Dear reader, this edition of the KTB Music Theatre Chorus blog will reflect its writer in that it is going to be short and sweet. (Keep those wisecracks to yourself, KTB... I can hear the snickering from here...) Yes, we only covered two songs tonight, but our new number deserved every bit of the attention.
After twisting our brains into knots with warm-ups, we opened with "Somewhere Only We Know" (Keane) to note-bash. This one is sounding great, so it's time for those finishing touches to really make it shine. It was also rather appropriate to get us into a reflective frame of mind that flowed rather nicely into our main focus of the evening. When Katy is very openly excited about introducing a piece of music, we know by now that it's time to brace ourselves!
"Thank God It's Christmas" was released by the cast of Hadestown on their 2020 special project: "If The Fates Allow: A Hadestown Holiday Album." Just like the hit musical, this number is infused with the blues, folk, jazz, and ragtime stylings that made the musical such a success among fans.
To our chorus, that means a lot of key changes to watch out for, harmonies with unexpected notes, and a full set of parts that need to be repeated - section by section, over and over until it feels natural. Yes, this is note bashing in its most intricate form. Never be afraid to ask to repeat a part, folks! We're all rooting for everyone to succeed and feel comfortable. We left with the general shape of it peeking through the clouds: a hopeful and encouraging number that builds. We're excited to hear it with some extra instrumental accompaniment to really let it end with a bang!
Oops, I said I wasn't going to put a bunch of firework puns in here. Oh, well... With just two rehearsals to go before our first concert, it's time to buckle up, get the homework done, and show everyone what an amazing sound we've got. "Kickstart To Christmas" will hit the stage at Chorley Town Hall on 28 November, and tickets are now on sale! You can also catch us at Longton Winter Wonderland on November 29, and at Chew's Yard in Preston on 6 December. Let's make this holiday season musically magical!
Written by Aeryn Isherwood
