Post by graemek on May 2, 2007 23:15:32 GMT
To start off here's a video clip of Hayley doing the sound check:
Note: I suggest you download this & then play. File is 13Mb or so.
Hmmm...just tried it off this post & its fine with me. Many thanks to Stephany for hosting the file.
stephy.kong.free.fr/hayleywestenra/P1090504.MOV
Hayley Westenra at Readings Music & Book Store Hawthorn 1-5-2007 for 6.30 pm.
Have just come back from Melbourne where I attended a concert of 3 songs, a signing session & a live interview for FM 3MBS radio which included a questions & answers session from the 200 strong audience to Hayley.
Almost at Readings at 5.45 & Hayley glided into my view crossing the street from the car park with a couple of guys carrying musical gear. They disappeared thru the café doors.
I went into the front doors of Readings & towards the back & there again was Hayley crossing the floor towards a little back door. Well of course I called out “Hayley” & she spun towards me with a rather cautious look on her face. Then I dropped my name, Mariannes & HWI’s she did a connect up in her mind & we shook hands. As I expected, a strong handshake.
Not an unusual experience I guess but I thought: Hayley’s the only person I know here.
She said “I’ll talk to you after” & I retreated to the auditorium & chose a 2nd row seat about 6 seats displaced from where Hayley was to perform. Total audience number was 200 I was told. As the Auditorium filled up people were standing around the walls at the rear & the sides
While I was sitting & chatting a bit with my immediate neighbours Hayley suddenly appeared with her guitarist & a sound guy & proceeded to set up.
Suddenly Hayley spoke to the effect that she was setting the audio equipment up & would sing just to check everything.
Of course I grabbed my camera & set it for video. She started immediately to sing ‘Scarborough Fair’ & quite quickly gave it the thumbs up. Result you will see just above the title.
Shortly she appeared again & the Readings Presenter announced her & welcomed her and so on.
Then he announced that there would be no cameras in operation during the performance but only during the signing session.
I was aghast for obvious reasons & put my hand up saying but I don’t need flash. His answer was that the management had insisted on it so that was it. At a guess it was to do with the recorded interview later on for 3MBS Melbourne Radio FM’s Heather Clarke (eminent Melbourne musician) & could have lead to interference.
Hayley began her first song Scarborough Fair & since all I had to do was watch & listen (no camera distraction) I said to myself…this is so marvellous…I’m loving it…I think I sat their grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat.
Beautifully sung but ….what?...didn’t end with the sad downcast eyes & hands crossed over on her chest. I’ve got so used to the Celtic Woman Scarborough Fair ending that I missed it. I’m sure Hayley has a few endings up her sleeve. (not sure I’ve seen her wearing many sleeves)
Next came treasure song Shenandoah…she introduced it with: It’s got 100 verses but don’t worry…I’m only going to sing 3.
It was again simply beautiful to listen to & sounded like only Hayley can…there was no motion or sound coming from anybody in the auditorium…including me.
Now, after the clapping had subsided, she said…I know, why don’t I sing another song?….obvious approval from the audience.
I’m going to sing you Pokarekare Ana she said. The guitarist put his instrument down & I thought …Oh wow a Cappella.
And there was Hayley’s gorgeous voice singing her signature song….was I wrapt. Then I thought….I’m so glad I’m here, such a privilege to have Hayley standing 3 metres from me & singing (still miked tho but the audio appeared very well behaved)
The stage was rearranged now to have just a couple of neat armchairs for Heather Clark (left) & Hayley.
Good well thought out interview. I have the address of the man who sat next to me. He sings in one of Melbourne’s 3 Welsh Choirs & wanted to ask her to sing at a function where his choir was to sing. I told him she was totally busy but he said his choir had sung together with Bryn Terfel etc.
Later on this man gave me his contact address & told me he’d try to get a copy of Heather’s Interview for us at HWI.
Question time followed the Interview. You could ask Hayley anything. A lot of questions were asked including a young girl asking for guidance for a career in music.
Another used ‘Abide with Me’ to ask her why she chooses such emotional songs & at the same time relates to them from her heart. She said, as far as I can remember, that they were in her heart already. (I’d love to ask her that same question myself)
My question was simply: Hayley, are you ever likely to sing the little Bocelli song Romanza again. She said: It’s a really beautiful song…have to bear it in mind. (something like that)
During the interview & the question-answer time Hayley was constantly looking around her audience & making deliberate & gentle eye contact with probably everyone she could see. She caught my eye several times & held it just long enough for me to realise instantly…she means me to listen to what she is saying. I followed her gaze then & I could see that pattern travel around the room. She is an expert communicator & uses every part of herself to connect….she exudes her wonderful warmth into an audience & they absorb that warmth & light up themselves. I fell myself under her spell the same way. I could not resist & there was no need to anyway.
Finally came the signing queue that she so obviously loves so much. I was not aware of people leaving instead of joining the queue.
Being probably 20th down the line I had a lot of time to watch her modus operandi. The deliberate eye contact…the exchange of a few words…she’s not really a chatterbox person to person…the listening mode….the smile…the CD signing itself…the careful deliberate way she pulls the jacket off & asks the person what shall I write?...that all finished she asks quickly: did you want a picture with me?...on yes she is up next to the person like a flash & has her arm around them. The speed of that movement is unbelievable…she almost translates herself from her chair to the standing position.
My turn came but there’s no need to describe it here. See the pics I took for that. Each object I had needed a couple of words to tell her why this why that. While she was busy writing I was busy snapping her. I was a bit nervous & that made me not that steady of hand with the camera. But she noticed that & was very helpful to make sure I was happy with what I got. If you look at the pics the way she holds each object & places her fingers is perfect. I didn’t say anything…just took the pics. She was the photographer.
I'll finish this off tomorrow...Graeme
Note: I suggest you download this & then play. File is 13Mb or so.
Hmmm...just tried it off this post & its fine with me. Many thanks to Stephany for hosting the file.
stephy.kong.free.fr/hayleywestenra/P1090504.MOV
Hayley Westenra at Readings Music & Book Store Hawthorn 1-5-2007 for 6.30 pm.
Have just come back from Melbourne where I attended a concert of 3 songs, a signing session & a live interview for FM 3MBS radio which included a questions & answers session from the 200 strong audience to Hayley.
Almost at Readings at 5.45 & Hayley glided into my view crossing the street from the car park with a couple of guys carrying musical gear. They disappeared thru the café doors.
I went into the front doors of Readings & towards the back & there again was Hayley crossing the floor towards a little back door. Well of course I called out “Hayley” & she spun towards me with a rather cautious look on her face. Then I dropped my name, Mariannes & HWI’s she did a connect up in her mind & we shook hands. As I expected, a strong handshake.
Not an unusual experience I guess but I thought: Hayley’s the only person I know here.
She said “I’ll talk to you after” & I retreated to the auditorium & chose a 2nd row seat about 6 seats displaced from where Hayley was to perform. Total audience number was 200 I was told. As the Auditorium filled up people were standing around the walls at the rear & the sides
While I was sitting & chatting a bit with my immediate neighbours Hayley suddenly appeared with her guitarist & a sound guy & proceeded to set up.
Suddenly Hayley spoke to the effect that she was setting the audio equipment up & would sing just to check everything.
Of course I grabbed my camera & set it for video. She started immediately to sing ‘Scarborough Fair’ & quite quickly gave it the thumbs up. Result you will see just above the title.
Shortly she appeared again & the Readings Presenter announced her & welcomed her and so on.
Then he announced that there would be no cameras in operation during the performance but only during the signing session.
I was aghast for obvious reasons & put my hand up saying but I don’t need flash. His answer was that the management had insisted on it so that was it. At a guess it was to do with the recorded interview later on for 3MBS Melbourne Radio FM’s Heather Clarke (eminent Melbourne musician) & could have lead to interference.
Hayley began her first song Scarborough Fair & since all I had to do was watch & listen (no camera distraction) I said to myself…this is so marvellous…I’m loving it…I think I sat their grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat.
Beautifully sung but ….what?...didn’t end with the sad downcast eyes & hands crossed over on her chest. I’ve got so used to the Celtic Woman Scarborough Fair ending that I missed it. I’m sure Hayley has a few endings up her sleeve. (not sure I’ve seen her wearing many sleeves)
Next came treasure song Shenandoah…she introduced it with: It’s got 100 verses but don’t worry…I’m only going to sing 3.
It was again simply beautiful to listen to & sounded like only Hayley can…there was no motion or sound coming from anybody in the auditorium…including me.
Now, after the clapping had subsided, she said…I know, why don’t I sing another song?….obvious approval from the audience.
I’m going to sing you Pokarekare Ana she said. The guitarist put his instrument down & I thought …Oh wow a Cappella.
And there was Hayley’s gorgeous voice singing her signature song….was I wrapt. Then I thought….I’m so glad I’m here, such a privilege to have Hayley standing 3 metres from me & singing (still miked tho but the audio appeared very well behaved)
The stage was rearranged now to have just a couple of neat armchairs for Heather Clark (left) & Hayley.
Good well thought out interview. I have the address of the man who sat next to me. He sings in one of Melbourne’s 3 Welsh Choirs & wanted to ask her to sing at a function where his choir was to sing. I told him she was totally busy but he said his choir had sung together with Bryn Terfel etc.
Later on this man gave me his contact address & told me he’d try to get a copy of Heather’s Interview for us at HWI.
Question time followed the Interview. You could ask Hayley anything. A lot of questions were asked including a young girl asking for guidance for a career in music.
Another used ‘Abide with Me’ to ask her why she chooses such emotional songs & at the same time relates to them from her heart. She said, as far as I can remember, that they were in her heart already. (I’d love to ask her that same question myself)
My question was simply: Hayley, are you ever likely to sing the little Bocelli song Romanza again. She said: It’s a really beautiful song…have to bear it in mind. (something like that)
During the interview & the question-answer time Hayley was constantly looking around her audience & making deliberate & gentle eye contact with probably everyone she could see. She caught my eye several times & held it just long enough for me to realise instantly…she means me to listen to what she is saying. I followed her gaze then & I could see that pattern travel around the room. She is an expert communicator & uses every part of herself to connect….she exudes her wonderful warmth into an audience & they absorb that warmth & light up themselves. I fell myself under her spell the same way. I could not resist & there was no need to anyway.
Finally came the signing queue that she so obviously loves so much. I was not aware of people leaving instead of joining the queue.
Being probably 20th down the line I had a lot of time to watch her modus operandi. The deliberate eye contact…the exchange of a few words…she’s not really a chatterbox person to person…the listening mode….the smile…the CD signing itself…the careful deliberate way she pulls the jacket off & asks the person what shall I write?...that all finished she asks quickly: did you want a picture with me?...on yes she is up next to the person like a flash & has her arm around them. The speed of that movement is unbelievable…she almost translates herself from her chair to the standing position.
My turn came but there’s no need to describe it here. See the pics I took for that. Each object I had needed a couple of words to tell her why this why that. While she was busy writing I was busy snapping her. I was a bit nervous & that made me not that steady of hand with the camera. But she noticed that & was very helpful to make sure I was happy with what I got. If you look at the pics the way she holds each object & places her fingers is perfect. I didn’t say anything…just took the pics. She was the photographer.
I'll finish this off tomorrow...Graeme
