Singing at funerals across southern England does ensure we sing in many different types of venues. The contrast in venues is sometimes very marked, but as professional opera singers we're able adjust our voices to suit each venue accordingly.
Recently, I've sung in the cavernous Winchester Cathedral, which is always a challenge as there is a one second delay between the front and the back of this magnificent building!
Delay aside, the Cathedral is a marvellous place to sing in, especially accompanied by the wonderful pipe organ in all its glory. I was able to use my operatic experience to fill the space, sending my voice down the nave and up to the ceiling in Howard Goodall's 'The Lord is my shepherd' and Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Pie Jesu'. It certainly helped the family:
Delay aside, the Cathedral is a marvellous place to sing in, especially accompanied by the wonderful pipe organ in all its glory. I was able to use my operatic experience to fill the space, sending my voice down the nave and up to the ceiling in Howard Goodall's 'The Lord is my shepherd' and Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Pie Jesu'. It certainly helped the family:
The fact that I cried whilst you sang Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem was more to do with the emotion of mine at the time. … You are very lucky that you can help people come to terms with a lost one. I have listened to the recording just now and I cried again! Thank you for making the service so beautiful for my brother. I am sure he was listening
The very next day, I was singing in the much more intimate space of Easthampstead Crematorium, for a select group of just five mourners. They too had chosen Howard Goodall's 'The Lord is my shepherd' and Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Pie Jesu' as well as Schubert’s setting of 'Ave Maria' and the lovely Handel aria, ‘Lascia ch'io pianga’. Here, I needed to rein in my voice both in volume and focus, to bring a more intimate feel to the songs. Again, the family were very pleased.
Thank you very much for singing at the above service. You have a lovely voice, and you sang beautifully. Your singing uplifted the service in a spiritual way, which made it special for us. My mother would have loved to hear you, as she had a great appreciation of music and beauty.
Singing opera in the intimate setting of a crematorium can be a challenge, but one to enjoy very much, as I can use different colours and volumes in my voice to make each performance as individual as the person I'm singing for. I sang a range of music for a funeral at Forest Park Crematorium in Essex. The service started with the operatic Mario Lanza classic 'I'll walk with God', then the favourite hymn 'All things bright and beautiful' and finished with 'We'll meet again', a really lovely song with very apt words for the occasion.
I would like to say a very huge thank you for your wonderful performance at my mother's funeral yesterday. Everyone told me they wanted to give you a standing ovation but obviously this was not appropriate. You sang beautifully and brought us happiness to a very sad occasion. I know my mother was listening especially so when you sang 'I'll Walk with God'.
Singing by the graveside is not for everyone. Some singers are not happy outdoors when you are the mercy of the elements. However, at Singers for Funerals we have a portable backing track system and quite a lot of experience singing outdoors for opera performances which we can bring to burials. Personally, I relish the chance to add music to this part of a funeral.
A family asked me to sing by the grave at Slough Cemetery. They chose the modern praise song 'You raise me up' which was lovely and the family were pleased as it helped them through a difficult time. I think the Funeral Director summed up my singing best:
A family asked me to sing by the grave at Slough Cemetery. They chose the modern praise song 'You raise me up' which was lovely and the family were pleased as it helped them through a difficult time. I think the Funeral Director summed up my singing best:
That was lovely, well done, you filled the whole cemetery!
You never know when and what you will be called on to sing for a funeral. But most importantly I do enjoy my job and the diversity of music, spaces and people I sing for.