11 December 2014

The one before our Christmas concert ...

Ed welcomed everyone to the last rehearsal of the year and challenged us to speak to someone we have never spoken to before. Nice. 

There were lovely letters to take away about the Canterbury trip, and Ed also thanked everyone who came to sing carols at the weekend. Oh yeah. And there was cider. 

Meet for 7.30 roughly start on Monday. Doors open at 7 of course. And we probably really start at 7.45. Running order is like St Abdrews, but with all our Christmas songs added. There was a flurry of folder flapping as we quickly added things in the right place. 

Our choir master recently spent some useful time with a speach therapist and extolled the virtues of a good gargle. This is something I often do with a tight/scratchy/tickly throat .... Sometimes badly making the water go the wrong way. Feels good though, so why not have a good gargle at the end of this blog post?

Woollies seemed to be absorbing most of the sound today. Oh dear. Time for an OY! Well several of them. And then some 'over the top' singing. Nice. It's all about  tehnics! 

Then we learned how to do a great big STAR but I can't blog that because it would give away our trade secret, and we are professionals after all ...

During break time I was very brave and went roght to the back where I talked to Nicky and Jo and swapped facts. Fun. People still ask about the wedding, which is lovely. Look out for some pics of DFS at that event, coming soon! 

Ed wanted to have a play with 'a little help from my friends' and put it to a vote. Motion carried. Ooops. Be brave!

Of course I'll be back on Monday to blog the concert, but I may as well say thanks and happy Christmas :-) keep singing and also, gargling. Specially in ASDA. XXXX

4 December 2014

A big thank you from Ed for rocking Preston last weekend! We will be invited back, and we may well pop Ed on a podium so we can all see him. 

Also, news on the up coming Canterbury trip and a brief itinery. £175 per person with lots of fun laid on. 

On Satrday, 12.45 at new bond street, singing our Christmas medley. And on Sunday 12.45 in Wyke! So a busy weekend for those that can make it. 

Applause all round for the congregation of St Andrews, who on sunday, during service, made our charity total up to £400 split between them and The Samaritans! Tops!

Also ed made a plea for as many of us as possible to get to the launch of Dorch DFS on January 7th at URC. We have a fabby extra practice. 

Then, gently and just for timing, we slipped softly into our Christmas medley also acting as a nice warm up too! All Saints had the tree up of course and those extra large baubles we all love do well. It doesn't block half the screen like it used to though ...

Then we sang 'When We Were Small' with the composer in the house!

And had fun again with 'Fairy Tale of New York' ... It's harder in monochrome I have to say. Ladies in italic. 

The timing of that was just over 15 minutes so it was decided to perform '500 miles' but with every one singing all the parts! Starting softly we built it up all nicely till we are marching together those 500 miles in big, stompy boots. Oh yes. Stage right take a breath at the end of the line and stage left take a breath at the  start of the line, missing out the words found there, and all will sound great, and none shall pass out from lack of oxygen!

One more run through of When We Were Small with Ed bashing out the melody in true school teacher style! Choir did a lovely version A Capella when Ed stopped bashing, which was nice. He encouraged better diction, and we stood for a final version. 

The backing track is on the website if you have a spare 5 minutes tomorrow!

Then it was time to look at the medley again, which was very quiet in some places. Well he did tell us to start gently, in leu of a warm up! Ed let us stand to facilitate more energy and less politeness!

Wey valley are allowed to add all the funny bits into Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer and we are not to glare at them in a superior, grown-up sort of way. Nor leave the melody behind and join in. Hehe. 

All in all it's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! Keep singing. Carols. Cat xxx