16 may 2019

Dear All

More good singing last night and, of course, really lovely to perform to Mary and Sister Nadia at the coffee break.  Next week we will be focusing on our programme for St James as well as some of the other pieces we are going to be performing over the summer. Expect to sing Yenamanoa, Rongo Mau, Call of Wisdom, Java Jive, Eternal Flame, Heart to Heart, Stille der nacht, Isa Lei, Ya Asim.  NB:  Our practice on Wednesday 5 June will be at St James’ Church and we will be having a final practice in the church on Friday 7 June at 6.00 p.m. (i.e. just before the concert)

COMING CHOIR EVENTS

Friday 7 June  Concert at St James Church, Shaftesbury. 7.00 (note revised time).  We will be singing (in no particular order): Morning has come, Long and Winding Road, Leko Hode Nedo, Call of Wisdom, Follow the Heron, Funiculi Funicula, Stille der Nacht, Isa Lei, Time After Time, Java Jive, Isn’t She Lovely, Things (these last four with the ukes) together with two audience participation songs, Up Above My Head and Alleluia.  See attached flyer.

Saturday 15 June  Motcombe Village Fete 1.45 – 2.15

Sunday 7 July Shaftesbury Fringe / Gold Hill Fair.  12.30 – 1.30 Park Walk.

Saturday 13 July  Shaftesbury Primary School Fete

Saturday 7 September Singing at Castle Hill Garden party

OTHER EVENTS

Saturday 18 May  Afternoon tea (with live music!) at Shaftesbury Arts Centre.  2.00 - 5.00.

Sun – Mon 19 – 20 May  Hamlet.  Shaftesbury Arts Centre.   See attached flyer.

Friday 31 May Concert by nuns from the St Elisabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus.  See attached flyer.

Sunday 9 June.  Fonthill Garden party to raise money for secondary breast cancer.  See earlier flyer.

Saturday 15 June  Choral Day with Deborah Radford.  Port Regis.  They need more tenors and basses anyway but there is still plenty of room for more sopranos and altos.   See earlier details.

also

An evening of Mozart, Bach and Henri Dutilleux.  St John's Church Tisbury at 7.30 pm. Entry is free with retiring collection in aid of the St John's development fund.  See last week’s flyer.

MUSICAL WALK IN THE PURBECKS

I have written to Ninebarrow and hope to be able to report back next week.  The following ideas were to put to them:

Timing: mid or late summer; weekend preferred

Duration: involving lunch and tea OR tea and supper

Length: up to about 4 miles but allowing for those less mobile to join us at key points for the food and singing - probably two or three stops with a short informal sing around and perhaps a final sing at a pub / cafe.  (NB:  Ninebarrow will be performing at Springhead, Fontmell Magna on Sunday 14 July.)

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE

We only have to look back to last weekend and the choir’s performance in the Abbey Gardens to realise how lovely it is to perform to a large and enthusiastic audience.  I am attaching Andrea (alto)’s poster for our forthcoming concert at St James.  Please print it off, display it somewhere prominent if you can and encourage all your friends and family to come along.  It would be great to play to a packed audience.  And talking of audiences, I have recently been sent this link to the last moments of a concert given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  It’s only short – make sure you turn the volume up.  https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2019/05/09/the-kid-who-put-everybody-in-stitches-at-boston-symphony-hall-has-been-found

David