Nice Rs Graeme

It all seems to have been fairly non-stop since I got here so Friday was the first day I spent properly in my office. Was v pleased to discover an English version of the Norwegian order of service so will be able to compare that with the Norwegian text version and work out when to play the hymns etc.

Next week is looking quite busy - the weekly staff meeting/ 2 funerals/ playing at an old folks home/ meeting with the bishop’s office. There’s a lot of travelling involved so even if it’s just one funeral it can take up a lot of the day if you’re beholden to the ferry timetable.

Last night and today I was invited to go along and sing with the Helgeland Kammerchor. This group covers a large geographic area so rather than weekly rehearsals they are monthly and the expectation is that you will learn all the music in your own time.

Laila was kind enough to give me and some others a lift from the ferry up to the rehearsal which was in a lovely hall in the country south of Sandnessjøen. The weather was really very unpleasant but it is a very large ferry so fortunately didn’t experience any rocking about.

I’m trying to speak a bit more Norwegian and on the Saturday morning drive to the rehearsal I was asking as many questions as I could think of - how old are the children/ where do you stay/ where are you from etc and obviously answering my own questions as well.

On the ferry across I was being asked questions about Dundee etc (what’s the name mean?) and they got quite interested in how I pronounced “r” in words like Graeme and rain. Do I roll my “r” or not? Very off putting when I suddenly have to think about these things. Completely paranoid about the pronunciation of my own name now!

Their regular conductor was unable to make the rehearsals this weekend so a deputy very kindly took over. She is obviously a very classy singer and knows her stuff - we were very thoroughly warmed up through physical and singing exercises. Of course, I’m so out of practice singing-wise that almost by the end of the warm ups my range had already dropped.

We were singing a wide variety of music - at least some of which was in English thankfully. Most of the composers I fear I did not recognise but there was at least one piece by Kim André Arnesen. A lot of it was also very challenging - 8 parts and quite often singing a tone or semi-tone apart. Not easy but good fun to try and get into.

Lots of cake and coffee were supplied which obviously enhances the rehearsal experience. For lunch one of the basses had cooked a stunningly good chicken soup - particularly pleasing as it was one of the first foods I learned - kyllingsuppe.

The rehearsal venue is set in a stunning location as I hope the pictures show!

Hopefully tomorrow (weather permitting) I’ll be able to explore some of Dønna on foot!