Choir practice

Posted on February 18, 2020February 18, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Aye Waulkin oh, Choir, Choir practice, Fun, Learning, Music, Practice, Robert Burns, Singing, Summer is a coming in, The Green ManLeave a comment

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Learning new songs tonight including ‘Summer is a coming in’. That was the song towards the end of the film ‘The Green Man’. Its a joyous song of the coming of summer, but I can’t get the image of Edward Woodward being captured and killed at the end of the film out of my mind.

We also started learning a wedding song but I left the words behind so can’t remember the title. I know it was sung by the Copper family, who are a folk singing group. We also continued to practice ‘Ay waulkin oh’ by Robert Burns. It means I’m still awake, and does not mean I’m walking…. Its about a woman worrying about her lover and when he will come back to her I think.

Talking about songs I still need to remember the words to ‘Prince Ali’ for the panto. I think it’s from the film ‘Aladdin’ with Robin Williams? Anyway I’ve got two days to learn the bits the chorus sing, so that’s OK then….

Robbie Burns songs.

Posted on January 27, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Burns night, Choir, Fun, Melody, Music, Old songs, Robbie Burns, Singing, songLeave a comment

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After singing ‘Green grow the rashes o’ by the Scottish author and musician Robert Burns, we started learning a new song at choir tonight. It’s called ‘Ay waukin o’. It’s not about walking, but about waking or being awake. Not being able to think because of thinking of her dearie.

The melody is beautiful, rising and falling in sweet harmonies. Singing about lanely (lonely) night. Everyone else sleeping, and she sings ‘and bleer my eyes wi weepin’.

So beautiful. Its music I’ve never heard before, I’m pleased we are learning it.

Stoke Sings choir festival.

Posted on January 25, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cheshire, Choir, Choirs, Fun, Life, Music, Singing, Songs, Staffordshire, Stoke sings, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

Sixteen Choirs, including the Deaf links Choir and the Intertheatre choir got together in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent today at the Victoria Hall. The reason? It was a splendid Choir festival for choirs around Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Cheshire.

Workshops on sea shanties, music from the shows. Gospel singing and African music were some of the wonderful things we learnt. The teachers were so enthusiastic and so we’re we as pupils. Then later we learnt a new song to sing at the Finale.

There was a concert in the evening when all the choirs performed. An eclectic mix of Bond themes, a song from sister act, old songs by Robbie Burns because it is Burns night tonight. Lots of beautiful melodies and friendly people. Finally we sang auld land syne and said farewells to new friends. A grand day out.

Panto rehearsal tonight

Posted on January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Dancing, Learning, Panto, Pantomime rehearsal, Penkhull, Singing, Song and danceLeave a comment

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The adult chorus are trying to learn three dances. Don’t stop believing, Spice up your life, and another one about Prince Ali from the Aladdin film which had Robin Williams in. We haven’t started yet.

The Plan is to sing and dance. Which is like that old trick of patting your head while rubbing your stomach. I’m sitting this out as my hip is still sore!

Only five weeks to the show, I’m scared!

Join a choir!

Posted on December 22, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Choir, Choirs, Community, Fun, Joining, Languages, Learning, Music, Singing1 Comment

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I pinched this image off my friend on Facebook. I really agree with it.

About 14 years ago I decided to have singing lessons, I’d always wanted to sing, but I had a loud, untrained voice. I could deafen people but not entertain them so I thought learning to control my voice would help.

The lessons were good, they helped, and I went on to get a grade one in singing. But it was expensive. My friend kept saying come to the choir she was in. So I decided to go to the choir one week and the lessons on the following week. It was a great way of getting in to it. I realised I was enjoying learning new songs, and in different languages. Eventually I finished going for lessons because my tutor was going abroad. I stayed with the choir and am still with them. In the meantime I also joined another choir, and have performed with other groups. I have to say it has helped my mental well-being and boosted my confidence.

The choir I joined does not do auditions. You don’t need to be able to read music. You just come along and have a go. So like the picture says, join the choir, you’ll be glad you did!

Christmas lights switch on.

Posted on December 8, 2019December 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Choir, Christmas, Cold, Fun, Lights switch on, Night, Penkhull, Singing, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

Christmas lights switch on up at St Thomas’s Church, penkhull.

There was a fair crowd as we, the panto cast, and junior cast members stepped outside to sing in the choir. The wind was blowing coldly up over the hill. The Lord mayor lit the lights and the tree and we sang many traditional carols including Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels sing, which are both favourites of mine.

Penkhull village brass band were playing up a storm, and Father Christmas mingled with the crowds.

One thought as we sat there was how cold it was. An hour sitting on a plastic chair, starting to shiver and shake. Makes you wonder how homeless people cope. How do they survive. In this season if goodwill to all men, let’s have some real goodwill to all men and women!

PS sorry about the photos, it was difficult to take photos. Had to concentrate on singing….

Coughing and spluttering

Posted on November 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn, Cold, coughing, Croaking, Life, Singing, sneezing, Spluttering, Winter2 Comments

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Yesterday, at choir practice I started with a tickly cough. One of those ones you get sometimes when you hold a note for too long. But then I started wheezing… Lovely… Now this morning the coughing, sneezing, and spluttering has started. I hope I’m not in for a bad bug or anything. I’ve got stuff to do, people to see as they say. X

This picture of me indicates how muzzy headed I feel. Now you know. X

Singing workshop

Posted on October 6, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Fun, One inch challenge, Penkhull, Penkhull Village Hall, Singing, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Urban sketching, WorkshopLeave a comment

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Quick sketch of people singing at a workshop today up at Penkhull village hall.

We sand lots of autumn songs, including old English songs and a poem set to music by the poet Lemn Sissay and musician Anni Tracey. We also sang a French song written in 1945 and translated into English called Autumn Leaves. It was by Joseph Kosma and Johnny Mercer with arrangement by Greg Stephens.

We got on really we and had a lovely time. The teachers Kate and Penny were very patient and helpful. I enjoyed it

Singing

Posted on September 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged BBC, Blogging, Choirs, Endorphins, Fun, Music, Relaxing, Singing, Stress bustingLeave a comment

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I’ve missed singing for the last couple of weeks, one choir I’m in breaks up for the summer and the leader of the other is away on holiday. I love the boost singing gives me. It releases endorphins which improve your mood and helps lower stress. What prompted this was hearing an item on a radio programme where choirs who have a complaint about something ( like the price of fuel?) get together and write a song about the issue then sing it out. The idea is you sing cheerfully but express your complaint. Apparently this is happening all over the world. The item was on BBC radio 4 and may be on the BBC sounds app.

Big sing

Posted on August 24, 2019August 24, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Appetite, Arts, August Bank Holiday, Big feast, Big sing, Boat Band, Clay Chorus, Community choir, Loud mouth women, Singing, Staffordshire Community choir, Village voices singing for lung health2 Comments

I went to something called the big sing, organised by a group called appetite this afternoon.

Four choirs including Clay Chorus, Loud Mouth Women, Staffordshire Community choir and Village voices for lung health gathered together alongside members of the public to learn two songs together and also sing from their own repertoire. There were about 110 people singing in the Regent theatre who had allowed us to use the venue for the event.

After two hours learning the songs together we sang our own songs. Then we came together to sing two final songs. There were about 70 people massed together to sing them. We made a big noise in Piccadilly, Hanley. The atmosphere was great. I was so happy to be part of it. I even managed a quick sketch of the Staffordshire community choir while we waited to go on.

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Tag: Singing