Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 March 2019
Tuesday, 5 December 2017
lost in music
Louise is lost in music. She sits on a sofa in the spacious airy extension to the rear of her house, on the wall behind her a lovingly assembled collage of family photos. Louise cradles a CD in her hands. She looks down and smiles. It brings back memories.
“I’m
old-school - I’ve still got a CD player.
Music’s helped me through good times and bad. I believe it’s important
to remember the bad times too…
My dad’s
very musical, classical mostly. I can remember as a young girl sitting round
the table with the family at lunchtime with classical music on in the background.
We kids
liked loud pop music in the car. I remember singing along to, ‘We’re all going
on a summer holiday!’ When we went away we each chose five or six of our
favourite songs and my brother, Richard, would make a mix-tape.
I think it’s
in the blood. My sister Rachel’s very musical too - she’s a Grade 8
cornet-player
and pianist. Mind you, my mum’s tone deaf, bless her!
My father
was a Minister and we moved to Guernsey when I was eleven. I started piano
lessons but was pretty hopeless. My
teacher also gave singing lessons and I think out of sheer frustration she
asked me one day if I wanted to sing. She was so encouraging - she told me I
had a really nice tone.
Music has
definitely helped me in my faith. My father used to take a group from Guernsey
to The Methodist Association of Youth Clubs annual meeting in London. I often
went with him and the first time I felt connected to Jesus was in the Albert
Hall singing, ‘As the deer pants for the water’ with hundreds of others. I was
completely moved by the music.
So back to
my singing. One thing led to another and I joined a ladies choir called, ‘Les
Chasonelles’, which means, ‘The Girls’! We sang classical pieces and popular
tunes from the shows, things like ‘A Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.’ The
choir won a competition in Europe and an international event in Jersey. I also sang at weddings and in church, during
prayers and meditations.
I was
working in mental health at the time but after a failed relationship I gave up
everything at the age of twenty-five to go travelling. Ten months later I met
Steve in Australia and the rest is history. We got married and six months later
I was pregnant with Adam. Life got really busy!
I started
coming to Streetly Methodist Church ten years ago when Adam was eight months
old. It was a Parade Service and I got a
really warm welcome. Everyone thought I was a Rainbow mum! I went on to join a House Group run by
Kirsten on Thursday nights. It was there I told someone I used to sing, it may
have been Frankie or Vicky. I’d lost all confidence and was very rusty, but I
started singing again with Vicky. I found it very therapeutic.
What sort
of music do I like listening to? I’m a
huge Bon Jovi fan and ‘Thank you for loving me’ was played at our wedding.
Richard got me into Bryan Adams who I saw play live recently. I also love a CD by John Rutter which has a
fantastic version of ‘All things bright and beautiful’ on it. I can’t stand the
original! It reminds me of children singing out of tune.
I listened
to a lot of music when I was recuperating from knee surgery. I had three
operations and while I was resting my ear-phones were in constantly!
Yes, you
could say I’m lost in music … “
Louise breaks off the interview to
look down again at the CD she’s holding. She smiles fondly. It reminds her of
Steve.
Tuesday, 17 October 2017
Thursday, 12 October 2017
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
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