The Zhoosh! Brighton Blog
Actually (Gay Men’s Chorus), A Great Opportunity!
By Chris Jessop, Press & Publicity Manager of Actually Gay Men’s Chorus.
The lure and excitement of a new life in Brighton with its promised wonders and eccentricities, potential mix of culture and hedonism, overshadowed my feelings of being a disillusioned teacher, harboring the usual confidence issues, creatively stifled and exhausted from the parental challenge of helping my teenage sons through A levels.
Knowing very few people, the situation I found myself in two years ago, when I moved from the Midlands, was one of anticipated opportunity, the opportunity to reinvent myself and enjoy a very different quality of life. What I wasn’t prepared for was the speed with which this new life would take off and with it, how soon Brighton would totally take hold of me.
I’d been aware of Actually Gay Men’s Chorus for some time and on several visits to Brighton, watched them perform, enjoying the sense of fun, the polished performances and variety of repertoire. It was through a chance meeting with an enthusiastic member of the chorus though, that I found myself turning up to a rehearsal, after less than a month of living here.
I love to sing and always have, but to avoid offending folk, I felt it should be an activity reserved very much for behind closed doors. You see I didn’t know if I had a voice, sure I’d sang at school but that was the last time I’d sang with others. I certainly hadn’t a clue what voice part I belonged to, so the prospect of singing quietly in the back row, on a Thursday evening for a couple of hours, with the promise of a pint afterwards, was more than a little appealing. And the reality was far better than I could have imagined and the decision to turn up on that Thursday evening in September, was for me quite life changing.
Nervously I was assessed to establish which of the four voice parts I belonged to and was handed over to tenor 2’s, where Alan very capably took me under his wing and has kept an eye out for me ever since. It was while singing with the boys in tenor 2’s, I realised that I have a voice which doesn’t necessarily need confining to the shower and which can on a good day compliment those of others around me.
I was blown away by the incredible sound which can be achieved by singing in four part harmony and the sheer enjoyment that contributing to that sound gives you. I was immediately hooked and have remained so ever since. Over the last two years not only have both my vocal and personal confidence improved beyond belief, I have been fortunate to be given the opportunity to sing solos and as part of small groups, something I could never have imagined doing. I have never ceased to be impressed by the breadth of repertoire which we have sung and the challenges which the pieces present to the chorus, all under the guidance of Musical Director Jason Pimblett and the Actually music team. This ensures that as a chorus we are always striving to improve. We sing everything from pop music to musical theatre and film, occasionally classical pieces and we even performed Gilbert & Sullivan’s Mikado as part of the Festival Fringe in 2010 with the Brighton Chamber Choir.
We work around three terms, each culminating in a performance at Christmas, the Festival Fringe and Pride. The shows raise money for charities which are chosen once a year, as well as raising money for St Andrew’s Church in Waterloo Street, Hove, where we are the resident Chorus.
Earlier this year 30 of the chorus, including myself were signed to Universal Records in an historic million pound record deal and sing as Brighton and Hove Gay Men’s Chorus. I would never have believed that this could be happening to me and I’m understandably very excited about seeing our album for sale in December, but that is just one of many opportunities which singing with AGMC has given me.
Not all of the opportunities have been purely musical. Above everything, I now have an incredible social life thanks to the great friendships I have made within the chorus, friendships that will be there for life. If I hadn’t been part of AGMC I may never have had the opportunity to perform in the music room at the Royal Pavilion, sing in the incredible St Bartholemew’s Church or perform on daytime television. I may also never have found myself sat around the cabinet table having accepted an invitation to visit 10 Downing Street, the foreign office and the Palace of Westminster.
Chorus members are actively encouraged to become involved in other areas too, sharing and developing skills, both practical and professional, stage management, set building, ticketing and promotion, being just some.
Personally I now enjoy co-editing a quarterly chorus magazine with the highly creative Ian, which is sent not only to chorus members but also to patrons and supporters. Recently I have started to write a blog for the online edition of Gay Times, which chronicles the trials and tribulations of being part of a recording group, very exciting for me and certainly something I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do without the belief and support of those around me.
For Actually the next few months continue to be busy, with the exciting news that Actually Gay Women’s Chorus are having their first rehearsal, 8pm on Monday 10th October at the Marlborough Theatre, with all women welcome.
AGMC are also busy rehearsing for two December shows at St Andrews:
If We Only Have Love, a celebration of life for World Aids Day which will be on Thursday 1st December.
Twas the Night Before Christmas our annual Christmas show will be on Friday 23rd December.
For further details of Actually Gay Men’s Chorus visit www.actuallygmc.org
For further details of Actually Gay Women’s Chorus visit www.actuallygwc.org
