Episode 2: CresFest The Blog
Five questions for our Artistic Director Stella Savy
What language do you most like to sing in
I love the challenge of singing in Seychelles Creole – it’s both tricky and the language of my father, but every language has its own song and its own challenge. The Maori language rolls off the tongue very nicely!
First singing group
Keama a trio of gals including Polly Christie which sang at all the ‘hippie festivals’. My first choir was the Sweet Monas – in 1996 I joined the choir and within 2 rehearsals was singing solos and then at my second gig had to conduct from the front!
Favourite CresFest memory so far
There have been many beautiful moments but favourite was in CF2022 in the Town Hall listening to Emma Donovan and the Putbacks as her voice resonated through the whole space – it was divine, maybe a religious experience?
How many gigs per year?
I do somewhere between 80 and 100 gigs throughout the year, some are big some are small. The best thing is the range – from pub gigs to community festivals, to huge choirs, drum groups, even corporate gigs. I play in funk, reggae, and ska bands and lead so many choirs… phew.
And do you sing in the car? Windows up or down?
Either. I sing with the kid – they have favourites, and it’s great to encourage students to sing in the car. You can hear your voice a lot better as the windscreen bounces the sound back to you. Great for vocalist training.