What happens when a choir goes away for the weekend? Singing, singing and more singing? Bingo! But that’s not all. Sing Out’s annual weekend was an intense trip that brought the group closer together and prepared the choir for the first events of the season.
Full Focus
On Friday 14 November, the residents of Hastière looked expectantly out of their windows. It was that time again: the yearly Sing Out invasion of their otherwise quiet village.
More than 60 singers gathered to make a big leap forward in the repertoire. The programme, unsurprisingly, featured *a lot* of rehearsing — we want every note to sound just right. A few classics were revisited (‘Pink Pony Club’ and the spectacular ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us’ mash-up) and new songs were studied. We can’t wait to let you hear our brand-new showstopper, ‘Sexual Revolution’!
Inclusion is anything but an empty word at Sing Out. We also kicked off with the song ‘You Are My Sister’, by artist Anohni. Instead of the usual soprani–alti–tenor–bass division, this arrangement is written in three parts. Each singer can decide for themselves which line they want to sing. It’s the best way to let every voice shine.
And when the voices grew tired, it was time to wake up the rest of the body. Every number comes with its own unique choreography, which requires study and concentration too. After all, an arm or leg swinging in the wrong direction is potentially more dangerous than a wrong note. Yes — singing with Sing Out is a full-body workout.
Talents Galore
Aside from the many rehearsals, there was also a side programme consisting of… even more singing and dancing. Choir members can truly never get enough! It all started on Friday evening with karaoke. Like at any karaoke night, the audience was mainly made up of people eager to grab the microphone as soon as possible. In Sing Out’s case, no one waited for their turn — the karaoke quickly turned into one big group singing session. What else would you expect from a choir?
This year, everyone also got the chance to show off their hidden talents during a first-ever talent show. Did you know that some members, besides singing, also excel at stand-up comedy, feminist rap, drag or even that rare gift of remembering people’s names? These multitalented performers shared their skills with pleasure, flair and courage. What incredible members Sing Out has!
The party theme was ‘when I grow up’, or: come as who or what you wanted to be as a child. It made for a colourful dance floor: among others, Hyacinth Bucket, a muscle daddy, Roger Federer, a vampire, a handball player and Pippi Longstocking partied together — all ‘bien étonnés de se trouver ensemble’. Some people simply came as themselves, because they did become who they wanted to be as children. Isn’t that the ultimate dream?
Counting Down to the Events
The morning after the party, the voices may have needed a bit more warming up, but everyone’s minds stayed sharp. A strict deadline is approaching: several wonderful events are marked on Sing Out’s calendar, and the first ones are just around the corner. We hope to see you there soon, so you can enjoy the results of this delightful weekend!
