Posted on

3. CURRENT NEWS

It is with sadness that I write this: Our lovely Barbara Bowes (alto) and her husband John said goodbye and headed off to warmer climates in their camper van. They do this every year and Barbara returns to choir. They were in Spain en route to Portugal, stopped, went walking and John collapsed very suddenly and died. Barbara our hearts, thoughts, love & prayers are with you at this sad time. Maggie, (alto & Barbara’s sister) our love goes out to you too. We are here for you. xxxx

  • Barbara and John
  • Barbara behind Rita & Sheila
    Maggie between Chis & Maureen
  • Welcome to our fabulous choir for a new year of singing
  • Welcome to our new singers – relax and enjoy
  • Heal well all choir who had illness, accidents and surgery but still came along to sing on Friday. Great to see you
  • Thanks to the tea rota girls and boys for nourishing and refreshing the choir
  • What a great start to 2020
  • A cheque for £950 was sent to each of our four Christmas concert charities: SVP, Gold, Friends of the Family, Rose Road
  • Caroline and the committee are now receiving the Christmas Concert Charity nominations – see above, no 1 green box
  • Various choir are travelling
  • Ans in Australia
  • Anne L heading to Australia
  • Nancy and Trevor cruising the Atlantic
  • Carol, alto, is having surgery to her knee and will be away until feeling fit to return – hope it goes well
  • Kay Duggan is recovering from pneumonia and will return in the spring – heal well
  • Patricia is off to Oregon to visit her daughter
Posted on

Poem by Sheila

10 Jan 2020. – So pleased to hear you speaking and singing again, Sheila – your voice was gone for quite sometime and this poem shares it with us.

I lost my voice this Christmas.
I lost my voice this Christmas,
Where oh where’s it gone?
It was working well on Friday then Saturday all went wrong.
My mouth still shuts and opens and tries to make the words,
But all else has disappeared, not a peep is heard.
If someone else has found it, I’d really like it back,
I’ve grown accustomed to its pitch and tone, always seemed on track.
It wasn’t the best of voices but nor was it the worst,
It’s range just really suited me and I would rate it first.
It excelled at giggling and laughter, could really tell a joke,
Family and friends recognised it along with other folk.
Now I can’t  even whisper, not a croak or groan,
Makes me feel a bit isolated, silent on my own.
I can’t even hum, let alone sing, all really most bizarre,
Can’t communicate close by, let alone from afar.
When my voice heals and repairs I’ll welcome it back again,
I’ll value it most dearly and will try a short refrain.
Marie’s given me an exercise blowing bubbles down a straw,
Tony says a snorkel in the bath will heal my voice for sure.
I’m letting it rest, giving it time, it worked very hard just lately,
When it returns I’ll respect it more and enjoy it oh so greatly.

Posted on

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL 2020

Liam and I post this every year because we love it so much and hope you enjoy as much as we do. Happy Christmas to you and those you love.

Liam and I wish you and your loved ones

AN

ALL SINGING

JOYFUL CHRISTMAS

AND A BEAUTIFUL

NEW YEAR 

♥

Liam and I thank you for the singing, the fun, the memories and the good times.

♥♥

We have raised a lot of money for charity.
Congratulations to each and everyone of our amazing choir.

♥♥

Much loving kindness and cheerful spirit.

♥♥

We meet again in the New Year on Friday, 10th January 2020.

Posted on

CHRISTMAS 2019



Great rehearsal on Wednesday…..sounding ready and looking and sounding good….enjoy. An enormous thank you to choir members who have welcomed choir into their homes for rehearsals….and to all who have shared their musical knowledge, and to those who are helping in any way to make this concert amazing. Thank you to the choir committee who have worked diligently organising often that which is unseen but makes for a smooth experience. I feel the benefit of all your support and love and kindness. Thank you to all for all you are doing.

PLAYLIST AND WHO DOES WHAT

A few points about our songs:
1. Ding dong merrily on high – lots of singers gather on altar, a few walk down sides of church and join all on stage, Lorraine and Veronica will lead the wings.
2. I will introduce you, we all bow, applaud, Fr Tom will welcome us
3. And we are off into our concert ……
4. When a child is born – now changed – choir harmonies are quiet and gentle, the last part choir hum and only one (not three) ‘this comes to pass’ is sung by the leaders and one final, ‘when a child is born’ – then Sheila recites her beautiful poem.
5. Joanne and John lead us into Golden Slumbers – they sing first verse then pull back from the microphone and we all quietly sing together ‘Golden slumbers fill your eyes’ etc. At verse, ‘once there was a way’ all singers drop back and sing quietly so that the Alto harmony can be heard. At end, Joanne & John come back to the microphone and the last ‘I will sing a lullaby’ is sung by just Joanne and John.
6. Adiemus – I will play the start note (A) on the piano – this note will be sung as an ‘mmm’ then ‘ah’ the other notes.
7. Joy to the world – bells/rattles and will call all singers back, gather on altar, we start singing immediately.
8. River – singers will move to front of choir, all choir will step back to allow them space. Chris will play guitar. I will leave the podium for Heather to conduct. All girls sing jingle bells, low group and all sing the last line of the verse where bold on sheet.
9. Driving home for Christmas has been speeded up – it sounds so much better. Sopranos finish with Do do do while all hold the last note.
10. Run is our last number
11. Make your own kind of music is our encore followed by ‘we wish you a merry Christmas’ sung 3 times as walking off stage. Music will start playing after our third ‘we wish you a merry Christmas’ just keep walking and waving and smiling.
12. And the most important part of all of this – just ENJOY. Enjoy it all – we are so very ready, you have prepared well – so just breathe, relax, sing, smile and enjoy.

An enormous THANK YOU to John Bennett, from the Eastleigh Fusion Choir, for the raffle prizes given to both Eastleigh and Winchester Fusion Choirs. John is a pilot and glider instructor and he has given us the most excellent prize of a glider flight. And, thank you to everyone who has contributed prizes, the raffle is abundant. Thank you to so many who are working diligently to make the Christmas concert a huge success.

IMPORTANT DATES
*
Wednesday, 4th December
Rehearsal for concert at:
St Peter’s pastoral centre from 1.30pm-5.30pm with a few tea/coffee breaks
*
Friday, 6th December
NO choir practice on day of concert to allow us to be rested. Rehearse St Peter’s 5.15pm duet/poet/group/instrumental Choir on stage and ready at 5.45pm
*
Friday, 13th December
Choir sessions as normal and Christmas party between 3-4pm
*
Monday, 16th December
Christmas songs and carols to the residents and friends of St John’s care home – Nancy organising
*
Wednesday, 18th December
Christmas carols we love for half an hour in St Peter’s Church then we will join the Dementia group and friends for a mince pies and tea – Maureen organising
Carol Suggestions: Christmas Carol (Laudete)
133 – While shepherds watched
137 – Away in a manger
136 – Silent night
128 – Once in royal David’s city
150 – The first Nowell
144 – In the bleak midwinter
134 – On Christmas night all Christians sing
145 – What child is this
151 – See amid the winter’s snow
141 – Ding dong merrily on high
159 – O come all ye faithful
*
Friday, 20th December
Final choir session of 2019

Other dates: Singers wanted at Winchester Hospital – speak to Anne Whitmarsh. Wednesday 11th December, 10.30 to 12noon – only 6 singers needed. The Winchester Hospital Chaplain, Rev Christine would really appreciate if a small number of Choir members could join the weekly Chapel Coffee Morning to sing Carols alongside elderly patients who will be brought from the Wards to enjoy a little festive event. Thursday 19th December – open to all. Singers are invited by the Hospital Chaplaincy Team to sing Carols around the Hospital Wards. Please meet in the Hospital Chapel at 6pm, ready to sing on the Wards at 6.30pm.

ADIEMUS: PLEASE NOTE – when you sing this a few times you will really get it – we sang it at the workshop and this song will be an amazing piece for our repertoire forever and a day.
This is for 4 voices – the sopranos sing from the very beginning – they only split at the a -ya-coo-ah-eh – that is when it becomes 5 voices. Just listen to Sop1&2 and we will piece the parts together at choir.

Sop1 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQzpGk4yAy8
Sop2 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcybOI7m2ho
Alto … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88FQd0IECJk
Tenor … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rikWl8vhC2c
Bass … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAvGxvGd16A

MESSAGE FROM MAUREEN: Thought you may want to know what happened to the £1001 that the SVP received from the 2018 Christmas concert……it went to fund days out to a Friends of the Family toddler group to Finkley Farm, an older children’s trip to Calshott, a single dad’s group visit to Marwell Zoo, donated towards a summer camp for 2 children and this week we are taking 8 Home Start families to the sea-side! So that money has brought joy to so many families. Thank you choir!!