Introducing…

Having been a musician for over 30 years, dabbling in a variety of instruments ranging from guitar to percussion to ukulele to keyboards, music has always been a part of Tarren’s life.

‘Singing has always been my passion and my strength, often giving me reason to keep going through some of the toughest times of my life’

Currently living in Iowa, United States, life hasn’t always been easy for them as a blind autistic person, fitting into much of normal society has often been a struggle. With the initial dream of becoming a voice instructor, and while excelling in the music courses, the written aspect was far too challenging with their condition. Eventually Tarren, moving to Alaska, tried their hand at Braille transcription and woodworking before being asked to teach Braille and technology at the blindness training center in Anchorage. It was during a period of brief good fortune and general transition they met their partner; a phenomenal dog trainer, artist, and awesome person. But through it all, they have kept singing, and singing has been the driving force to keep them in one piece.

After their local church decided to suspend in-person activities due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Tarren being cut off from a community they cherish, searched for a way to continue their love for singing. In that search they found SAHC which has been a ‘lifeline for me to a passion I feared I’d been cut off from’.

SAHC has been a welcome constant through what has been a challenging time on so many levels for Tarren with a personal highlight of working with Sir. Karl Jenkins on Adiemus stating that they suddenly realised that ‘Adiemus was actually a piece I’d heard countless times and grown to love, but hadn’t ever managed to learn the name of’. Tarren thanks all at Stay at Home Choir for making a beautiful, caring, supportive and amazing community; from the amazing team that keeps all this awesomeness going to all their fellow singers who have shared their knowledge, advice, insight and humour through this amazing journey.

We would also like to thank you Tarren for your continued support in keeping this choir an accessible and diverse community for all to do what they love – sing!

This week we are celebrating two Stay at Homie twins Amelie and Seth.

You may have seen them on the SAHC official twitter page way back in at the start of this journey, as these two young stars started singing with the Stay at Home Choir at the very beginning with the Vivaldi Gloria. Since then, they have fitted rehearsing and recording for the choir around their home/school work.

‘We’ve loved every minute of singing new pieces (at our age we would never normally have got to sing in The Armed Man) and meeting all the thousands of other members in the Zoom rehearsals. We hope that SAHC goes on forever!’

We are 13 year old twins from Sheffield. Before the lockdown, we were both in the Sheffield Cathedral Choir (Seth had been in the choir for almost half his life, starting when he was 6). But we’re really sad that the choir has recently been closed and we will be looking for a new one in the Autumn. Amelie and Seth’s talents do not end there however with both playing other instruments – Amelie playing the French Horn and piano and Seth playing the Cello and piano. They also both sing in the National Youth Girls’ and Boys’ Choir (which is where Amelie first ‘met’ Tori!).

We thank both Amelie and Seth for their dedication to our choir and hope they continue with us on our journey of singing and growing to bring voices of all ages together!!