Ailsa’s Blog: Françoise

 

I belonged to the school choir in my primary and secondary (same school) in Antwerp. I really believe they were some of the happiest times in my life, aged 11 to 17. Midnight Masses were a big event with us choristers, staying after Midnight Mass in the school dormitories but first having experienced a wonderful after midnight feast with some teachers if our parents had not attended the Mass.

I used to attend Antwerp Conservatoire to learn solfège, once a week after school. I remember doing “dictation of notes”. Even now I feel I can pitch the right notes thanks to those exercises. For me, my notes will always be called Do, Re, Mi etc.

I moved to England with my English husband in 1964, where I joined evening classes run by a Welsh teacher called Ivor. We produced Carmen. This was in Hornchurch, Essex and after four sons all having piano lessons from Miss Beatty, I joined them and got Grade 5 but stopped when I started teaching modern languages full time.

Once the three older boys had left home, I moved to Seaford with my youngest son and started teaching at Newlands Manor whilst Jonathan attended Newlands Prep. At Newlands, I joined the school choir. Their music teacher was also choirmaster at an Eastbourne church. He organized a trip for the choir to Virginia, where we sang in various towns. My favourite place was Chesapeake, such an old colonial looking place!

I joined Seaford Head School in 1991 and also the school choir, led by their Head of Music, Chris Hitchcock and later, Pat White. My fondest impressions of singing with the students was a terrific arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and at Christmas Holy Night. That was so moving I did not want the concert to end.

On nearing retirement, I joined Seaford Choral Society around 2000, under John and Val Underhill and at the same time, the church choir with Tom Hagger.

Now, twenty six years later, I still belong to Seaford Choral Society, which has given me so much joy and pleasure under the various music directors. Over the years I have been Treasurer, Secretary, Booking Officer, tea lady and catering organizer. The choir friends have all been terrific and have supported me in times of sadness and joy. Nowadays the job I enjoy the most is the catering. Some of our members produce such super dishes to be enjoyed by all at Christmas and usually after each concert.

Who would ever want to move away from Seaford when we have such a wonderful Society? My grateful thanks to everybody there!