As I've written before, my general policy for over a year now has been to say "yes" to everything. On the rare occasion I've said "no" it is only because of circumstances - already doing something else, forgot to charge the car etc. Fish liver? Yep. Kamikaze mountain climbs? Yep. Fishing in a boat? Yep. Clay pigeon shooting (well missing)? Yep etc etc...
My proud record of keeping this up for over a year came crashing down in flames about a week ago. Sabine had asked me to play for a local choir that had been put together over 6 rehearsals for a concert last Monday (27th March) in Sandnessjøen. It was a very informal choir - unless I'm mistaken we just performed traditional songs from various countries. The were a number of countries represented in the group - Congo, Ukraine, Ireland, Norway, etc. I was given a pile of songs to learn and I conscientiously practiced them at home. Unbeknownst to me, there was another song which was unaccompanied. It was set to the melody of We Will Rock You and was a way of introducing the choir. They'd start up the rhythm - stamp, stamp, clap, sing a short verse, then list the various countries. Then the singers from that country would run on and wave. Appropriately Belgium was the first country so they'd shout Belgium and Sabine would run on etc etc. Imagine my horror to discover that they wanted to me to do this as well. I begged Sabine but she insisted I try. As was mentioned in a previous post, I have the on stage charisma of a potato so felt spectacularly uncomfortable. This rehearsal took place when my friend Amy was visiting and she'd come along to see/hear the rehearsal. And I got exactly the amount of sympathy and understanding that I expected - she laughed and videoed it. I couldn't even get the rhythm right. And I misjudged where to stand as well - if I'd stood near the back I could have hidden behind some other people who were coming on t the same time. Never been so relieved to reach a piano stool. I spent the rest of the rehearsal working out how much of a deduction to any fee I might be getting to offer as a way out of it. Bless Sabine, she could see how comfortable I was and agreed to let me not take part if I promised to give a confident wave when they shouted "Scotland" I of course gave that assurance but even that proved beyond me. In the end we came to a suitable compromise and I ended up accompanying the choir as they sang it so any excruciating moments were avoided.
As well as the choir numbers, the little instrumental ensemble played some numbers at the start - I particularly enjoyed playing 2 Spanish Dances with Sabine. I had hunted down some Scottish related piano music and ended up with an arrangement of "Charlie is my darling" by Brinley Richards. Yes, THE Brinley Richards. I think I played it quite well but in the same way that I have no charisma on the stage, I feel I don't have the necessary pizzazz to carry off a piece like that. All that aside, the concert seemed to go well, the choir obviously had a great time and the audience really enjoyed it so all in all, a good evening.
As mentioned above, my friend Amy came to stay for a week which was really nice. I haven't eaten that well for ages! If I'm honest, the last time was probably when Jen, was visiting. Think there may be a pattern developing :-)
I showed Amy round all the churches on the island and we went on various walks around the place. We also spent time in Sandnessjøen and I introduced her to the joys of kanelboller with coffee (my Saturday tradition). Once again I was able to organise a Northern Lights display for my guest so I'm now 2 for 2.
On one of the days we took our swimming stuff across to Sandnessjøen and tried out the swimming pool/ jacuzzi and sauna which was all v pleasant. The same day was also a very morale boosting day with my language skills. My boots were letting in water so decided perhaps a new pair was required. All by myself I went to the shoe shop and spoke entirely in Norsk the whole time. Do you have these shoes in size 41? oops, sorry, I mean 43. I try them on and they're too big so ask for 42 which fitted fine. I appreciate that's a very boring story but it was all in Norwegian so was v proud of myself.
I was so in the zone I decided to get and get some new shirts - partly because of the effect of my coffee and cake diet but also there was a gaping hole (not cake related) in one of the sleeves. Again, the whole transaction was in Norsk. Bit embarrassing when she asked me what size I was and I had no idea. So I just asked her to look down the back of the shirt I was wearing. Self- respect? Moi? I was even able to ask where the changing room was. I knew where it was as I was actually standing beside it at the time but I wanted to show off that I knew the word.
It was lovely to welcome (separately) Trine and Laila to the flat to join Amy and I for coffee in the flat. I was slightly concerned that I might have ended up with 4 people in the flat at once so kept up my classy reputation and asked Trine to bring her own cup.
Amy and I also met a friend up at Heidi's Chocolate Factory where we had a v pleasant chat in warm and beautiful surroundings. Amy also got asked the million dollar question that Jen was also asked - how exactly do you pronounce Graeme's name. This led to our guest regaling us with the story about how she had woken up in bed one night and found herself practicing saying my name. It then occurred to her that if her husband woke up.... hahaha
On her last full day in Norway, Amy and I pottered down to the Petter Dass museum. I had been in the building ( well, the cafe) before but never gone round the, rather good as it transpires, exhibition. Always nice seeing "Dundee" get a mention in these things :-)
After all this we went up the side of the building in the hope of seeing the Petter Dass memorial that sits at the side of the building. Alas, the snow was very deep so it proved a bit tricky. There was a set of footprints already there so one of us was able to follow them up to the statue but the other person has shorter legs so...
I have really got my head down (finally some might say) and worked hard on my various verb tenses. As mentioned above we met people a few times for coffee and I even invited my landlady round for a coffee so that I could try out my new found verb skills.
As far as work is related, it's getting busy again in the lead up to Easter and April is quite busy with concerts. I've got a solo concert in Alstahaug on Tuesday which I'm looking forward to. One of the pieces I'm playing I've been meaning to learn for nearly 40 years and finally... I could always play the first 2 pages but never had the patience to learn the last 4 or 5. But now I have. Or at least I hope I have. As part of the publicity for the concert, I had an interview with one of the local papers which I think is being published tomorrow. Hopefully I didn't come across as too boring or worse.
The next concert after that will be on Lokta where various performers from the church will be playing. Bjørn and I will be doing some ditties and our little Forsangere group will be singing some numbers including a couple of pieces that I've "composed". Well, the melodies are not original but the harmonisations and accompaniments are. Actually, they're not particularly original either but hey ho.
At the end of the month, the Helgeland Kammerkor will be giving their last concerts and the programme is particularly good so am looking forward to that. Mind you, it is 2 concerts in the same day so it will be important to not get carried away with The Heavens are Telling at the first one!
Thanks to Trine, Gudny and Amy for some of the photos.
