Meet Nicky

What is your name?

Nicky Devin Clark

What voice part do you sing?

Pretending to be a Soprano 

How long have you been in BCS?

29 years

Where are you from?

Co. Cork – by the sea 

 

Do you have any favourite choir memories?

Choir trips to Krakow in Poland, Belgium, and Vienna; Singing at the Menin gate – very emotional; Trip to Cork Choral Festival – great craic; The amazing reaction from friends to BCS singing Carmina Burana last May 

Where did you grow up?

In Monkstown in Cork 

What is the first record/cassette/CD you remember owning?

19th Nervous Breakdown by the Stones – As Tears go By was the B side! I much preferred the B side 

What are your hobbies besides singing?

Sailing, swimming, walking, reading, opera 

What is your favourite song?

What a tough question!

My Lagan Love, Dove Sono (Motzart), Du bist die Ruh (Schubert), Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Mahler)

Do you have a favourite composer or musician?

Another toughie! Mozart 

Do you play any instruments?

Played piano but am very rusty now

What language(s) do you speak?

English (did German and French in school but…)

What is your favourite colour?

Red

What was the best concert or performance you’ve ever attended?

Lucky enough to hear Thomas Quasthoff sing Die Kindertotenlieder (Maher) under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, when in Vienna with BCS. It was sublime. 

Favourite show or piece you have ever performed?

Difficult question – I think I’d pick Rossini’s Stabat Mater. It was the first work I performed with BCS. 

Favourite place you’ve ever visited?

New York

What’s one book you could read over and over again?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

How do you like to start your day?

When in the mood and the tide’s right, a swim in the sea

What’s one thing you’re learning now or learned recently?

It’s OK to underlead an Ace against a No-trump contract in bridge ; how hard it is to judge the size of husband’s head when knitting him a hat I had to rip it all back and start again

What’s something you saw recently that made you smile?

The fab wall mural beside the DART line near Grand Canal Dock 

What topic could you give an hour-long presentation on with little to no preparation?

My favourite operas and why (a bit of prep would be good though) 

What do you do to turn things around when you’re having a bad day?

Play the piano or go for a walk; have some chocolate 

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

Driving a JCB

If you could sing any voice part, which one would you choose?

Tenor

What’s one song or piece of music you’ve always wanted to sing but haven’t yet?

Very boring – I can’t think of any! I don’t even remember all the works I’ve sung with BCS! I know I’ve done them because I have the scores – many and varied.