World Voice Day in Auckland

Thursday was  World Voice Day and the Celebration Choir played a big part in the Auckland celebration.  New Zealand would have been the first country to celebrate the occasion being ahead of other countries by a number of hours depending where.

So,our usual Monday session was transferred to the Thursday, meaning I had an extra activity to fit in, with tai chi and meeting with the Knitterati beforehand. Managed to encourage Dieter to come out with me as visitors were welcome and anyway I think singing would be good for him too, indeed for anybody.  

Got the train, one of those new smooth-running  electric trains out .  The route goes parallel to the waterfront with the Waitemata Harbour on the left and the Orakei Basain on the right  and always exhilarates me on a fine day, which Thursday was. 

Autumn came with a vengeance earlier in the week and caught me unawares so it was good not to have to think too much about getting there and back without getting cold or wet. Feeling tired,hungry or thirsty can complicate things too but with a special afternoon tea this was not the case. Having Dieter there too was company for the journey there and trek home, on the bus this time , anything for  a change.

There was a bit of a festive atmosphere with a Skype link on a big screen to a group of music therapy students and their smiley professor at Victoria University.  There were four or five students and when they sang it sounded like 14.  They sang a special Maori waiata which had been commissioned for them. They seemed to be all international students and they sang several verses probably by heart.most impressive. We have Maori waiata in our repertoire too but I find I can't remember the words past the first line or two. It is much easier remembering words you know the meaning of. Not that I don't know some Maori words and what the songs are about after a while.

We did a few different things too in the way of warm-up exercises. After five  years in the choir I like a change rather than doing things the same old way.  We cottoned on very quickly I thought.

Wendy who works as an occupational therapist in a hospice and who used to come to our choir with another member and play the guitar  for us too, brought along a big box of musical instruments, like shakers, rattles, taught us a fun song with musical accompaniment to the tune of McNamara's Band.  I chose a kazoo which modifies the voice when hummed or vocalised into making a buzzing sound. 

Hearing this loud noise coming from me was quite a surprise.  It did not seem to be very tuneful to my ear and probably wasn't, but nobody told me to shut up. As Parkinson's progresses the voice does often tend to become quieter and I for one certainly don't like loud noise or music especially if it not to my taste. But that is another story. This,activity was fun and we all laughed a lot.

Of course singing or talking to oneself without having the chance to talk to others would be sad, so over a special afternoon tea there was time  for chit chat , socialising and catching up with new and old friends who,  like me, were there for the occasion. 

So all in all a very full and enjoyable day, culminating in a pleasant surprise, a visit from E , who is in the throes of moving back home for a couple of weeks or so, while major reconstruction of the Herne Bay abode gets underway.