Charlie Corkin has been Director of Music for St. Edmund's Choir since September 2017...
I was 14 when I sat behind the marvellous 'Auntie' Ann Dickinson as we prepared for a Christmas concert. I had a dodgy Yamaha keyboard and she was on a borrowed upright piano from the school next door. I remember it being FREEZING and that I wasn't very good but followed where I could.
I went through loads of swapping and changing - effectively learning the ropes. Some weeks I would be singing, some playing and then a few years later conducting.
The Choir began to grow and the work that, as with anything, people came and went. All of a sudden, I was Assistant Director and Martin and I were planning a mammoth year of events to coincide with Jospice's 40th Anniversary Appeal in 2013. The first event at the Plaza Cinema was a game-changer for the group as we went from being a church choir to being recognised in local press, in the community and with members (old and new) as something far greater than that.
In 2015, I temporarily stepped into the shoes as Director of Music for the annual Christmas concert at St. George's Hall. The choir then had 45(ish!) members and at the tender age of 21, probably one of my greatest achievements.
Since then, we've grown to have more members than ever before, we're doing more work than ever before, we're award nominees and we're still just as free, fun and for everyone as ever before. St. Edmund's Choir means the world to me and I am beyond excited to be taking the Choir to places we've never been before.
I have several favourite quotes - too many to choose just one - but I thought I'd share some with you:
∙ "S***!!" - Auntie Ann on a piece with six flats
∙ "I'm sorry I can't make tonight's rehearsal, my cat is in labour on my chest" - dog, homework, anyone?
∙ "Oh, there's wine at this rehearsal? I'll be there!" - every choir member ever
∙ "How are we supposed to get to St. George's Hall?" "The 53 bus?"
∙ "Can we sway?" "No!"
∙ "Did anyone hear a cat?" "Yes, I brought the kittens"
∙ "And if you're good, I might even let you sway..."
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