29 November 2014

The concert at St Andrews...

Lots of bright, well practiced and enthusiastic members of Dorset For Singing showed up at a new venue for a concert and jacket potato supper. Along with some lovley raffle prizes, the event benefitted both the church and this years charity, The Samaritans - we raised £180 pounds for them! Awesome!

Ed and other members recived lots of lovely feedback about both the choirs performance and that of the soloists too. We were singing many songs which were brand new to us, and our voices filled the church in an amazing way. 

All the soloists, both the seasoned and the brave did a sterling job. But something really magical happened when Linda began to sing about the bird-lady seated by a London cathedral. St Andrews on bells began to peal and one could almost imagine the greatdul pigeons and the cockney sparrows on the grey streets!

The jacket potato supper went down a treat too, DFS also get 10 out of 10 for creativity too. Come and see us next month at the Pavillion! 

Love, Mrs Cat, the blogger xxxx

23 November 2014

The one where the blogger got married!

And blogged a huge thank you to dear Ed and awesome Dorset For Singing, for blessing us and all guests with your singing. I love you, but not because you came to my wedding. Keep singing and Love from Mike and Cat XXX

27 November 2014

The one with the sexy new folders. 

The words for 'You raise me up' and 'So happy together' have been added to the folders, and of course our song list, otherwise our concert would have been a little short. 

After the warm up a spot of concert etiquette for any of those feeling rusty. Ed demonstrated how to hold a folder, not easy if you have small hands. Also, when to page turn, please don't do it while the audience applaud. Receive it with grace and a smile. Then, on mass, flip those lyrics! No discussing success or lack of successful delivery in between songs.  

Then most of us used folders to run through the songs, practicing reading and memorising a line, and looking up to sing it. 

If you are not sure of the timing for Stars please have a listen to a recording of the song. You tube is always an ecellent place for homework!

Lots of songs that need a lot of energy here so that they don't sound flat. Be aware of the key change in 500 Miles as that can be an area where our weariness can show!

Fairy tale of New York to end with today!

See tou Saturday potato lovers! Much love from The Cat xxx

Thurs 20th November 2014

The second one in the common room. And closely followed by one in the dining room next week. It's found underneath the common room but boats better acoustics, peas in the corners and chewing gum under the table!

Looking forward to next may which will be very busy. A bit like the end of this term. Ed reminded choir of our two concerts and of course a small, fun wedding on Sunday where I will feel really blessed if you sing two DFS classics as Mike and I sign the register!

1pm on the 6th December for a concert at Victorian show afternoon! And Thurs 18th around 6pm for a special concert to bless the elderly. 

Extra rehearsal on the 11th December with nibbles and fun. Oh and singing. Maybe. 

Then it was time to sing. And this week we had the smashing new tyros 5 to accompany us with not a floppy drive in sight. Ed wanted to have a good whizz through. So we did. Jack had to add some extra words to San Fransisco. 

We haven't sang Take Me Home Country Roads for a while so we sang it through while Ed played live, and did really rather well. We skipped Mr Blue Sky for now, going straight into our awesome rendition of Old Friends, clinking imaginary tankards as we went. Well ok just me then. Sounds like a good new year song to me. Or maybe an end-of-the-wedding party... Just sayin'.

Sadly we found we had rusty Stars so we quickly moved on. 

400 miles later we were toting our Scottish accents and havering like pros! This one builds in a really effective way, when we all sing the right parts!

Time for a Fairy Tale of New York, and all the ladies got the tune wrong and we had to start all over again. Naughty. 

And our grand finale was the Christmas medley, now with backing track and a brief word about new sexy black choir folders, which should be available soon if you want one!

And the extra bonus was running through the song Ed wrote about The Christmases We Had When We Were Small. Sprouts don't get a mention once I don't think ...

13 November 2014

The one with the Floppy Disc Drive!

Back in the common room again... But next week we will be back in the porch.

Ed reminded everyone about our up and coming events. He didn't mention that you may sing for us, at My Wedding, during the signing of the register, and we have two telly screens to pop the words on for you! 23 November, and any question cathy@raggyrat.co.uk. Big bonus is Ed as our entertainment post lunch. Tops!

Good soloists can apply to be in a new musical!

Dum dum diddly, off we went! With sirens and hamsters to follow. Honestly, it all makes great sense really!

We sang our first song for Glenis who sadly passed away ...

Let's go to San Francisco needed some brighter notes. And possibly some notes in tune. 

500 miles had been split into parts, parts for solos, parts for groups, some for rows and then a super stage left and stage right split. Such fun! The soloists were perfect and got a round of applause. Please do the high harmony if you can. 

Well done to everyone who got north of Cirencester! 

Islands in the stream. Not bad. 

A new song next, all about remembering the Christmases when we were small. Very small. Much smaller. It's written by Ed for wey valley kids. Ed sang it for us. It appeared to be in a key for small people after all, but we got the hang of it after Ed broke it down for us! We learn quickly. 

Seriously. You have to be here. 

Treat time next as we gallop through a Christmas medley! Hanging up our stockings on the wall. Jingle bell rock. Rocking around the Christmas tree. Let it snow. Winter wonderland. I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus. Rudolf the red nose reindeer. White Christmas. We wish you a merry Christmas. 

Next a colour-coded cleaned up fairy take of New York. Men, ladies, both and all. Whatever that means. 

Such fun. Now it's time Ed lays down a track. And ting. I love you. 10 more sleeps xxxx

6th November 2014

The one with the wedding 

announcement! (More practical info below). 

In notices, Ed has been turning down concerts, but we will still rather busy. 

Concert 29th November. Parking at church is a little limited so roads must be used. 

Victorian show night - - pefromance at 1pm Satrday 6th December! So, more of a show day then! We will sing with the Wey Valley choir, numbering around 12. This will be a 20min medley of Christmas songs that we all know and love. 

Wyke square 12-ish on Sunday 7th! 

Monday 15th December is our Pavillion show of course, 7.30 start. 

May 8th 2015 we will sing at All Saints church Portland. 

We will be in the west-wing next week, for our practice, as other rooms are booked for exams. Follow the signs! 

Finally I announced that I would be really pleased to see lots of choir at my marriage to Michael on the 23rd November 2014. Oh yes. (My hands were shaking!) The service kicks off at 10.30 and you are all welcome, either then or nearer to 11 or 11.30 to see us tie the knot! Please do consider singing some songs with Ed while we sign the register :-)

Then we walked 500 miles! And it felt like we ran it! And then Ed made us do it all again. But later. 

Then we went to San Francisco. And Jack was doing really well without a working monitor in front of him. Well done Jack. But choir was behind the beat so Ed had us stand and sing it again only much faster. And a second time, even faster, to ignite some energy! And finally at normal speed!

Never let her slip away, we got to sit down for! Phew! But there only seemed to be Julie on backing vocals. More diction. High cheek bones and cheese! Ed had fun playing at interviewing us. Camply. Oh yes. With the dad dance too. 

Ed thrashed out the harmony parts, and it made a difference. 

Old blue skies next. It has very awkward spots, pointed out by Big Ron. But we have improved. Julie suggested we split into two. 

The way old friends do, had a new backing track which was spelled right. 

And 500 miles again to finish. With impromptu solo parts. Which turned out to be quote a few of us, so there may be competition next week when we decide the real solo parts! 

Keep singing choir, and see you next week in some far flung double classroom!  Xxx