Yesterday night was KC's Christmas Carol concert, which was lovely simplified version of the standard church carol concert. A few sing-a-long carols with some soloists and few Bible verses thrown in.
The evening started with an instrumental version of two carols - I think one was Silent Night - the jury is still out on the other. These were played by a small instrumental group - I can't really call them a band. But they worked valiantly. The two clarinets and two flutes tried to harmonise and the lone trumpet made its call. What was unfortunate for the children is that there was no-one to conduct them so they all played at different speeds and in some cases a seemingly different tune. As the girls on the wind instruments played with grace the boy on the trumpet obviously thought he had heard his cue and came in at full pelt - rather like a large elephant breaking wind. It was about this time that the lady next to me erupted into uncontrollable laughter. I looked at her with disdain - these children were trying their best and were unaided... Then one of the clarinets seem to have turned the music two pages at once and she started into the chorus whilst the others remained on the verse. But she was lost in the music so didn't notice the angry glares on either side of her from her fellow musicians. The lady next door to me was crying. Her little toddler son, said, 'Mummy, I can't see - so Mummy duly placed him on her shoulders where the little darling decided to boot me in the head. Such fun! Luckily I know them very well so could see the funny side of my near concussion.
The band finished, the audience clapped, my friend calmed down and straight away it was time for KC and his class to sing. They were doing a 'modern' rendition of 'The Holly and The Ivy'. It's great that schools want to modernise carols but they really need to let the parents know how the new tune goes. It was obvious that none of the children knew how the carol went and the parents hadnt been able to help them. In my own experience whilst I was rehearsing KC, I sang the tune and he looked at me and said, 'It doesn't go like that.' That was it, rehearsal over. So come the big performance KC simply stood there opening and closing his mouth trying to fool us all that he knew the song - when of course he actually ended up looking not unlike a ginger gold fish - to be fair he wasn't the only one mouthing along... so I knew which other parents were also flummoxed by the tune. I also knew which parents had gone online and downloaded the correct version for their darlings to learn - their children were in the front singing with gusto! Next time I shall be downloading with the best of them!
The carols went and the readings were read and then the school chaplain got up and gave a lovely talk about a little girl giving her father his Christmas Present. There was a lot of reverent story telling (are all vicars wannabe actors) and lots of interaction.... then at the end it transpired that the empty box the little girl had given her father was the best present a child could give... the gift of love. I fought the vomit reflex as it suddenly dawned on my that KC would now have an excellent excuse to buy me and Papa nothing for Christmas... and we wouldnt be able to reprimand him. I think I may try the same thing on Papa - I can't wait to see his face when I present him with a huge box - full of nothing... but my love....
The evening started with an instrumental version of two carols - I think one was Silent Night - the jury is still out on the other. These were played by a small instrumental group - I can't really call them a band. But they worked valiantly. The two clarinets and two flutes tried to harmonise and the lone trumpet made its call. What was unfortunate for the children is that there was no-one to conduct them so they all played at different speeds and in some cases a seemingly different tune. As the girls on the wind instruments played with grace the boy on the trumpet obviously thought he had heard his cue and came in at full pelt - rather like a large elephant breaking wind. It was about this time that the lady next to me erupted into uncontrollable laughter. I looked at her with disdain - these children were trying their best and were unaided... Then one of the clarinets seem to have turned the music two pages at once and she started into the chorus whilst the others remained on the verse. But she was lost in the music so didn't notice the angry glares on either side of her from her fellow musicians. The lady next door to me was crying. Her little toddler son, said, 'Mummy, I can't see - so Mummy duly placed him on her shoulders where the little darling decided to boot me in the head. Such fun! Luckily I know them very well so could see the funny side of my near concussion.
The band finished, the audience clapped, my friend calmed down and straight away it was time for KC and his class to sing. They were doing a 'modern' rendition of 'The Holly and The Ivy'. It's great that schools want to modernise carols but they really need to let the parents know how the new tune goes. It was obvious that none of the children knew how the carol went and the parents hadnt been able to help them. In my own experience whilst I was rehearsing KC, I sang the tune and he looked at me and said, 'It doesn't go like that.' That was it, rehearsal over. So come the big performance KC simply stood there opening and closing his mouth trying to fool us all that he knew the song - when of course he actually ended up looking not unlike a ginger gold fish - to be fair he wasn't the only one mouthing along... so I knew which other parents were also flummoxed by the tune. I also knew which parents had gone online and downloaded the correct version for their darlings to learn - their children were in the front singing with gusto! Next time I shall be downloading with the best of them!
The carols went and the readings were read and then the school chaplain got up and gave a lovely talk about a little girl giving her father his Christmas Present. There was a lot of reverent story telling (are all vicars wannabe actors) and lots of interaction.... then at the end it transpired that the empty box the little girl had given her father was the best present a child could give... the gift of love. I fought the vomit reflex as it suddenly dawned on my that KC would now have an excellent excuse to buy me and Papa nothing for Christmas... and we wouldnt be able to reprimand him. I think I may try the same thing on Papa - I can't wait to see his face when I present him with a huge box - full of nothing... but my love....
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