Three Choirs in Chiang Mai, Thailand

I have been so busy that I haven't even had time to update my blog! I am going to try to catch up this week.

If you have been following my blog, you will know that I belong to three choirs here in Chiang Mai. One is a madrigals choir 'The Spirit House Singers', another is an ad hoc choir especially got together for a charity performance of show tunes for FERC (the Foundation for the Education or Rural Children (Chiang Mai Thailand), and the third is the Chiang Mai Choral Society.

Our madrigal group performed at the Chiang Mai Friends Group. This is a group that brings together Thais and Farangs (foreigners) to help each other and to understand each other's cultures. Below is part of the report by the Chiang Mai Mail:
'The last item on the programme was a performance by the Spirit House Singers, formed almost a year ago to specialise in Renaissance music, both sacred and secular. The short and charming concert featured 6 madrigals, all dating from the time of Queen Elizabeth the First in “Merrie England.” As the group’s founder stated, “Music is the international language which transcends time.” '

Before we sang, Becky gave a presentation informing us about FERC ( the Foundation for the Education of Rural Children (Chiang Mai, Thailand). Becky, her husband Frank and Glynn are all on the board of FERC and devote a lot of time to this project.

The following evening, Becky and Frank held a party at their house to welcome a group of Americans to Thailand, who had each donated $500 to FERC on top of their travel expenses. We had lots of fun and the food was amazing. Becky had also organised a performance by Mark, Art and John (the leaders of our charity concert group). Thank you Becky and Frank, that was an amazing evening!

The rainy season here in Thailand should have finished by now, but it has rained incessantly! So much so that Glynn's house became an island – a sea of mud on one side and a lake on the other, with the result that I have moved over to Harry and Margaret's house, rather that wade through the water every day. No. that is not Glynn's pond you see. It is his garden – under water.