It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas! This week I was celebrating the holiday cheer by catching up with friends, colleagues, and teachers to celebrate the end of the academic year (almost 🤫). The Royal College of Music was decorated with Christmas trees and my Student Village was adorned with lots of tinsel, Christmas ornaments, and lights.

 

Soloists Kingston With John Bate
John Bate, Beth Moxon, Steve Mills, Me, and Dan D’Souza

 

To add to all this cheer and merriment, I was invited to perform Purcell’s O Sing unto the Lord and Pergolesi’s Magnificat alongside my talented peers, Dan D’Souza, Steve Mills, and Beth Moxon at the Thames Philharmonic Choir Winter Concert conducted by the wonderful John Bate. I arrived at the beautiful All Saints Church in the heart of Kingston on Thames at 13:45 ready for afternoon rehearsals beginning at 14:00. It was the first time I would sing through the prepared pieces with the choir and orchestra. It was very exciting and spirits were high. The rehearsal went really well and it was exciting to hear all the hard work come together by the joining forces of so many talented musicians.

 

Rehearsal
The Rehearsal

 

This concert was particularly exciting for me as I was able to sing my first cantata, Handel Psalm 112 ‘Laudate Pueri Dominum’. A cantata is a work for solo voice, choir, and orchestra. This form of vocal music was particularly popular in the Baroque period. This particular cantata was written by Handel when he was 22 years old during his stay in Italy. It’s a truly beautiful piece and I thoroughly enjoyed working on the challenging vocal writing with one of my coaches, the wonderful Andrew Robinson.

Thames Philharmonic Choir Programme

My parents came down for the performance which made it extra special and we were able to enjoy a lovely walk around Kingston where we were able to admire the festive Christmas Markets in light snowfall.

 

Late this afternoon Timothy Connor contacted me to tell me that Fiona Maddocks, a classical music critic in The Guardian newspaper included BambinO in her top ten performances of 2017.  It was such a wonderful early Christmas present for everyone involved in the production.

Link to her review of the year:

Fiona Maddocks’s best classical music of 2017 Opera for babies, late-night Bach, Debussy to die for, plus women – and men – making waves

49 thoughts on “It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas!”

  1. Charlotte, this is just wonderful news! I’m so happy for you, and all the amazing things that you’ve accomplished in this past year. I’m sure your parents and family are simply beaming with pride. I know you’ll have another event filled calendar for the coming year, but will hope that you can have some off time to rest and refresh before then. Wishing you a marvelous and very Merry Christmas 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you Cheryl and for keeping in touch all this time. I’ve got time to relax at home over Christmas but I’ve a French opera scene to prepare for mid-January so I’ll have to put some extra study in and a lovely concert to prepare for but it’s not like work because I’m loving the new music.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  2. Hi Charlotte, It snowed here over the weekend too. Baking cookies, loaves of Pumpkin Pecan Bread, and White Chili Chicken was the order of the day. It does sound like you had a lot more fun! So glad that your parents got to see and hear your performance.
    Keep up the great work. Happy Holidays Charlotte

    Reply

  3. Wonderful news on the review. I can imagine the thrill doing your first cantata. Had to been exciting. Yes, it is beginning to look lot like Christmas here as well as there.

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    1. I worked so hard learning it, it has complicated runs and duets with the orchestra and choir that could go wrong if the timing wasn’t right but it went beautifully on the night. I had a lovely evening and a fabulous gift of flowers.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thank you Rev. Tim, it’s a beautiful cantata to sing and it was a lovely church, well used with plenty of community involvement, there was a happy buzz throughout the afternoon and in the evening performance.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Thank you Peter, I’ve been so hectic this term, hopefully I’ll get a bit of time to catch up with all my wonderful blog friends soon. Wishing you a musical Christmas too.
      My very best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  6. Congrats, Charlotte! I am happy for you! That is quite exciting news! I’m sure that it was fabulous! Congrats on singing your first contata too! You have much to be proud of.
    It’s looking a lot like Christmas here too! We just got our first snowfall – 6 inches. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a healthy & Happy New Year.
    Watch for my post on my blog tomorrow! It’s a surprise involving you! 🤗 xx

    Reply

    1. Aww Janice, I can’t believe that was three years ago and I love that you won them and framed them and gave them a nice home that means so much to me. Thank you for being my friend.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. I was thrilled to win not only the prints but the CDS of your gorgeous voice! I will always treasure them all! I am honored to be your friend! Much love & Christmas blessings to you and yours. Xo

      3. Yes, it certainly is! I’ve enjoyed it for four years now! I share the post every year because it is so beautiful! 💕

  8. Well done Charlotte, I’m so proud of you. I wish I could have been there for your first contata, however I will be there on Saturday for your Messiah performance😁😘 so looking forward to it xx

    Reply

    1. So pleased for the BambinO team 😀. You know I loved it, it was a joy to be a part of. You’d love the markets but Mum and Dad had an awful drive home in the bad snow and ice. Excited to see you on Saturday.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. 😀 it’s been a busy term learning so many new challenges, I’m in the last week now and Mum and Dad were so impressed by my progress on Saturday it made me so happy.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. It is a lovely Town Kingston upon Thames, we had a lovely walk around on Sunday. Are my comments posting ok on your blog GP? Trent and Alex told me my comments were going into their Spam?
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. You are coming through on my site clear as your voice, Charlotte. I understand Beetley Pete has that same glitch every now and then on his site too.

    1. It was a lovely review of BambinO, Fiona Maddocks really got it, the essence of what we were collectively trying to achieve, I was so pleased it was in her top 10 performances, thrilled for Improbable, Scottish Opera and the Manchester International Festival a reward for making it happen.
      They made a weekend visit for it and I was so pleased they did, they loved Kingston other than the traffic jams, but the Town is fabulous.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. They are, they always try to do all of my first type of performances because they know it helps me if they’re there to give me their honest feedback (Mums a bit too honest at times 😄). They loved this Cantata though I actually surprised them.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  14. Another jewel in your crown, Charlotte! I didn’t know you were also a talented artist – just saw your Twelve Days of Christmas mounted in a frame in a blog by Janice Spina. You are indeed multitalented! Have a wonderful Christmas – I hope to hear you sing in person one day!

    Reply

    1. I was so very happy when Janice won my drawings and honoured when she framed them, I love art, textile art, painting, making cards everything really it’s what I do to relax. I hope you get to see me sing in person too Noelle.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. You’re the second person to tell me my comments have gone into their spam 🤷‍♀️.
      I wonder if it’s because I sometimes use the reader? I don’t even check my spam. Thanks for letting me know Alex.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  16. Gosh is one year of your Masters already completed? What a fabulous year it has been for year and how fantastic to top it off with great reviews and feedback. You seem to hit the ground running with such short rehearsal windows but I am sure you are up to the task.

    Reply

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