My life as an amateur singer

(in seven tweets)

Stephen Cleobury, CUMS chorus, Spem in alium rehearsal, 1985-ish:
"Girl in the yellow shirt, you are singing *too* *loud*."

Tim Brown, Fairhaven Singers rehearsal, 1988-ish:
"You're sticking your head forward like a chicken."

Martin Freke, Fairhaven Singers post-rehearsal pub session:
"Your voice has an almost tactile quality."

Francis Steele, consort singing course, 2005-ish:
"Beck, we can always hear you. You don't need to worry."

Robert Hollingworth, Company of Musicians workshop on Peter Phillips, 2008-ish:
"You sang an absolutely straight note that blossomed into something rather lovely."

Eamonn Dougan, chamber choir course, first sing-through of Gombert's Media vita, Poitiers, 2011
"What a nice voice you've got, Beck."

Robert Rice, strolling through Kensington and responding to one of my wilder suggestions:
"As your singing teacher I advise against it."

Oooh, and Edmund, who told me that my Victorian drag performance of 'Burlington Bertie from Bow' was better than the Julie Andrews one. I thought so too!

My lifelong thanks to:

Dave Howells, who founded Yateley Choral Society in 1979 with me as an alto, my dad as a bass, and later my mum as another alto (and changed my life – my first choir (my school was crap)).

Ian De Massini, who founded Cambridge Voices with me as a soprano, and enriched my life for thirteen years.

Anne Roberts and Francis Steele, who started Verte Musique music courses and invited me to the first one (a week that changed my life – I was that marketing quote).

Berty, who took me on as a pupil. And, uniquely, isn't fazed by *any* genre of music.