Storytelling Sunday..................... music x

Good morning and welcome to a musically themed Storytelling Sunday. If you've never read a Storytelling Sunday then where have you been? It is a monthly blog linkup run by the wonderful Sian who blogs High in the sky. On the first Sunday of each month, bloggers around the world tell a story about something important to them. This year we have been given the task of blogging about our precious things. So today I am going to talk about the preciousness of music in my life.

I first started playing music when I was about 5 or 6 I think and I learnt the recorder. Not the most exciting instrument perhaps but it taught me how to read music a little, the importance of correct fingering, making a good sound not a noise and how to play music with others. Somewhere I have a photo of me at primary school playing in the Christmas play.

Anyway, from the recorder I started learning to play the piano. Both sets of grandparents had had pianos so lil sis and I had always hammered out a sound when on visits but then my dad joined a male voice choir in Cheshire where we lived, and the leader taught piano. His name was Ted and he was really lovely. I started learning and did quite well and so I did some exams and passed. As the years went on I also learnt to play the guitar and joined the choir. I was by now playing the flute at school and playing the the orchestra. I was also in the school choir and the school musical society. At around the age of 13 or 14 years, my piano teacher suggested to my parents that I was ok at the piano, but that my voice was my true instrument. She advised them that I should have singing lessons. So with the help of Mr Spinks my music teacher at school I started having singing lessons with this lovely lady, Lena Philips.

I was so very lucky to have lessons with her. I learnt loads not just about singing itself, but breath control, making warm sounds, how to sing a scale and arpeggio with one breath, lots about different music and songs. Through her, I entered into music competitions in Worthing, Chichester and East Grinstead and I even won some cups. One for solo singing and a couple for duets with a girl called Claire. We also had the opportunity to sing at The Purcell Rooms on The Southbank in London.

I am still lucky to have my soprano voice and love nothing better than singing around my flat and I hope singing with the Wells Cathedral Chorale in the autumn.