Ailsa's Blog: Meet Our Members: Rosa
Is there anything more powerful or evocative than what music can do for us? A source of many emotions, memories, connections, creativity, entertainment, passions.
My personal journey is quite diverse and very eclectic indeed.
Weekends in my early life (1950s) were dominated by my father's music choices. I can still remember the excitement of waiting for his selection of the day. What was it going to be? The exuberant trumpet playing of a Miles Davis album? The beautiful orchestration of Mantovani's musical signature? Nat King Cole's warm and melodic voice? Glenn Miller's Big Band arrangements? Patsy Cline's country music performances? The options were varied; and to this day, they still bring back memories of having a good time with my father!
At a time of great political turmoil and uncertainties in Brazil — 1960s — I fell in love with the rebellious Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, and used to swing on my chair in the back of the class singing: I can't get no satisfaction, whilst a poor nun attempted to teach us English. Not sure that I really understood the implications of the lyrics at that stage. And it only took me 60 years to fulfil one of my bucket list desires: Hyde Park 2023 — I finally saw them live, having missed their free concert on Copacabana Beach (where I was born), in Rio in February 2006.
Going back to my school days, the 60s was also the time when I joined the school choir. We sang in Latin for all the religious events (Latin was part of the curriculum then). Hymns such as Tantum Ergo or Pange Lingua sung during the Eucharist, or Salve Regina on special occasions. We also sang hymns in Portuguese, my first language.
Of course, Bossa Nova was still very much the “in” music movement in Brazil at the time, with popular compositions by musicians such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Carlos Lyra, João Gilberto, and the special beat of the guitar. My sister and I had guitar lessons at the time, but she was a lot better than me. Later on my sister got a scholarship to university due to her musical abilities and I had abandoned any hopes with the guitar altogether!
I should probably add here that classical ballet was my initial introduction to classical music. Yes, I was once a snowflake, as part of the corps de ballet in a production of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker in the Municipal Theatre in Rio (70s), with Anthony Dowell (principal dancer of the Royal Ballet at the time). I know, it is difficult to believe, but ballet was once of great interest to me. I like to imagine that even Shakespeare trembles in his grave when Prokofiev's Dance of the Knights, from Romeo and Juliet, is being performed. The ballet is truly exhilarating! (And, no, I was never in a production of Romeo & Juliet; I just used to talk about ballet as if I was Margot Fonteyn 😅)
I was introduced to Opera in the 80s, and have been lucky enough to see performances in renowned and beautiful Opera Houses in different countries. However, nothing has yet surpassed my experience of Bizet's Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1986. I can still remember the excitement of seeing the stunning crystal chandeliers in the Met slowly going up, the lighting dimming, announcing the performance was about to start. Just a small detail of a truly unforgettable evening. Don Giovanni, in Prague in 1994, in the theatre where Mozart himself performed the opera for the very first time, was also quite a magical moment for me. I also used to organise opera outings for my colleagues at the National Maritime Museum in the 90s, when I lived in London. The ENO was a favourite, being more affordable, with group discounts, and the operas were sung in English — easier to follow for those who had never seen an opera performance before.
It was Sally French (soprano) who “held my hands” and brought me to a rehearsal of the Seaford Choral Society for the first time (2009?). I was too scared to take the initiative on my own. I chose to sit with the Altos, and found myself between June Sikes and Ann Jury. June used to say to me: “Count, Rosa, you have to count!” Sixteen years later Ann still lets me sit next to her and still helps me when I get it wrong. There hasn't been any new season when I haven't felt completely terrified and anxious about being able to learn the new pieces. I also feel in awe of the amazing amount of talent that surrounds me — colleagues, friends with such musical abilities. I listen to their voices, and continuously learn from them. I have made good friends. I get to know the work of different composers and pieces from different eras. I feel exhausted at the end of each rehearsal and paradoxically elated. Learning a new piece is blooming hard work for me. But it is such a good feeling at the end of a good concert. All moments that promote happiness.
I feel great respect and admiration for our current Music Director, Veronica Fewkes, for her knowledge and dedication; and for how much she inspires in me the desire to learn more.
SCS is managed by a dedicated committee. They work hard to make our profile visible to the community in Seaford. We are a community choir bringing music to all. And I have a dream that one day Seaford will have a performance theatre big enough to accommodate the locals; and that will be the home of the Seaford Choral Society. Just wait for the day I win silly money on the lottery!
In one way or another, living in different countries, music has always been a part of my life — whether through the appreciation of a cello solo in a Villa-Lobos composition, the cello arrangements of a Cat Stevens song sung by Molly Tuttle, Joan Armatrading's lyrics and guitar playing, Ed Sheeran's talented compositions, The Mamas and the Papas, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, Country, Folk… so many more areas of interest for me.
Music — a means of enlightening my spirits, of manifesting my moods, of enriching my life — always learning, always evolving. And may it continue so forever!
