THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
PLYMOUTH PHILHARMONIC CHOIR 2020 STYLE
At the end of their 50th Anniversary year, Plymouth Philharmonic Choir, acclaimed as one of the top 10% of amateur choirs in the country by internationally renowned soloist and patron Neil Jenkins, had hoped to see a number of superlatives mentioned in the review of the last twelve months. With not a note sung in any of the four planned performances, you may be forgiven for thinking that words like extraordinary and remarkable have more to do with all of us living through the most exacting of times in 2020, or do they?
From an audience member’s perspective, the essence of the choir is what they see during the performance. There is drama and anticipation as at a twitch of the musical director’s baton everything from stirring crescendos to the quietest and most spellbinding passages of music are brought forth. From a Plymouth Philharmonic member’s point of view, the choir provides even more than the exhilaration gained from performing beautiful music. It offers the opportunity to make life-long friends, to learn together and work collectively to achieve something to be really proud of. So, whereas it’s not been possible to sing, there has been something to fall back on, support for one another and great camaraderie. Perhaps it’s not so extraordinary then, that this choir has actually recruited new members in the last few months. If your lockdown resolutions have begun to drift, use the optimism that the New Year will bring to reignite those plans. More information about Plymouth Philharmonic choir including how to join, is available on their website (please see the link below).
In a cross between the Chelsea Flower Show and The Great British Bake Off, photos and news of successes and projects have been shared. With the choir’s musical director, Christopher Fletcher, virtually marooned, his Desert Island Disc ‘shows’ and the musical choices of rehearsal accompanist Jenny Shepley have been greatly enjoyed. With all sections of the choir contributing, the eclectic mix has encompassed everything from What a Wonderful World sung by Louis Armstrong to Bach’s B minor mass and double violin concerto. With the festive season approaching the choir are busy voting for favourite carols and sharing less familiar ones so that, with the aid of technology, they can enjoy nine carols and readings.
Earlier in the year people thought the volume and variety of bird song was remarkable. If you’re a bird it’s part of being a bird. Emerging from lockdown 2 there is an opportunity with many of the excesses stripped away, to remind ourselves what Christmas is all about. The remarkable thing about being human is that we all have the ability, at any time of the year, to give one of the most precious gifts, that of being able to put a smile on someone else’s face. As the one and only ‘performance’ from Plymouth Philharmonic choir members during their 50th Anniversary year, the hope is that The Twelve Days of Christmas 2020 style, which is available to view on the choir’s website (https://plymouthphilchoir.org), puts a smile on your face and those you share it with and that it is the only thing to ‘go viral’ this Christmas.
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: VERSE 12
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Twelve Zoom subscriptions
Eleven claps on doorsteps
Ten test ‘n’ trace calls
Nine toilet rolls
Eight nose and throat swabs
Seven click ‘n’ collect shops
Six hand sanitisers
Five face masks
Four bags of flour
Three jigsaws
Two metre markers and
A parcel packed with PPE