Sarah Talbot

Wow. Its been a busy few months…hence not a lot of posts on this site. I’ll try to list a few.

1. I’ve started singing with the West End Musical Choir. They are a series of choir dotted throughout london, who come to together to form a large choir, singing songs from musical and Disney. They’re quite an excitable bunch, an awesome way. If they’re not singing, they’re out socialising, whether it is a karaoke session, pub night, or a show night. The energy is contagious.

2. I auditioned with the London Symphony Chorus, and was surprised to be accepted as a 2nd soprano. To be honest I didn’t think that I’d get in, because I knew the calibre of performances that they do and the performers that work with the choir. I’m just a woman from a small Australian city. 

LSC specialises in classical repertoire to the highest degree. The first project was part of the ‘This is Rattle’ concert series, Berlioz “The Damnation of Faust“. I have never learned any other European languages, so I got a crash course in French, and learned a 3 hour long piece in a period of 2 weeks (the mens choir had more time, as they had more to sing).

This has been an awesome experience. Not only was I able to perform with a world class choir, with a world class orchestra (London Symphony Orchestra), but to work with Sir Simon Rattle (conductor). The performance was recorded (for hopefully a cd release), broadcasted live on BBC3 radio, and live-streamed on Youtube (interested in watching the whole performance? Click here) and Medici TV. Yes, you can see me multiple times in the choir.
At first, I found it strange when I saw advertisements for ‘This is Rattle’ and ‘Damnation of Faust’ appearing on Spotify, and the Tube. Something I’m going to gave get used to; especially since Rattle will be taking over as conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. And the reviews that are being shared around Twitter have been positive.

A few short clips have popped up on YouTube from the performance too. It’s not always serious, need to have a little fun.

• The fast-thinking oboeist
• The screaming percussionist.

Audio recordings of rehearsals before and between performances, as well as both the performances themselves, were made, so it is like to be a CD release. Excited!!!

Afterwards, I announced that I had made my choral debut with LSC on Twitter, and the support and congrats I received was wonderful. I went out with a few ladies for lunch before the performance. It was wonderful to feel included. They probably think I’m a little strange, but that generally works for me.

3. New job. I’ve gone back to full-time teaching. For a number if factors, the main one being financial, I have had to seek more steady employment. I started at a new school in September, as a science and biology teacher. I have to say it was a bit of an adjustment again. Having been a supply teacher for the past 8 months, my body doesn’t want to get back into a full days work. It is not the easiest of schools, but I’ve had way worse.

Just saying though: if I ever get offered decent money to sing, teaching is going back on the back burner.

4. Paris. I did a couple of days in Paris doing the main sites; Eiffel Tower, The Louvre (including seeing the ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘Venus de Milo’), the river Seine, and Notre Dame. A few ticks off my bucket list.

5. Trip back to Australia to catch up with family and friends. I even dropped into a few Toowoomba Choral Society choir rehearsals, and got a preview of their show ‘Sweeney Todd. Unfortunately, my timing wouldn’t allow me to see the show on stage, but I loved the opportunity to see it in rehearsal mode. I could definitely see the happenings.

I even got to see my fur-babies ‘Pippin’ and ‘Gray’; my cats. I’d love to be able to bring them over to England, but I don’t think they’d appreciate the 23 hour flight, and my landlord and flat mate would not appreciate them being in the flat. I do miss them though.

Being able to go back now was the best time as July, August, September period is summer break in schools. I’ll be heading to the US for Christmas with other family.

6. Oxford. Because I went to Cambridge, I thought making a trip to the university competitor was in order. Its very different from Cambridge….,ok, I bought a Harry Potter wand while I was there too (its actually Hermoines wand). I found the worlds largest underground bookshop. That doesn’t mean that its illegal in any way. It is literally underground…under one of the Oxford colleges. I was in heaven. Everything from textbooks, to standard fiction and non-fiction books, even some sheet music.

7. I’ve seen a few more shows as well;

• ‘Bat Out of Hell’ – I wasn’t to sure what to expect of this, being a new musical. I grew up with the music of Jim Steinman and Meatloaf (it was one of my mother favourite albums). It turns out that the show was brilliant. The story was a combination of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Peter Pan’, and ‘Mad Max’ (post apocalypse). The music was stunning, the set was awesome (loved it when part of the set fell into the band/orchestra pit (don’t worry, it was supposed to)). The show has now closed, and is going on tour in Canada, but rumour is that it will back in 2018.
• ‘Hamlet’ – it is kind of a ‘must-see’ Shakespeare play. A few high profile celebrities (such of Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston) have been performing this play, with different takes on characters. I got an opportunity (and a front row seat) to go see Andrew Scott (Moriarty in ‘Sherlock’, C in ‘Spectre’) perform. I loved it from beginning to end. It was a very contemporary take on the play with the royal family portrayed as celebrities, and the final fencing match being ‘televised’ onto big screens (too bad they all die at the end…oops, SPOILER ALERT). At one point during the performance of the plat, the actors sat in front if the front row, and interacted on the floor right in front of us. Felt really awkward when the King storms out, which really highlights the involvement that the front row audience had. I loved Scotts Hamlet, as he losses the plot with the intention of pretending to be mad, but I think in the end he goes mad and stays mad. Scott plays creepy crazy so well.
• ’42nd Street’ – an oldie but a goodie. Big tap dance numbers, and who cant help but sing the main theme song. Very old school for the new school.

I did warn everyone, that I wasn’t going to stay idle or stay out of mischief for too long.

Until next time…