making a crazy ding dong

[pensnest]

Well. Phew.

I returned yesterday evening from a weekend doing Extreme Quartetting. Ask me about it, why don't you?

It was quite a bit scary, but ultimately a lot of fun, and probably did wonders for my confidence as a singer. I am already hoping to run into these people again at Convention in October, so that we may burst into song together.

Today, a very slothful day. But I am home with my Beast, and comfortable. Although Sable did not appear to recognise me last night, and fled into the night at the sight of me.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

What is extreme quartetting?

[pensnest]

Ah! I'm glad you asked.

It is a Thing, definitely. Each of us had five months or so to learn six songs in our particular voice part (Tenor, Lead, Baritone or Bass—I sing Baritone), and then we turned up at Harmony College (an event which was run at the Nottingham University business campus) and on Friday evening, got to sing those songs all together. There were forty-four quartets, plus quite a few extra people who were reserves, ie they'd learnt the songs with no guarantee they'd have a chance to participate, quite heroic, really, but in fact several of them were pulled in fairly last-minute.

Well. We spent Saturday singing, in nine different quartets, carefully organised so that nobody got to sing with any of the same people twice. First session we were required to work on two songs, thereafter on one per session. It was... kind of exhilarating, I think, although I was quite scared going into the first session! You just go into the room where each Lead was nesting (they called it Lead Dating) and jumped right on in, singing with three strangers. At least, everyone was a stranger to me, as the only member of my chorus to do this, but other choruses had sent multiple EQ people.

At the end of the day, we were drawn into ANOTHER random quartet (by means of numbered balls and eggboxes) and told whether we would be singing a ballad or an uptune in the morrow's contest. Then we had a little while, plus as much of the evening as we wanted, to have a practise.

On Sunday morning, there was due to be a coaching session after the College-wide vocal warmup. We'd voted for the people we most wanted to sing with (a bit randomly, really, as most of the quartets I was with were just fine, and it was hard to remember details, so this was our Fantasy Quartet of the top picks, but before that happened, there was another random draw of four people, and I was one of that foursome, so got to sing and be coached in front of everyone else. Which was (a) very startling, as I had not realised this would be happening, and (b) actually quite fun. Then the FQ got coached.

Then, we were told which actual song of the three possibles we would be singing that afternoon, and went off to practise a little bit more.

Contest time! Each quartet sang its predetermined song, and three judges figured out which were their top five, and yes, I was in the top five again, so we got to sing the ballad as well as the uptune from the first round. All carefully pre-worked-out, so what we had to do was completely random, and just depended on which song-ball we picked. I have to say, it was the most supportive audience I've ever been in or performed to. We all knew *exactly* how difficult it was!

My quartet didn't win an EQ medal, which was definitely a relief as the winning quartet was then sent off to have a little practice while the rest of us went to the main auditorium to watch the concert, in which our winners *and* our Fantasy Quartet also performed.

O.M.G.

I was *so* shattered on Saturday evening! But, when I arrived on Friday I was pretty sure that I was never going to do this again. And now.... well, maybe. Maybe I will.

I must also say, it did wonders for my self-confidence as a singer.

[minoanmiss]

WOW. takes notes

[pensnest]

It was impeccably organised and very well randomised, too!

[turlough]

Wow, it sounds both extremely exhausting and totally fabulous!

[pensnest]

I think that's a fair summary. :-D

[turps]

I hope you do meet and get to burst into song, that sounds like an excellent thing to do.

[pensnest]

When we are on our way to Convention in a coach, we always burst into song at services, and on a couple of occasions there has been another chorus there too, so we have sung together. It's fun! But it would be awesome to get into a quiet corner and break out one of these hard-earned numbers with some other EQ people, definitely.