A Norfolk singer has taken herself online to make sure the music doesn’t stop.
Claire Barker, 43, from Taverham is a vocal coach, choir teacher and lead singer of the Claire Barker Band. As weddings, gigs and social events were all cancelled she had a choice – to put everything on hold or adapt to the situation.
Miss Barker now hosts her lessons online, as well as producing songs by herself, with her band and a silly sing-a-long with her daughter.
“Getting myself online is helping me keep up,” she said.
“It would be easy for me to say ‘I won’t bother then’. But I was determined to keep a brave face and keep everyone smiling which is keeping me smiling.”
Miss Barker has been singing professionally for 15 years, having started with the Lee Vasey band. She started her own band back in 2011.
The band should have been entering their busiest time of the year, with weddings and social events over the summer.
“We have lost absolutely everything because of the coronavirus. I have spent so much time with brides and grooms over the phone trying to reschedule bookings.
“For a lot of musicians, your gig money sees you through the week.”
However, the band are taking full use of technology and they meet over the internet several times a week to practise new songs and to keep their names out there.
She said it was also important to keep the band working together, meeting to rehearse over Zoom so when they can start taking bookings they can hit the ground running.
The band are still working on new material, as they released a cover of Lizzo’s Juice this week. They all recorded their parts and sent them to Andy Cooper who produced the video.
Miss Barker is also teaching her adult and children choirs online five times a week.
All of this is also important to her singing voice.
“If you don’t use your voice you’ll lose it. I would suffer if I didn’t sing for three months, losing some range and stamina,” she said.
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