have time to blog. I really like the flower symbols too.

    1. Thank you for the wonderful comment 🙂 I had a good look around your blog and found the imagery captivating and the posts informative. Keep up the great work and come back and visit again when you can.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hi John, I am really glad that you enjoyed my singing 🙂 I get so wrapped up in my performance and hope that this comes across when you watch. I will try and get a picture of my new wall for my blog as I think it is ACE. Miss Piggy would definitely approve.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    2. My friend Danielle, that I met in the last academic year at RCS, was doing her Masters in piano accompaniment, she has just gone home to California and she gave me an open invitation to visit with her so who knows 🙂
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  32. Oh wow… I can’t even imagine how good the feeling would be to actually be able to sing, but to sing as well as you do… just, wow! All the best for your studies too.

    Oh and I’d love to see a pic of that wall 😉

    Reply

  33. Your looks and your singing seems very mature. Are you starting college (what we American call undergrad)? I really envy your opportunity to study in the RCS! That’s amazing!

    Reply

  36. What a busy summer! Good luck with your schooling; and, by the way, your voice is beautiful.

    I wanted to thank you for following my blog, it means a lot to me. Much luck on your journey!

    Reply

      1. I was born in the year of the Rooster, actually!
        I studied Tae-Kwon Do for several years, then got out (I was a wanderlusting teenager). By the time I wanted to do it again, my dojo had closed up shop.
        I never lost track of the warrior’s way, and continue to hold myself to a high moral standard! Thanks for the response!

  37. Hi Charlotte – ignore me – I’m just here because your brother clicked ‘Like’ on my blog (http://ja2da.com but don’t worry it’s only the sort of thing you’d expect a brother to read) and he mentioned you on his blog and I’m a sucker for following links.
    David
    PS – Loved the video
    PPS – Coventry Carol is my favourite – Hmm, no, not your style really and it wouldn’t work as a solo would it?

    Reply

    1. Hi David, I think they do have an arrangement for Coventry Carol for a soloist :).
      That’s nice of Tom to mention me, I best remember to check his blog out more often to see what he’s writing about me lol (haha)
      Best wishes
      Charlotte.

      Reply

      1. I just love that haunting melody – he was quite nice about you – considering he’s your brother – I have a sister too so I know what a pain they can be!

  38. What a lovely performance! I generally don’t like female opera singers’ recordings – especially sopranos – because they frequently don’t hit the notes correctly (I like singing in tune!) but YOU DID! You have restored my faith in the value of opera music. Thanks also for joining my fun! Hope to see you often.

    Reply

    1. Hi Morgana,
      I love your blog, I went to a party yesterday and it was a garden party across the eras, so I chose the 1940s, I styled my hair in pin curls and checked out the makeup on the Internet, I went for red lipstick. I had a great find in the local Age UK charity shop, a vintage black dress A line dress with small white spots, in a chiffon type material, short white gloves, a white hat, pearl fashion necklace all for £20 for a good charity too.
      Thanks for your lovely compliment.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  40. Hi, Thanks for the follow on my blog – I took a couple years off and still figuring what to put in it, but I’ll try to keep up and post more frequently. Awesome video – very beautiful!

    Reply

    1. I was really grateful you both came to watch me, it’s always brilliant to see you both in the audience, Buxton should be amazing the original Military Wives Choir are singing in the show, looking for to it.
      Xxx Charlotte

      Reply

  43. Continue success in your studies. I am impressed with how different Bloggers are and how they find each other and bring our small world even closer together.

    I’m from Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA. While I have sung in a couple of different choirs and have made up lullabies for my children – Music is still a wonderful mystery for me.

    Reply

  44. What a beautiful voice you have Charlotte. Thank you for following my blog. I hope you find the time and opportunity to read my books. I would love to hear your opinion. I hope your new year at college goes well.
    Sue

    Reply

    1. Thank you Sue, I don’t have much time now for reading, however, I do enjoy romance novels and like to read them on train journeys. If I get chance to read one of your books which would you suggest I start with?
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  45. Thanks for the visit to my Western genre site, Charlotte. I enjoyed the Art is My Calling (I Want to be a Prima Donna) performance….great voice!

    A personal sidenote, my maternal grandmother was born in East Kilbride near Glasgow….she was a WW2 war bride who my grandfather met when he came over from North America to fight in the war. She has passed on but I can still remember her Scottish voice. 🙂

    All the best,
    Chad
    http://www.westernsreboot.com

    Reply

    1. Thanks for visiting my blog Chad, I’ve never been to the Wild West and its always interesting to read about different places, history and how it’s being represented. My eldest brother did study the American West in History and I can remember the map he drew as a reminder of locations, the railway links, and the trail of tears.

      It took me a while to adjust to the very strong Glasgow accent last year but most people don’t mind repeating and now I can make out most phrases. The more gentle lilt is beautiful and melodic to listen to.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I really like your art journals, especially the tofu recipe example. The Old woman looks like a character from a Roald Dahl book.
      Best Wishes,
      Charlotte

      Reply

  48. Such a powerful octave range is awesomeness at it’s best, if you ever are in need a commercial photo shoot for your brand and I’m (Blu Tint Photography) around, it will get done. Awesome voice ^_^

    Reply

  49. I jam hard with “Amor Commanda” that song is on repeat mostly. I love the quarter to half into the song when you shift the tempo up a bit…I love your voice on that piece. I can really see myself listening to you while I read. It’s very peaceful. Just point me to sound downloadables. 🙂 Do you have a soundcloud or reverbnation?

    Reply

      1. Of course, no problem. I see you have quite a following on your blog as well as facebook, having a soundcloud via soundcloud.com would be a beautiful asset to you, your works and supporters to enjoy your voice and interact with more feedback.
        Richardo 🙂

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