LOCKDOWN ALBUMN | unlimited-voices

NEW YORK

Laraine, Geoff, Michael, Richard, Shirley & Linda

I cannot remember any of the trips abroad which were less than amazing and enjoyable but i guess the trip we made to New York in 2005 is amongst my most special memories.

I think from memory it was a last minute decision for Geoff & I as we had already booked to visit my sister in Vancouver but we decided to tag on a visit to New York too.

Staying at the Marriott Marquis hotel just a stride away from 42nd Street we had a fantastic room and if you looked out of the room you could see the museum where the Concord was housed. Geoff and Richard said they would go & visit while the girls shopped in Bloomingdale one particular day but they didn't get there - somehow they got side tracked and spent most of the afternoon in a bar just opposite Central Park - the barman said he'd never had such good customers so much so he bought them a drink.

In our little party were Linda John Shirley Richard Geoff & I along with the inimitable and fondly remembered Michael Beard who I recall relished every minute of the tour.

Our trips to The Empire State building to the very top floor, New York city Music Hall to see the fabulous Christmas production with real camel's, Pershing Square Restaurant for breakfast followed a must see trip into Grand Central station - that is some station. A boat trip on the Circle Line to view Manhattan from the water and pass under all the iconic bridges of the city.

Perhaps the most outstanding moment must be a visit to St Pauls Chapel at Ground Zero which is something never to be forgotten. All rounded off with a few evenings of fun, laughter with great food and a few too many drinks spent with special friends.

Oh! I forgot I wonder who were present on the first evening we arrived when we walked a short distance from the hotel to a pizza restaurant? It wasn't until we'd all eaten that suddenly we noticed some unwelcome visitors climbing up the walls!! Quite a few cockroaches - apparently it's quite normal and they come from the drains and pipes under the streets - nice! We had no alternative than to beat a hasty retreat back to the hotel bar to order a few drinks, for shock of course.

A very special trip in my memory bank.

Laraine, Halifax

Unlimited Voices Travel 'Lockdown' Album

Have voice, will travel – it sounds simple and it is! However, in these unprecedented days of lockdown where staying at home means staying safe and ensuring others are safe it’s time for a journey of a different kind – a virtual tour – taken through the words and phots of our singers and enjoyed in the comfort of our own homes.

We thought it would be fun to share some happy highlights and to rejoice in our community which has evolved from the bond of singing and touring together. We look forward to future tours, new and familiar faces joining us and many more happy adventures together!

CORNWALL

VENICE

John and Sarah in Venice

So many of the trips have been special for various reasons but I think the most special for me has to be the trip to Venice 10 years ago. It coincided with our 25th wedding anniversary and my 50th birthday, the weather was fantastic, the singing in St Marks was beautiful and my mum and Dad came too. Everything about that trip was fantastic.

Sarah, Glasshouses, Yorkshire

Waiting to go into St Mark's Basilica in Venice

SCARBOROUGH

The Minack Theatre, Cornwall

I loved our trip to Cornwall in 2014. Cornwall is just so beautiful, and we were blessed with glorious weather.

Singing at the Minack theatre was an incredible experience. A theatre so unique, in a natural, breath taking landscape. It was very, very special, and even more so because six of my family were there, and two good friends who had retired to Cornwall. So, to sing with our singing family, in a glorious setting, for family and friends I love......what could be better!! Precious times and a wonderful tour.

Angie, Timperly

SCOTLAND

The Kelpies, Scotland

WINDSOR

A privilege to sing in St George's Chapel on our tour to Windsor

A quick dip after the sandcastle competion on the beach in Scarborough

All in the April Evening is one of my favourite songs - I have a mental picture of a Victorian man or woman standing by a piano and singing it to an assembled audience who nod their heads in polite appreciation!! Makes me smile every time even though it’s not meant to!!

Sue, Nottingham

We had a fab trip to Scotland in October 2017, Roly was our vocal coach, we stayed near Tarbert and had a day trip to Arran, the crossing was interesting and on the return it was quite rough, the ferry only just made it back across! Another day we visited the Kelpies, they are so magnificent and realistic. The weather wasn’t very kind to us but we were a good crowd and had a marvellous time, John from Liverpool did a quiz one night, we bribed Roly to join our team by buying him gin & tonic and we won the quiz.

Maureen and David, Stockport

Ferry Crossing, Lochranza to Claonaig, Scotland

WALT DISNEY WORLD, FLORIDA

Brenda at the Candlelight Processional, Walt Disney World, Florida

My favourite memory is the first time we went to Disney. From singing on the plane to appearing in the parade and everything in between was just amazing! Steve’s big regret is that he didn’t do it! His best bit was St Peters in Rome! But it is hard to choose with so many wonderful memories.

Stephen and Brenda, Halifax

ROME

St Peter's Basilica, Rome

ROCKIES TOUR, CANADA

CRUISES

MEMORIES

I’m not much use on the photos but instead I thought I would share some memories under different headings, hope they tie up with other people’s memories ,so here goes.

The coldest singing experience....... definitely St. Stephens Cathedral, Vienna. Absolutely freezing, and then we had to que for ages to use the clergy toilets. Quite how I didn’t have an accident was down to a lot of mental will power.

The ‘wow’ sounds. Three stand out on the trips I have done.

Firstly was at Bolton Abbey when Steve took us back out into the porch and we sang there.
Secondly was Raynham Hall in their entrance hall. Thirdly was Laugharne singing with the other choirs, especially the male voice choir.

The funniest trip was the Yorkshire trip in Scarborough. The sandcastle competition and the sight of choir members dressed in an array of outfits emerging from the sea was quite a sight. The bandstand in the middle of that pond experience was something else. I shall never forget Steve looking over his shoulder worried about what might descend on him whilst trying to conduct us. We of course could watch the back ends of the gulls. There were a few near misses. That whole experience still makes me giggle.

The biggest adventure was Paris when we got snowed in and had to spend another day and night over there.

On a personal note the most moving was to sing in St. Margaret’s in Kings Lynn knowing that lots of my ancestors had been christened, married and had their funeral services held there.

Maggie, Stockport

GREAT TIMES

Remember the Florence Trip and Pisa that was a good one and me running up the steps, happy days.

Ice cream with Alessia and our chauffeur driven journey to Pisa. I loved Assisi too.

Our many happy times in London, shopping trips to Harrods and morning coffee at Valerie Patisserie.

And not forgetting our adventures up & down the countryside with no Sat nav.

Laraine, Halifax

BATTLEFIELDS TOUR

Most moving tour was the Battlefields, singing ‘And the mother shall weep’ with all those people under the Menin Gate was so moving.

Colette, Hale

So many great memories, where do we start?, and so many more to come!

Sue, Warwick

BAVARIA TOUR

This is the interior of the white church in Bavaria where we sang on the Saturday morning at Mass. It would have been my Golden Wedding Anniversary but my husband had died three years earlier. We were preparing to sing at the Mass when the priest came out at the front and told everybody that this was a special mass that day as the couple in the front row of the church were celebrating their Golden Wedding. I must admit that I found it difficult to sing the first item! Afterwards everybody were so nice and Steve gave me a big hug!

Janet, Ruislip

I'll be honest, I was really doubtful about coming on my first trip, I'd never been a lover of choral music or indeed the human voice in music. But this trip converted me. It started with us happening to sit next to Michael on the plane. He was so welcoming and told us all the history. That turned out to be very useful as, about 5 minutes after I took the photo I was explaining, in French, who we were.

The first singing I recall was in Wieskirche, where they were up in the gallery and though I could hear them all I could see were Steve's hands popping up occasionally.

I think the highlight was Munich Cathedral, where the echo really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Less of a highlight was the Kiss of Peace in one church, from an elderly and not well shaven Bavarian gentleman.

Jeff, Rainford