Simon Whalley, a trained organist with experience as a Musical Director, earned both his Master of Arts in Music and his Master of Studies in Musicology at Oxford University. In his private life, Simon Whalley stays culturally engaged by attending a range of opera performances.
The word “opera” means “work” in Italian. Opera as a modern musical genre began during the Renaissance. It is essentially the presentation of a narrative relying on the interplay between words performed by the singers on stage and music performed by musicians playing below the stage in the “pit.” Unlike most modern performers, opera singers do not rely on microphones to carry their voices to the audience. Although many people may confuse operas with musicals, in opera, all the dialogue is sung, while in the latter, performers speak until they break into song.
The players in an opera are usually divided between main characters, called “principals," and a couple of dozen supporting singers that comprise the “chorus.” Opera singers are classified by their voice type, as it falls along a range from highest to lowest.
The past Organist and Music Director at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in New York City, Simon Whalley has held such roles as Director of Music at Keble College, Conductor of Jubilate! Chamber Choir, and Organ Scholar at Lincoln College. An avid traveler, Simon Whalley has visited such places as the Malaysian state of Penang.Typically, Penang’s weather is always hot and humid. Annual temperatures hover around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), but they do cool down slightly between November and January. However, these months are often the region’s busiest. Since the weather is pleasant, many tourists can enjoy sightseeing around Penang, and, thanks to the region’s many holiday festivities, crowds increase dramatically as New Year's and Christmas draw near.Starting in February, the weather begins heating up and crowds begin diminishing. Although the temperature increases only a few degrees, the extra heat can make walking around the cities during the day difficult. However, tourists still enjoy visiting Penang between February and April because of the lack of rain. With fewer crowds and no clouds in the sky, visitors can capture some fantastic pictures of the region.Finally, Penang’s low season for tourism lasts from May to October. Tourists stay away because of the increased rainfall. Penang experiences its monsoon season between May and October, and rainfall can be as high as 39 centimeters (15 inches) during these months. Visitors who don’t mind the wetness can often find good deals on hotels during this time.v
