Waltzing on Borrowed Time
News
Waltzing on Borrowed Time
By Pete St John
Arrangement by Norah Constance Walsh
What a wonderful surprise it was when Pete St John called into the hall to meet the Forget Me Nots Choir after seeing us featured on the RTE Brendan Grace documentary 'Thanks for the Memories'. He had an exciting proposal and wanted to get our thoughts. He had written a Climate Change Anthem many years earlier (before there was widespread global awareness of this looming problem), and he thought it would be wonderful for our choir to record his song ‘Waltzing on Borrowed Time’. He wanted children included in the recording to reflect the handing over of the baton from one generation to the next, and he also loved the idea of Montessori kids waltzing with us to the tune.
We readily agreed and our Musical Director and renowned Composer, Norah Constance Walsh, got to work creating harmonies and a musical arrangement accessible to all our members; those with memory loss conditions who just like to sing the melody or the chorus, and of course those of our members who love to harmonise.
This virtual project through the COVID pandemic was made possible by a community grant from The Ireland Funds and we’re delighted that Pete was able to work closely with us until he succumbed to ill health and sadly passed away before it was completed. Thanks to the work of Norah Walsh and Audio Visual Producer, Bryan Mullen, we did manage to finish in time for the celebration of his life at his funeral Mass in Dublin. We’re quite sure that Pete will be waltzing on the other side along with us when we sing his important and treasured song. May he forever Rest In Peace.