What a wonderful weekend! On Saturday I had the privilege to perform alongside George Todica for the Edinburgh Society of Musicians.  It was a very welcoming society and a relaxing atmosphere to perform my first hour long solo evening recital that I had organised, designed and performed alone with piano accompaniment without any other soloists in the programme.

Charlotte-H-and-George-T-Pascal-Barnier
Pascal Barnier Sent Me This Beautiful Image That He Created For Our Recital

The evening’s programme comprised of:

“Haugtussa” the full cycle by Grieg

Four of Aaron Copland’s American Folk Songs

Four Scottish Folk Songs

‘Quando M’en Vo’  – Puccini

‘Wo Bin Ich?’ – Humperdink

‘Song To The Moon’ – Dvorak

Edinburgh-Society-Of-Muscians
The Edinburgh Society Of Musicians – The Performance Area

Before starting the concert I was a bit nervous as it was the longest I was going to sing by myself. This brings challenges of vocal stamina as the voice is produced by muscles activating and relaxing. Similarly to a long distance athlete you need endurance, fuel and energy to last the entire event.

Leading up to the concert I was practising my words regularly and I think in the future I will keep working on this so that I can relax a little more mentally in the concert, but I think that because my attention was highly activated I could create and spontaneously react to ideas George created on the piano.

I am excited to be performing the Haugtussa again in March 2016 and can’t wait to see the progression the piece will make over time.

The program was well received and we were commended for a professional performance.

For me the highlight of the evening was meeting everyone after the event including fellow musicians along with a pianist who knew the ‘Haugtussa’ cycle as he had performed it before, and we received some great advice and feedback.

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Charlotte Hoather                                                   George Todica

79 thoughts on “Edinburgh Recital”

  1. Congratulations! Triumphs like this justify the unending hard work of learning your craft and make the ongoing work more heartening to undertake.

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    1. Thanks John, I think my Dad managed to video some of the performance I don’t know the quality of the recording and sound yet but if they’re good enough to show a couple of songs I will.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  5. Greetings, bien venu, hola, Charlotte! I so admire your consistency and the attention you promise to your blog. I’ve been chasing other journeys, however I’ve posted a few videos on both Vimeo and You Tube I thought you might enjoy, because I believe you “art” as I do—because “we must!” Onward! M

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  8. Charlotte, thank you for this beautiful sharing. Wonderful way to start your season of solo recitals! I hope coming see you and George next year 🙂 . Congratulations to both.
    All the best !!

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  13. Well done and congratulations Charlotte! Well done George too! I admire the way you manage to learn something from all your performing experiences. Being able to relax just enough to perform well is so important. A little adrenalin is good too, as you have found. I wish you great success in your next recital. Best wishes,
    Clare x

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    1. Thanks Clare I’ll pass your message on to George, it took us a full hour to wind down afterwards. Luckily my parents gave us a lift to the venue which was great, they made a special trip because they wanted to hear my full program and catch up with me and my brother of course.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  14. Beautiful program Charlotte. I especially like that you ended with the Song to the Moon—on of my very all-time favorites. In fact, I was just watching my new video of “Rusalka” from the Met with Renee Fleming! That is always a breathtaking moment. Lucky you being able to sing such beautiful music.

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    1. Yes, my first time at that location, I also clarified my ‘first’ after your comment thank you. It was our first one hour evening recital that we’d booked, planned, designed and printed a program for without any other musicians in the program.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Yes it was a great finale to the program, in my last lesson before the recital the teacher said I was very daring leaving all the big arias to the end after singing for 45 minutes but it turned out great and the audience loved the build up.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  19. It’s great to be able to see your career developing, Charlotte. I would so love to be able to come up to Scotland, or anywhere else, to hear/see you perform, but I fear that is unlikely. I wish you well in your endeavours and hope you enjoy a happy time with your family over Christmas.

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    1. Thank you Terry, lovely to hear from you, I’m already excited for Christmas and I have a show on the 20th December in Glasgow. If I’m ever down in your neck of the woods I’ll let you know 🙂

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  21. Charlotte & George, So pleased you had a wonderful evening on Saturday..
    I hear how well it went, let’s hope you get lots of bookings,to help fund your study’s..😉💐🎹🎤

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  22. Another milestone passed with distinction!
    Pascal knew you were going to be nervous, and so he showed his ability to see right through you! 🙂
    Beautifully done, by the way.

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    1. I saw Norma at Opera Holland Park it was fabulous. I don’t sing any of those songs yet so perhaps my teachers think they’re to advanced for my stage, but it is something I must explore a bit more.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  26. Hi Charlotte, well done, it looks like a challenging but very interesting and unusual program, would have loved to have been there to here it. Best wishes and blessings, Charles.

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    1. Thanks Charles, I think at my stage it was just the right tempo and song mixture, the audience enjoyed each section and the variety of the program so that was lovely feedback.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

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      1. Pleasure, have been listening to a wonderful historical recording of Roussel’s opera Padmavati, with Marilyn Horn, Nicolae Geda, Jose Van Dam, Jane Berbie, Charles Burles and the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse under the batton of Michel Plasson, apsolutely wonderful. Best wishes and blessings Charles.

  28. I don’t know if you will know who this is or not, but in that first photo you look JUST LIKE Christina Applegate! I thought that’s who it was in fact. (She’s quite lovely)

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  29. I didn’t think of that endurance in terms of singing, but it’s valid. I can’t even sing around the house too long. I have to catch my breath come to think of it. I leave it to you all, the professionals. 🙂

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    1. My Dad was told when I first started to sing classically that breathing was very important so he got me into a competition swim team and I worked out about ten hours per week I even got offered to go to Crystal Palace for trials lol.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  31. Much Kudos,dear Charlotte!It was a very successful performance,I’m glad that it was well-received by the audience.So rewarding for you!Pascal Barnier’s image is absolutely fabulous!All the best, Doda 🙂 xxx

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  32. An hour long, just you and the piano! Stamina is definitely key for opera, so it’s fantastic that you can do this. I know the balance of excitement and anxiety is so tricky to get right, but it sounds as though you cracked it, I just wish I’d been there.

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    1. I had a break in the middle for a drink and relax, my Dad stood at the back and did some videoing but he had to hold the video up high and said it was hard not to shake lol 😊.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

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