Confessions of a Chorus Member: Anne Backhouse

Festival Chorus Member Anne Backhouse talks about her BBC Proms experience...

I was a member of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus from 1996-2003 and have just rejoined. I was tempted back by the prospect of singing Mahler’s 8th Symphony for the first time, and Christopher’s ‘good and bad news’ announcement of a trip to the Proms only came after we’d started rehearsals. The bad news was that the work to be performed was Mahler’s 3rd Symphony and only the ladies of the Chorus would be needed. Singing at the Proms has always been a dream of mine and now it was going to be fulfilled.

We travelled down to London by train the day before the concert and stayed at Imperial College, a great location only 5 minutes away from the Albert Hall. I made the most of being there and went to 2 other Prom concerts and it certainly added to the excitement, sitting in the audience thinking I’ll be on that stage tomorrow!

The Festival Chorus Ladies and the RSNO Junior Chorus, were performing with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill and conductor Donald Runnicles. Our big moment comes in the 5th movement and, after a very long sit, we rose to our feet for our 3 minutes of ‘angelic’ singing. The very precise timings of our stand and sit were the cause of some anxiety, especially coping with tip-up seats, but all went well and, after the intensely moving final movement, there was thunderous applause. Back in the dressing room Christopher appeared to pass on congratulations and compliments. As chorus master of both choirs it was a very special occasion for him.

It’s hard to describe the thrill of being part of such a wonderful performance, but one privilege of sitting in the choir is being able to watch the clarity, passion and intensity of Donald Runnicles’ conducting. I can’t wait for Mahler 8!

Confessions of a Chorus Member: Fiona Mcbryde

Festival Chorus Member Fiona McBryde gives a day by day account of the run up to the BBC Proms.

Conductor's Rehearsal, Glasgow

Wednesday 28th July

I would never have suspected, at the beginning of our rehearsals for the 2010 festival season, that grown women with the talent of the ladies of the Festival Chorus would be so worried about "bimming" or "bamming" in the wrong place, yet here we are. As we board the chorus bus at Haymarket and head across the M8, memorised words are being muttered under breath and scores are being checked in advance of today's rehearsals with Donald Runnicles and the BBC SSO. The bus trip to Glasgow is always an exciting sign to me that a performance with the choir is in the pipeline - and this year it marks the beginning of a wonderful festival of music and an additional outing for the chorus to the BBC Proms in London. The rehearsal goes well although we all heed Christopher's advice to his "Bell's Angels" to devote some bathroom practice to Mahler 3 before the next rehearsal.

General Rehearsal and recording for the BBC Archive, Glasgow

Saturday 31st July

After the minor mishap of the chorus bus breaking down on the way to the Royal Concert hall, our final rehearsal before meeting in London gets underway. We are very lucky ladies as we are treated to what is essentially a private performance of the whole of Mahler's 3rd symphony by the orchestra and Karen Cargill. It's truly spellbinding stuff and it puts us in the perfect frame of mind for the concert.

Day off, London

Monday 2nd August

Having sung in the Albert Hall with the National Youth Choir of Scotland but never having been to a prom before, I decided in May that this trip to London was too good an opportunity to miss for getting truly absorbed in the Proms spirit. I booked tickets for 3 concerts and after an afternoon concert in the Cadogan Hall, coffee and saunter along Southbank, I make my way to the Albert Hall from South Kensington tube station to meet friends for an evening Prom. The excitement reaches a peak when I see my first glimpse of the hall, the crescent apartments of Kensington Gore leading towards it like rippling waves of music emanating from the iconic building and out through central London. As I take in the atmosphere of the concert, it all adds to the excitement that it will soon be our turn.

Concert Day, London

Wednesday 4th August

After a fairly painless warm up and rehearsal in the empty concert hall - with the anticipation building that it will soon be full of prommers waiting to hear us sing - the ladies of the chorus disperse for lunches, sightseeing and snoozes prior to the final preparations for the concert. We assemble for final notes from Christopher at 6.15: the message is clear; the hard work isn't over and we need to give our all for one final time. At 9 o'clock we emerge sore-faced from all the smiling following a thrilling performance. We celebrate in anticipation of this weekend's rehearsals and next week's Opening Concert. The following weeks will bring our EIF performance of Mahler 3 and our reunion with the BBC SSO and Donald Runnicles for Mahler 8, bringing to end a great programme for the chorus for 2010.