Following our short performance last week George and I performed our second balcony concert on Friday 3rd April for our neighbours as we all continue to come to terms with staying at home here in the U.K.
Our song selection this week included a mix of styles to try and please a wide audience of tastes. The pieces that George and I performed were:
I Feel Pretty, from West Side Story, by Bernstein
I Could Have Danced All Night, from My Fair Lady, by Loewe
A Piper, by Head
O Waly, Waly (folk song) – for my blog friend Hilary, who suggested it.
O Luce Di Quest’anima, from Linda Di Chamounix, by Donizetti – for a sprinkling of Opera
However, after feedback from last week, we decided to trial live streaming on YouTube. The idea was suggested as our neighbours in our development, who do not face into our courtyard, got in touch and asked if there was a chance, we could share it with them online. So we researched how we could do this and decided to experiment with YouTube Live as I already had an account with them which I use on my blog from time to time.
We set up my phone to capture our performance in the corner of our balcony using a stand with a phone adapter screwed into the top – a little bit of repurposing with pieces that we already had at home. For this our first attempt at live streaming we decided to film live using the unlisted feature, which means people can only watch with a link. We copied and pasted this into our Neighbourhood Facebook page and then let rip.
Moving forwards we hope to share our third balcony concert with you all publicly via my YouTube Chanel. It will take place between 18:00-18:30, weather permitting (UK time) on Friday 10th April. We would love for you to tune in and celebrate music and people coming together during this difficult time.
I want to thank my YouTube subscribers as I wouldn’t have been able to live stream without their support. If you have a YouTube account you can find my channel by clicking on the link : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjMXKEEZ0Iu32vdQ_GyQXcQ
This is George’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClNHb_M4FDh1gwl7h2oiuLw
Hope you can join us, stay at home and stay safe 🙂
This is a wonderful idea and contribution of your even more wonderful talents. Thank you.
Hello Patricia, George and I are just happy that our neighbours found joy in the performances. Even happier that you liked it too! Thank you for watching.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Please just keep singing. I’ll keep watching. Be safe.
Loving these balcony concerts 🙂
Dear Thomas, I am glad that you are enjoying them, we hope to continue them weekly until our shared situation returns to a new normal, (and for as long as our neighbours want it).
Best Wishes
Charlotte
We really loved your performance and it lifted our spirits. ❤️
Hello Karen, it is wonderful to hear that your spirits are soaring. Stay positive and healthy. We will get through this together as a big community.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I think the streaming idea is great. This is a fun thing to do.
Hello John, we are enjoying exploring a new platform of sharing our music. This is a great time to try something new. Stay tuned!
Best WisheS
Charlotte
Bravo, félicitation et un grand merci à tous les deux !!!!! Prenez soin de vous , à très vite sur le web !!!!the best and good luck !!
Merci Pascal! Nous sommes ravis que tu appréciez les diffusions en direct. Je trouve que c’est une façon amusante de rester en contact avec des amis et la famille – comme tu.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Oh Charlotte, that was wonderful – all of the songs charming, but the Waly, Waly stole my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I loved the Linda di Chamounix aria too, which you sang in such a spirited way. Edwin wanted me to suggest opera arias, so he will be thrilled when he gets to hear this. I much enjoyed the toddler joining in every now and again. We will try and tune in directly next Friday. This is such a wonderful thing to be doing now and the applause should tell you how much pleasure it brought.
Dear Hilary, I am over the moon that you enjoyed our Waly, Waly performance. It is so nice to sing a song for a friend. We think our neighbours are enjoying more and more the operatic and classical pieces so we hope to include more each week. I hope you were able to tune in easily on Friday, let me know if you had any troubles as we are still learning how it all works.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Fantastic. Well done to you both.
We are glad that you enjoyed it! Thank you for joining us and listening.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Doing you concerts from the balcony and live-streaming them is a great way to stay in practice and provide much needed comfort and joy during these most difficult times. I’m posting a new parody this afternoon. I’m not up to your level of performance, but I hope I’m providing some much needed comic relief. Stay well.
Hello Timothy, what a brilliant idea to record and share a parody! It is great to explore your creativity at the moment – I think it will help keep spirits high.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charolote, I posted the parody calle “Livin’ la Vida Lockdown” last Sunday. You can find it and my other parodies and original music under Music on the top menu of my blog.
Hi Timothy, your parody had me smiling from ear to ear! This is a brilliant creation. Please let me know if you do any more in relation to the lockdown. The words are so perfectly selected and the dancing had me wanting to join in!
Best Wishes,
Charlotte
Thank you so much for this heartwarming balcony concert, Charlotte!
It is our pleasure Herman, from our home to yours! Stay healthy and happy.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Mad applause for both of you! Rays of sunshine in our often cloudy world. God Bless you. <3
This really made me beam from ear to ear! Thank you for your lovely comment Annette. We hope to keep singing and sharing for as long as it brings our friends old and new joy.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
What a wonderful idea. And to see you in the relaxed environment of your own home was such a treat.
Dear Gwen, it is lovely to be able to just sing from the heart and have George by my side. It is musical relief for us too, and we are happy to share it with you.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Lovely! Absolutely lovely!
I am delighted that you enjoyed it! Let’s continue together to try to stay positive and grow stronger as a community.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
That is a very good idea to perform out on your balcony. I would like to be your neighbor and see you perform especially the time that everybody should stay home.
It would be such a treat if you are my neighbour, but I hope through the live streaming it brings your home closer to ours. We can be together online and that is something to celebrate.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Fabulous idea, and wonderful selections! Bravo!!
Dear Sheila, thank you so much for your lovely comment. We are thrilled you enjoyed the pieces we selected. We are trying to appeal to a wide range of musical tastes and ages.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I thoroughly enjoyed your balcony performance, Charlotte and George, and have bookmarked your YouTube channels. My favorite from this performance is “O Waly, Waly” (The Water is Wide). That was a wonderful suggestion from Hilary!
Thank you Lavinia, for bookmarking our YouTube channels! We are grateful for your support. I was glad to see Hilary’s suggestion, as it is such a beautiful song! I am glad you enjoyed it too.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Good morning Hoather have a nice day
Hello Amritpal, have a wonderful day and I hope your family are well.
Best Wishes,
Charlotte
Well done to you both again, you are so inspiring, a wonderful collection of songs .
Keep it up can’t wait for Friday.😘😘
Hello Nana, I am so thankful that we can speak to each other via video calling and I am glad that you can enjoy our music whilst staying safe at home. Thank you for tuning in and enjoying the concert.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I commend you and George for not only entertaining your neighbors locally, but all of us, your neighbors from around the world!!
You both did a fantastic job!!
I love the idea of us all being neighbours from around the world! Brilliantly put! I hope our music brings you joy and a sense of togetherness whilst we are exploring this new world of self-isolation.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Happy Easter!!
Wonderful idea and a wonderful performance. Thank you. Stay safe.
It is our pleasure and we are happy to make music for you! I hope you can tune in to future singsongs with us.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
So lovely to be able to see and hear you both! You both rock!
Dear Noelle, it has been lovely to be able to perform an share it regularly with my blog friends. So often I will wait till a concert to film and share music with you all.
But it has been fun for George and I to sing for you all with the goal to enjoy creating music and share the love!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Courage unneeded is not courage. That flowers break fearful symmetries and hope entrained was not one’s own, become was own.
And, others flowers, these, thrown to stage.
Beautiful! I feel honoured that our musical performance allowed you to share that stunning poem with me. Thank you
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Such a lovely thing to do. Lovely performance.
It has been an eye-opening experience. It is times like these that the arts are important to bring people together and offer light relief. So we are thrilled to be able to help in this small way.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
That’s so true. I’m glad so many artists are doing this and/or donating funds to support their national healthcare systems and fund the search for a vaccine. Well done.
What a wonderful way to spend your day ……..
All my best wishes….Stay Safe…..Darlene
Dear Darlene, it is a highlight of our week, and I have been enjoying preparing for it with George. My family are getting quite excited with suggestions and I hope to be able to sing a few requests here and there.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Wonderful Charlotte!!!!
Well done! It sounded great! I hope to catch your next session 🙂 xx Hope you are well? x
Thank you Christine, so glad you enjoyed it! Fingers crossed you could catch our latest performance. I may not have selected public, so I have something to improve for next week.
George and I are well, trying to navigate a lot of change with acceptance and understanding. It is hard at times, but we have our health and that is what is important. How are you?
Best Wishes
Charlotte
We are all doing well thanks Charlotte xx
Well done, you two! What a fantastic concert <3
Hello Clare, thank you for your lovely comment – so glad that you can enjoy the concert. We received some flowers and a postcard from a neighbour yesterday and we were so touched.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
What marvellous ideas! First a live balcony concert, then streaming it for all to view. Thanks for sharing your music with us in this very trying time, Charlotte!
Hello Arti, it has been really enjoyable to watch this idea grow and see how we can share our music with our loved ones across the waters and closer to home. So glad you could tune in, Ill be thinking of you when we sing next!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Charlotte and George, so kind of you to do this for your neighbors. It surely evaporates the anxiety many are feeling. And, though, I live far away in Colorado, it certainly lifts the spirit here too. I hope the both of you are doing well.
Stay safe and take care.
Best wishes,
David
Hello David, thank you for your kind words and well wishes from Colorado. It is very cool that we can connect with you despite our distance during this turbulent time. We hope that our music continues to bring your happiness. Stay strong and positive, we are in this together.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
This is awesome. Quick question: I am almost finished improving the Video I used for “Scots Song.” Would I also be able to Credit George for the Piano play in this particular song?
Dear Eric, so glad to hear from you! What a wonderful idea to credit George – please do. As a creative trio we will be unstoppable. 😊
Maybe we will brush the cobwebs off Scots Song for one of concerts. What do you think?
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I adore what you guys are doing with the concerts. I can’t say it enough: THANK YOU and stay safe!!!!
You are so welcome Resa, I hope you can continue to enjoy them over the coming weeks! We will keep singing whilst in Lockdown to keep spirits high!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I bet my first time is around the corner too!