2013: Weeks 9 and 10

Where do I begin with the last couple of weeks? I have been so busy that I haven't managed to keep up my blog between Glee and assignments. Why have I been so busy, you ask? Well, for the last month or so, Warwick Glee have been rehearsing for the Masters of Show Choir 2013 competition. Masters of Show Choir is the only inter-University show choir competition in the country. Last year Warwick lost to Cambridge, so our President and Creative Director really wanted to step it up this year and show them what we're really made of.

These last two weeks of rehearsal have been intense, the last week especially. We had 5 to 10 rehearsals every night. I was actually only a reserve for the team, but I wanted to be there for as many rehearsals as I could so that I knew the songs and the dances. Ok, I didn't really know the dances in the end. I knew the moves (sort of) but not where they went, or in which order... It's a good job really that no one dropped out!

Apart from wanting to know the set, I also really just enjoyed being with Glee. Sure the rehearsals were long and tiring, but the people in Glee are some of the nicest, geekiest, funniest, weirdest, cutest, most talented people I've met and I love them all for it. We actually got to the point where we'd been spending so much time together, that quite a few of us were dreaming about Glee club!

But onto the actual competition. As it was down at Royal Holloway University in London, and we had to be there quite early, it meant we had to be up and meeting up at 8.30am... on a Saturday... after a week of daily 5 hour rehearsals... It was so worth it though. When we got there, we had to do a tech rehearsal so we could sort out any problems with lighting and sound. Later on we had a dress rehearsal to see how the set would be on one full run through. Here is where we ran into some problems. I don't know why, but the band was fine with everyone else's music, but as soon as it got to our set, they played too fast, they played too slow, they played the music completely wrong, and were generally just rubbish. It's not like the music was overly complicated either, and they were sent a recording of how it should sound as well. So our dress rehearsal wasn't exactly a run through. A couple of times our Creative Director had to stop the set to tell the band what to do. It wasn't helping the nerves of the team at all.

Luckily, everything was running ahead of schedule, and they were kind enough to give us an extra slot of time to sort out the problems. After that, we just sat around waiting for the show to start. I read my kindle while everyone was getting into costume or taking naps. Eventually it got to show time.

As I wasn't actually on the team, I got to watch all of the performances. Cambridge were up first, then it was Sussex, Swansea, Warwick and finally Royal Holloway. Each team had roughly 12 minutes of performance, then comments from the judges. It felt very X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent like. I have to say, even though I am totally biased, I enjoyed our set the most by far. Cambridge were very good vocally, and Sussex did an amazing a capella version of Black Bird by the Beatles, but our set was the most fun. The singing was great, the dancing was fantastic, and they just looked like they were having the most fun. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the other performances as well, but I just got such a buzz after Warwick went up.


After all the teams had performed, there was an interval while the judges went to discuss their thoughts and choose a winner. Naturally, me, the other reserves, and a couple of other members of Glee who weren't in the Show Choir team ran upstairs to pounce on everyone. I have never given nor received so many hugs from such smiley people in that short amount of time. Everyone was so pleased with their performance, it was lovely.

When they called the teams to line up again so they could go back onstage, we returned to our seats in the audience. I don't think I've experienced a more intense moment than while we were waiting for the judges to come back so they could announce the results. I was literally shaking with excitement.

There were 4 awards to hand out. The first was a Special Recognition award, which could go to an individual, or a team. When they were describing the reasons for choosing the team they did, based on the previous comments we'd heard, we guessed that it would go to Cambridge. When it did, we began thinking, "Can they win Special Recognition, and Masters of Show Choir? Is that possible?" We thought Cambridge were our main competition, so we began to get hopeful. The next award was for best arrangement, and deservedly went to Sussex for Black Bird as I mentioned before. The third award was for best soloist. There was one girl from Cambridge who I thought it could go to, because she was really good, and made singing Alone by Heart sound easy. But when the judges said that the award was going to a pair of soloists... for their amazing version of a solo song turned into a duet... everyone from Warwick knew who it was for. They were on our team!! And to be fair, they did sing Run by Snow Patrol amazingly. I must have heard it a thousand times, and I would still listen to it more, and still get goosebumps.

Then the moment came. The final award for Masters of Show Choir 2013. Honestly, I was so happy for our soloists that I didn't actually care about what would happen the rest of the evening. Saying that, it was still very nerve-racking waiting for the results. As with the other awards, the judges gave a mini speech of the reasons why they picked the team they did. They said it was a very hard choice, because there were two teams that were very deserving. Then they used a lot of keywords that slowly made every Warwick jaw slowly start to drop. Individuality. Personality. Interaction and friendship between members of the team. Basically everything we put in our show. When they finally (after what seemed like forever!) announced the name of the winning team, they screamed, we screamed, they hugged, we clapped and cheered and screamed some more.

WARWICK GLEE ARE THE OFFICIAL MASTERS OF SHOW CHOIR 2013!!!!!!!

They came back on to perform their big dance number I Don't Feel Like Dancing by the Scissor Sisters, and it was even better than before. Everyone was so happy it was just amazing to watch. Then of course there was much more hugging and congratulations and even some crying by our Creative Director!

The bus journey home involved a lot of alcohol and singing. That was probably my least favourite part of the day because I was sat in the front, so I couldn't really join in and felt a bit left out, but it was nice to hear how happy everyone was. But then one of the girls actually thanked me for all the help I'd given, even though I didn't think I'd really done much, just pressed a few notes on the keyboard sometimes. It made me feel really happy.

So, even though I wasn't really on the team, I feel honoured to have been there for everyone. This past month has been one of the best experiences of my life. I would especially like to thank our President and Creative Director for letting me be a part of it. Love you guys <3

Note: I will add any videos as and when they get put on youtube!

2013: Week 6

This week, I pretty much spent the entire week being excited about going home at the weekend. I had the usual load of work to do, and I had a load of fun at Glee, but all I could think about was seeing my family again. I did get to use my new knife set though. It's better than my old knife, which is surprising as they only cost 10p. But they are so pretty!

I like colourful things. That's the only picture this week unfortunately. I'm really not good at remembering to take them.

Anyway, Friday finally came around, and I got to go home. I had to stand around waiting for a bus for an hour, because three didn't come when they said they would, and then I was waiting for another half hour for the train, so by the time I got on the train I was pretty freezing and worn out. But the train was warm, and only an hours ride to Stafford where Apollo was waiting to pick me up.

When I got home, there were lots of hugs waiting for me, which made me very happy. I had a bit of a sing song with my sister, and performed Skyfall for my mum and Apollo because they wanted to hear it after I told them about singing it at Glee. Then me, Apollo and my sister all watched Dark Shadows to end the evening.

Saturday was basically spent singing with my sister. We worked our way through three High School Musical piano books (yes, we are that cool), Wicked, Disney and, of course, our favourite I Dreamed a Dream. Which reminds me, I may only have one picture, but I have a video I can show you!



The most exciting thing about the weekend though, and the main reason I chose this weekend for a visit, was because Les Miserables was playing at the local cinema. I have been wanting to see this film ever since Apollo told me about the trailer the first time he saw it. I had no idea what it was actually about, but I knew it would be amazing. It had three very important things going for it for starters.

1) It has I Dreamed a Dream in it, which, as I said before, is a song that I very much love because I sing it all the time with my sister.

2) It has Anne Hathaway in it. If you hadn't noticed that I am basically in love with her by now, then I worry for you. I'm not very subtle about it.

3) It has Anne Hathaway singing I Dreamed a Dream in it. Everything I could ever ask for!

I was under no illusions that this film would be a happy film. It's called Les Miserables for starters... But I was still so excited to see it.

I was not let down. It was honestly amazing. I cried, like, three times and got goosebumps during some of the bigger songs. Oh it was good! Even Sacha Baron Cohen wasn't annoying in it, and I really don't like him normally. It is playing again on 18th March, and I have pretty much already decided that I'm going to go see it again.

The rest of the weekend was spent just slobbing around watching House with Apollo, trying to do a bit of work, recording the piano for a song to sing in Glee on Tuesday, and filming the video above.

When it got to the time for me to leave, it still wasn't any easier than the first time. I don't know why, but I still cry every time. I mean, I'm halfway through my second term now, and I still cry at the thought of leaving my mum or Apollo. It just makes everything that much harder, and makes me feel really weak and like I can't do anything. It's really annoying because it eats into the time I do spend with them, as I'm just moping around at the thought of having to leave later. I'm trying to remind myself that it's only two weeks until Apollo comes to visit again though. Hopefully the time won't go too slowly.