Caroling, caroling

The college semester is over for me, and I get to relax a bit now. Or, I would, only it is caroling season! I sing with a company that does caroling for concerts, parties, events, shopping malls, etc. in a cappella quartets in Victorian costume.Singing background music in shopping malls or for cocktail parties is a rather unglamorous side of being a professional musician. I groan about having to get into my costume and gather all the appropriate paraphenalia and be prepared in some cases to sing outside. But once I get there, singing with three other excellent singers and having a wonderful response from the audience makes it all worthwhile.Yesterday at the mall downtown, just seeing the expressions of surprise and delight on people's faces was a lot of fun. I honestly don't think people hear live music in four part harmony that often, which is rather sad, but better in a mall than never, I suppose. We do some standard arrangements of carols, but also some more complicated or showy pieces. I found it very encouraging that some of our biggest "fans" were teenagers. A group of girls jumped up and down and clapped their hands and squealed with delight when we did "Carol of the Bells." Of course, they probably sing that in a school choir. Three boys in thuggish attire were looking bored until we started to sing, then their faces lit up. I asked if they had a favorite, and they requested "Silent Night."Our group has a website, and you can hear a few sound files here. Don't try to find me in the picture - it was taken before I joined the group. I am the soprano in probably more than half of the recordings, some which came off better than others, but you can get the idea.ETA: Out of curiosity I listened to the sound files, recorded two or three years ago. I know (or in a couple cases am relatively certain) that I was the soprano for Fum Fum Fum, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Chestnuts, Carol of the Bells, O Come O Come Emannuel, the Hanukkah Blessing, O Holy Night, and Wassail. In a couple others I sang soprano but am not willing to claim them. ;)