Letters

 

From Miranda:

A quick note to say how much I enjoyed the concert this evening; lively, energetic and a great mix of songs/carols and something for everyone of all ages. I also appreciated Judge Ian Forrester's words and message of hope at this time of year. Congratulations to you all. Many thanks again and best wishes for Christmas and New Year.

 

From Emma:

Last year I learned about the concert too late, so queued up for the leftover ones before the concert, but still managed to buy one! Was a great experience, and I loved the idea from the speaker: "take a child on your lap so everyone can have a seat" Also how we sang in many different languages the Silent Night.

From Martha:

This is just a little Christmas greeting email and to say thanks for a lovely concert on Sunday yet another year. Having attended the concert since moving to Brussels it's really become a key part of the festive season. Merry Christmas!

From Niki:

Congratulations for the excellent spectacle you organised! We all enjoyed it so much!
And Ian's speeches made me cry! 
Thank you for respecting and loving my country Greece, even more than most Greeks do! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to meet young Greek soloists, and enjoying them within your adorable team!
Thank you for offering us your piano talent as well as your kind hosting!
See you again next year! 

 

From Tarja: 

I used to be singing in this same choir for several years many, many years back, right after I had moved to Brussels. I ended up to the concert totally by co-incidence on my Sunday evening walk before Xmas -and decided immediately that I wanted to be with the following year. Excellent ex-patriate exercise J.

 

I always remember the last concert with the choir then, pregnant with my eldest son, singing about the "Child in a manger" just made tears run down the cheeks.  Three kids, and four jobs later I finally last year felt that it was the time to take up singing again. And for my great pleasure I still found "my Xmas choir" from years back and Mary behind the piano. And many familiar –and new faces -in the choir J

 

What is so great in this choir is the combination of Xmas spirit as of September onwards, forgetting all the daily sorrows, singing familiar and totally new Xmas songs, singing in all sort of languages, with people from basically all over the world. Everybody is welcome, whether you can read the notes or not. As long as you love to sing Xmas songs. And yet, the musical team is not afraid of taking up challenges, which keeps even the experienced singers coming back for this one concert, only.  

 

Last year we got a chance for the first time to sing in each of our mother tongues. And there were my tears again –singing one verse of silent night in Finnish –together with others singing it in their mother tongue –total language mess –but so nice because everybody really sang from their heart. I have no doubt that my tear's will be there again this year when for the first time singing in Finnish –together with all the choir –one of the most beautiful Finnish Xmas songs which was a fixed song in my childhood family's Xmas Eve. Dirk, our conductor is definitely not a chicken to take up the challenge of making the choir sing in Finnish –under pressure from the long term Finnish singers of the choir ;-).

 

 

Lauloin tassa samassa kuorossa monta vuotta vuosia sitten, kun olin juuri muuttanut Brysseliin. Paadyin heidan joulukonserttiinsa aivan sattumalta ja paatin heti etta seuraavana vuonna haluan olla mukana laulamassa. Tosi hieno maahanmuuttaja aktiviteetti J

 

Muistan aina silloisen viimeisen konserttini –odotin ensimmaista lastamme ja eihan "Lapsi seimessä" laulua voinut itkemättä laulaa konsertissa.Poikani on nyt lähes 17. Kolme lasta, ja nelja tyopaikkaa myohemmin, pari vuotta sitten, totesin etta oli aika palata takaisin joululaulujen pariin. Oli aivan ihana etta "minun joulukuoroni" oli yhä olemassa ja pianon takaa loytyi yha Mary, ja kuorosta viela monta tuttua –ja uutta kasvoa J

 

Tama kuoro on ihana monestakin syysta –arkihuolesi kaikki heitat kun tutut ja tuntemattomat joululaulut tayttavat yhden illan viikossa jo syyskuusta lahtien. Laulaminen monella kielella, monikansallisessa kuorossa on todella hienoa. Ja vaikka kuoroon ovat kaikki tervetulleita –osaatpa lukea nuotteja tai et, musiikin valinnasta vastaavat eivat kaihda haasteita, miksi kokeneetkin kuorolaulajat palaavat vuodesta toiseen laulamaan tahan yhteen konserttiin.

 

Viime vuonna meilla oli ensimmaista kertaa mahdollisuus laulaa yksi sakeisto jouluyo, juhlayosta omalla aidinkielellamme. Siina taas kyyneleet valuivat, ei soundin kauneuden takia, mutta koska kaikki lauloivat taatusti sydammestaan. Ja on varmaa etta tamankaan vuoden konsertti ei minulta kyyneleitta suju, kun koko kuoro tulee laulamaan yhden kauneimmista suomalaisista joululauluista –suomeksi. Varsinkin kun tama laulu oli oman lapsuuden kotini jouluillanvietossa aina osana. Kuoronjohtaja, ja musiikkivalinnoista vastaava Dirk, ei ole taatusti arkajalka kun tahan haasteeseen suostui kuoron suomalaisten painostuksesta J