1 December 2022

Posters for both concerts were available tonight, plus some housekeeping for both our choir concerts next week. It’s on a need to know basis so I am not permitted to share deets here. Apart from. Dig out some tinsel if you want to get all festive. 

Ed’s big birthday is coming up. Two days before we start back on the 19th January. We sang Happy Birthday. To one of the Carols. And when we return in January this blog will be 14 years old. 

Without an official warm up we began with O HOLY NIGHT. The gentle version. 

Then we set about singing the concert properly, well actually no. We invested quite a bit of time getting THE HOLLY AND THE IVY right. I wonder if we shall cheer on concert night when we get it all lining up? Very well done DFS. But that’s not why I love you. 

Then we also missed out some songs we didn’t really need to …

Singing WHITE CHRISTMAS was a treat after that! 

AMEN is going to be a concert warm up on Thursday, so we had a practice. 

Super singing choir, I’ll see you next Wednesday because I’m all tied up on Thursday at Wey Valley. Cat xxx

24 November 2022

With two weeks to our concerts, instead of three, we panicked. Then hummed you raise me up to warm up, and Hark The Herald for a second warm up after our notices. 

Friday 9th we are booked for the royal at 7 - 7.30pm. 

Dress code is same for all concerts, bright or choir tops with black bottoms. Tinsel optional. 

Hark The Herald was a little quite. Feeling low in number we needed encouragement from the choir master to sing out. Second run through and we nailed it. 

With songs in order again, we sang O Holy Night with more confidence and volume. Ho Oh Lee Ee night. Over the top annunciation is a must. 

Carol of the Bells a capela as usual. 

Good King Wenceslas fell into line, with only 2 gents in attendance tonight. 

See Amid The Winter Snow has a first verse that makes me think of childhood roast dinners. The tender lamb … 

Merry Christmas Everybody will be a fun ending to the solo and duo section. 

So for a break in festive numbers we listened to Because We Believe which will can sing at Easter. 

Then back to Christmas, Rocking Around The Christmas Tree because concert in two weeks time! Don’t panic! 

Such fun singing The Holy And The Ivy. We don’t know what happened but following a few hiccups we peaked. Let’s just leave it there…

White Christmas crooned it’s way into the room. And only time to squeeze in O Come All Ye faithful and Fairy Tale. 

Phew. I really do feel like I’ve been jogging. Well sung all of you that made it in tonight, and well done to you at home catching up with the blog and drop box. Last practice next week xxx

17 November 2022

Ed began by announcing that tonight’s songs would be practiced in the the order that we will perform them in. So I’d better be extra on-the-ball tonight, thought I. Then I dropped my blogging phone and slidden my gloves across the room picking up my folder. Great start. 

We warmed up. I tried to sing my very bestest, but there are notes where I think they will help us. 

Today Ed learned that next week, the last week in November is the worst week for behaviour in schools. 

Concert Order 

From 7pm to about 8.05pm. 

Hark the herald 

O holy night 

   We had some coaching as we played with volumes and really good diction and remembering the big finish ho-oh-oh-ly night. 

Carol of the Bells 

   Stop frowning down and your lyrics and remember to look up. Well. It’s getting there …

Good king W

See Amid the winter snow 

   As with the last song, the gents, though they be but few, did us proud. Ed was impressed that we had really improved since the first song and felt a little emotional. 

Merry Christmas everybody 

*Solos, duos and trios etc from 7.20 to about 7.40*

Rocking around the Xmas tree 

The holly and the Ivy 

White Christmas 

Walking in a winter wonderland 

O come all ye faithful 

Fairy tail of New York. 

Then it was time to run through these in order! Go! We went home knowing we had done well. 

10 November 2022

We warmed up La-la-la-la and Dum-dum-Diddley before our festive treats. No. Not mince pies. We had a play at sirens before discussing something secret. Hehe. Christmas concerts of course … see last week for information. 

Hark the Herald kicks off rehearsal tonight. At the concert the audience will be invited to sing with us when we start the performance with this song. The descant part is played by a trumpet.

Link to drop box here - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lzxyga8qb6hhwjaemsvqi/h?dl=0&rlkey=ufd4pdqsmtf2arv5pz92f7xbp&fbclid=IwAR0LamYzJzL7UaW6FCbhN5Yc5o2fN6xBIS_QNGfvHlKuQ7ex3DRnkbiePm4

Roll your rrrrrrrrs during O Holy Night - yes, all of them. Please do keep your mouths open wide for the word night especially. 

We split into 1s and 2s for Carol of the Bells. The bell sound (dong) should be made mainly from the nose. On the second run through we stayed in tune because we all remembered to support the high notes. 

See Amid The Winter Snow was next, giving the men time to shine, in that awesome chorus. Don’t forget the special ending. Let’s revisit that next week. 

We were 1s, 2s and 3s for The Holly and Ivy. We lost part 2s at one point. They seem to be a little quiet, so we swapped about a bit … 

We went Rocking Around The Christmas because Ed said it would already be ready great. 

Next a former solo of mine, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Finally settled in the key of G. 

Then we were Dreaming Of A White Christmas is another one we can already sing well. 

And a descant for O Come All Ye Faithful if anyones up for it? For the finale of course, fairytale Of New York. 

Great work, choir! Keep it up and remember to read this blog. It’s full of top tips and no wrong dongs … xxx

3 November 2022

‘Merry Christmas!’ Ed balled as we commenced our festive half of the autumn term.  People grabbed booklets from the back of the hall. We are having 4 concerts on the books 7 and 8 for our choir concerts, 11 for The Christmas Cracker and finally a smaller number of us for the Chamber of Commerce dinner dance on Friday 9 ballroom, Royal Hotel. They actually only asked for 12 of us but this isn’t confirmed as yet. We don’t normally restrict numbers but they are willing to make a generous donation to our charity. Watch this space! 

We warmed up humming You Raise Me Up because Ed said we had 15 songs to squeeze in! 

Once In Royal David’s City requires support for those high notes so we don’t go flat. Ed demonstrated by not playing the piano for the first verse. 

O Holy Night made good use of a backing track on Ed’s phone. This song calls for great precision, especially when it comes to ssss and t’s. Ed sat at the piano. Beware spoonerism in the opening. 

O Come O Come Emmanuel rang out in the hall. I hope Liz in the office is feeling the festive vibe. But it’s a little weighty and might not make the the cut. 

Hark how the bells lead to a slip, 1s and 2s … Ed guided us through both parts. Don’t forget we have 4 rehearsals. We will be fine. 

Good King Wenceslas blasted from the speakers. Too much Gain. 

See Amid The Winter Snow is lovely. Ed recapped the mens part, covering the first two lines of the course. Can you reach that dramatic last note.

The fun really began at The Holly And The Ivy and we took our places. Or numbers. Rife disobedience ensued. But the result was better than Ed expected. 

Winter wonderland we know very well. Then we jumped to Rocking Around The Christmas Tree. 

Back to Hark The Herald. Know the descant part? Go for it! 

Are You Hanging Up A Stocking on your wall? No me either. One, it’s too early, and two, my ferrets would pull it down and hide it behind the sofa. 

Wow, Happy Christmas and keep singing xxx

20 October 2022

We almost had a dead piano tonight, and had Peter and Ed discussed the possibility of a replacement. This must have upset the piano just enough to get it working again. Just in time for Ed to announce it’s untimely demise. 

That meant we could warm up as usual. Although Ed did set aside the keyboard for some fun vocal-exercises, and a dum-dum-fiddle. 

We were introduced to Because We Believe and listened to it on Ed’s IPad, then to him singing it at the happily resurrected piano. Some of us joined in. Isn’t it lovely? 

But we have all been practicing being Barry Gibb for How Deep Is Your Love and I think we nailed it, making Ed laugh in pure delight as our over-vibrato filled the hall. Oh my. Does anybody read this and gain any insight? I do hope so. Especially if you didn’t come this week. This entire blog is your half term homework. Don’t come next week. 

We practiced the harmony parts then performed it with the backing track. We were allowed to congratulate ourselves heartily, then those who didn’t have one ordered a Christmas booklet from Ed. 

The piano was tinkered with so we could sing The Sound Of Silence. The last verse still has too many words that don’t want to fit. Ed wanted more harmony people, so demonstrated it again. 

We had a little bash at The Greatest Showman Medley and a stamp practice. Then stood to perform, keeping going even when the backing track gave up, and Siri called, I’m sorry! 

Finally The Wellerman filled the hall HUH and then it was time to go home, for sugar and tea and run. 

Well done and keeeeep singing all half term xxx

13 October 2022

With oodles of songs to get through we dived into a warm up. Have you got The Christmas Collection 2019 tucked away safely at home? Do have a look because next week you can order a set of you need one. 

We all ruffled through our pages to find Ave Verum Corpus. It went so well when we first sang it that I almost forgot to blog. I think I ran out of puff out on the last line. Ed sang out each of the parts in turn paying more attention to the second half. 

Time for a calypso so Ed whipped out the recording of the song for us to sing along to, then jumped behind the piano for a go without John. He also demonstrated the harmony for the chorus. 

The piano was all pitched transposed so that we could attempt The Sound Of Silence which was interesting. Ed wanted a lot more harmony. Harmony people sang with Ed to practice. 

Some choir members think we have sung How Deep Is Your Love some time ago but some of us only remember The First Of May. We practiced out Bee Gee impressions for the opening bars. The harmony parts needed some work. 

We dived into The Wellerman minus Scottish accents. There was a request to stand for this one, and we stayed stood to sing The Greatest Showman. 

All too soon it was time to go home to bed, well done DFS  Cat xxx

6 October 2022

Here for anyone not on Facebook is our Drop Box Link - 

Our Drop Box Link

Our Christmas concerts are booked for the 7th and 8th in our respective churches and a Christmas Cracker on the 11th of December. I’m sure we can look forward to learning Christmas Medley songs soon. After these fabulous facts we warmed up. 

Ave Verum Corpus to begin with, listening to Kings College acing it. Nothing like a bit of Mozart to get the party started. It actually made me fancy a few Christmas carols. Alexa? 

We have a show of hands for our preferred parts. This being a four part adventure. Ed sat at the piano and sang the alto part. Is there anyone else who wonders what they should be doing when? Takes me back to my days with Inverness Choral Society and I couldn’t quite read dots then either! 

Remember that our drop box has links to recordings of the parts, if you want to check those out this week. Ed felt like our song was coming together and reminded us to sing VERgin not virgin. 

Next, before explaining why he wants us to sing it, we tackled Four Chords. I have been playing this on my iPad while I cook dinner. It was actually mooted as a way to learn some new songs. So he said. There are a lot we don’t know in this entity that is Four Chords. There are even longer versions on YouTube btw. 

And How Deep Is Your Love? Check out Jacob Collier teaching this on YouTube. Lesley is going to ask Alexa. It sounded lovely. Ed woke up the iPad to conduct from the front. 

When first released The Sound Of Silence it flopped. Only when remixed and revamped did it do any good and Paul Simon and Fart Carbuncle went on to do great things. 

Ed sat at the piano to run through the harmony. And so we sang. Lovely lovely and jolly good. 

Time for Calypso which I also enjoyed in my kitchen this last week. It pairs perfectly with The Wellerman. We had a listen to that and a sing along with it. Must add it to your homework this week! 

At almost 8.30 there was enough time to squeeze in our The Greatest Showman and we stood to perform. 

Well done DFS. It’s not your awesomeness that makes me love you.  Cat xxx 

29 September 2022

The one where Jack popped back! Which was nice. He took the mic for a proper goodbye, after serving 10 years at DFS. We should be thanking him but he thanked us and shared some of his best memories. We gave him a huge round of applause. 

Jenny proposed a charity for us to support this year, who provide mental health support for young people. We usually have a vote but there’s really no need this year. We are all behind the choice of supporting WillDoes https://www.willdoes.co.uk/. 

We had a warm up then had a listen and sing along with 4 Chords a choral Medley and I could feel the concentration in the room. 300 songs later they were done. Ed sat at the piano to break it down. He said we did well, anyway. 

Our The Greatest Showman Medley was created by our choirmaster just for us. That’s why it’s so good. We tried very hard to get our stomps in the right place, and then had a sing through with the piano. Then it was time to break it down, especially working out some lovely overlapping to make us sound like a real choir. We stood to perform! 

The Sound of Silence has a sweet harmony. How lovely we all sounded. Ed played with the key a bit. 

Next we had John Denver sing Calypso to us. Sounds like a Disney movie that ought to be made I think.

Wow DFS you worked very hard tonight, go and have a biscuit xx

22 September 2022

Back at choir again, excitement filled the room. We were keen. We were post covid. And we were greater in number. The team put out more chairs! 

Ed welcomed everyone back, and reminded us that Christmas is coming! Everyone cheered. There was a very special farewell message from Alun and we all sent him our best. We also wish Jack who has moved away from Weymouth for work and play the very best. 

Choir has 14 years behind it. Gosh we are old. It might just be the right time to learn a proper piece of 4-part choral music. It just might. We looked at our new music for today so keep reading to find out how we got on. But first Dum Dum Dudley.

Bottom f # Goes up. F goes down. I’m going to make Ed read that each week. Incase your wondering it’s the way you transpose the pitch on the keyboard in the hall. 

On with The Sound of Silence… It’s all about waiting for beats. And not coming in too early with those ssssss. A challenge for choir it would appear. Ed introduced a nice harmony. There were more harmony people than the last couple of years. 

Next, the challenge that was and is, 4 Chords, a Choral Medley paired with trying to play the music on Ed’s phone. Ed demonstrated the chord progression. 

By special request we are singing Calypso a new song for me. Choir asked for it a little lower. In key and in volume. But then it was too low! 

Mozart had us tasting Ave Verum Corpus which is the 4 part harmony we spoke of earlier. I sat and listened and was transported. 

With time to sing just one more song we stood to perform, to the best of our abilities The Greatest Showman Medley. I need to watch the movie again. 

Well done DFS. I STILL love you xxx 

Announcing

Ed just announced the following - 

(Fanfare if it pleases you) 

Upcoming appearances:

Sunday, 3rd July, Sutton Poyntz Victorian Street Fayre, 1.25pm - 1.55pm

Sunday, 17th July, Swingtime in the Borough Gardens, Dorchester, 1.15pm - 1.45pm

Thank you. As you were … 

9 June 2022

Fred was taking choir today, Ed’s terribly organised twin. I wondered if he was any good at jokes, while everyone shuffled through their new song booklets and sheets. 

Fred gave us the details of our upcoming concerts, in Sutton Poyntz and in Dorchester Borough Gardens, 3rd and 17th July. 

Apparently Ed was told Fayre in the square was magical and wonderful and had told Fred to pass on his love and very great thanks. Especially the bond medley. Fred was also quite good at warm ups and playing the piano, but let’s not tell Ed as he might feel a bit sad. I don’t think anyone reads this, so that’s not a problem. 

We sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sandra, then started our news songs. Then Ed forgot to be Fred and told us he’s supporting Jack’s band at The Boat That Rocks on Saturday. Marvellous. 

Now, if I have got this right, here is the link to all the shiny new words and sounds for our new songs. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yxlb5iws42lg7rn/AAADvT6BvEtHtW41ipzzCmZIa?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR3-3ekGjrKnf55M_ACziOJWzcRjN6DhwibVfVK5fNaEeEutdf27FmBk1cQ

Jack popped the kareoke version of DANCING IN THE STREET and we dived in. Meridy didn’t like the ending. Never mind. It was time for HEAVEN ON EARTH while I popped into Facebook to get the link posted above. 

I don’t think we have sang SECRET LOVE since 2013. I know because I sang it to my secret love. Then DFS sang at our hilarious wedding some time after that, and we’ve been married over 7 years! But I digress. 

Ed demonstrated that the harmony was going to be a beautiful cacophony of counterpoint, in the choruses. And it was. We even pulled it off a Capella and it was very exciting and really good, just like a proper choir. 

We sang OUR LAST SUMMER like it was winter. Because it was getting very cold in the hall. 

Next ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE, then I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU when we all only really sing WANNA. No Jam and Jerusalem in this number. And it was good. A crowd pleaser. 

Our new song is THE JOKER AND THE QUEEN which Jack thrust under Ed’s radar recently. Ed sat at the piano to demonstrate. There’s a sneaky pause in line two. Be careful choir, it’s only in verse one. In the instrumental we must ooo and aaah like violins. Ed slipped it into F# major. 

For a special treat we ended with a double bill; the ABBA song again, and WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS. Such fun! 

Well done DFS and don’t forget to miss Jack next week while he’s getting some more culture and possibly an award. Keep singing xxx 

26 May 2022

Well, here we are. What with Ed having two weeks off and me having one, it’s been a fun filled half term. Don’t come next week though, that will never do. 

A Wim-A-Way warm-up preceded notices, and a warning to anyone who causes trouble after sneaking in without paying. 

Ed’s mum is doing well and if you want to pass on any gossip of the juicy variety see Linda. 

Notices included information about Sundays concert and a sea themed on the 28 June at the pavilion, with lovely school choirs taking part. Keep an eye out for moderately priced tickets, as they are not yet released. 

After story time with Lesley, we tried to resurrect Wild West Hero which had to feature Ed at the piano. Jack punched in the soundtrack in the correct key during the instrumental. It was spectacular. And all of choir knew the intro and came in by themselves. It works if you work it. 

Burning Bridges burst fourth, and so did we. We love to sing All Around My Hat and there were stories to be told afterwards too. 

Ed shouted PUNCH LINE! At the concert on Sunday, The Bond Medley follows a secret joke. Come along and be ready to laugh out loud. It’s Linda’s. This one. Is concert ready. 

Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes has that funny timing, so do make sure you get your SHEs right after that beat. No not that beat. The other one. Just be careful not to hold anything too long that you shouldn’t and come IN early instead. 

To Know You Is To Love You was sung just a little behind the beat. Shunt it up a bit and you will be fine. 

Before the ice cream van tinkles it’s way into the concert on Sunday Ed will say it’s our last song. Just smile and nod and eat your mivvi. It’s a secret. There’s always an encore demanded from our lovely audience. 

When You Tell Me That You Love Me will be followed by The Impossible Dream, When all the ice creams have melted and there’s not a dry eye in the square. Maybe. Have I told you that I love you, lately? 

Around 1pm, perhaps join in with Ed singing Finish Line doing a little flash mob. The song for the jubilee is Sweet Caroline. So we sang that. Lots of enthusiasm! 

Have a lovely, lovely half term and enjoy the concert if you are going along. Keep singing xxx 

28 April 2022

Back after 4 weeks off, and a little outdoor concert, we gathered again in the hall. With another concert looming we are still looking at many of the same songs again. 

Val had some ribbons available for Ukraine, only 50p and pop your money in the envelope. 

Good news is that there can be a raffle at the church on Saturday 7th May in aid of Parkinsons. A bit of a flash mob is planned. But I can’t say anything incase it spoils the surprise. 

We began with a little AMEN and worked our way through a probable running order. Thanks for the words Jack. 

WILD WEST HERO will be followed by BURNING BRIDGES/HAT then MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN, which we sang next. Ed complimented us on the emotion we conveyed. 

BOND MEDLEY falls next but we saved 10 minutes by skipping it. 

PERHAPS LOVE is popping into the line up. Ed sat at the piano to help us practice. It was certainly new to me. It has a really east harmony line for the slightly higher voices, and Ed demonstrated it with it with his falsetto, while reminding us that he still identifies as Male. As if there was any doubt…

Concert read, folks! 

LOVE GROWS spread itself across the screen. Jack was challenged to point out what was amis in the first verse, and it was a little bit of word emphasis and timing at the starts of the lines. We worked on the timing with Ed counting and stamping his foot. 

Next up an old friend, FIRST OF MAY. I Felt a bit sad. It’s seems my old Bramley apple tree and my mother both died this spring. See, you do put a lot of emotion in to your singing, dear choir! Sniff. 

TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU let to some spoken word as we read through the whole thing. Yes you guessed it. A timing issue again. 

WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME had us all listening out for an ice cream van. Very quickly gets all big and show tune! Ed said it was getting there. 

Then it was time to have some fun with music, movement, and FINISH LINE. Hmmm I wonder how it went? 

Well done. You did amazing. Keep singing, and all my love. Sniff. Cat x 

4 April 2022

Ed posted on Facebook, “It is with huge regret that I have to announce the cancellation of our forthcoming Easter concert on Thursday, 7th April.  Our last rehearsal sadly aided in the spread of COVID and the general consensus from choir members is that it would be sensible to postpone rather than risk further infections.  Thank you for all the hard work that you have put in over the term, it really has been fantastic hearing all your voices again. Happy Easter xx”

And that’s probably very sensible. 

28 March 2022

NOTICE 

A few members have reported testing positive today, and as not everyone is on Facebook I’m sharing here too.

Please also note that there will be no choir practice this week, to keep everyone as safe as we can. 

Lots of love, Cat x

EDIT 

Ed posted a reminder on the Facebook today. 

“ Dorset for Singing Friends! Just a reminder that we have regretfully had to cancel choir rehearsals this week due to several members testing positive for Covid. We are still aiming to hold our Easter Concert at St. Aldhelm's on Thursday, 7th April at 7pm but this will require a negative LFT test beforehand, if we can go ahead. If you know of anyone in either Weymouth or Dorchester choir that may not have received this message, please let them know. There are no more rehearsals planned until Wed 27th and Thursday 28th April. Thank you for all your support and understanding.”

Stay safe everyone x

24 March 2022

Ladles and Jelly-spoons, I present, stolen from Facebook, a Running order for Thursday, 7th April, 7pm:

Amen! (warm up song)

Wild West Hero

Best of Bond

Guest Spot

Love Grows

God Only Knows

Guest Spot

My Song is Love Unknown

Burning Bridges/All Around my Hat

Guest Spot

To Know You is to Love You

Guest Spot

Finish Line

Guest Spot

When You Tell Me That You Love Me

With Jack away we had Jenny on backing tracks, and we set out to sing them in order. Interestingly the warm up number doesn’t come with words. 

AMEN was sung for the first time, with a backing track. My it does get fast towards the end. I found hard to sit still. 

Ed announced another choir concert. It will be us and him, like we used to do on Portland. On Saturday 7th May at the United Church in Dorchester. 

After singing our BEST OF BOND Ed broke it down. There was a stray banana and a missing pause. We spent quite a bit of time going over a few tricky areas, and all the smart people made careful notes on their music. YOU and EYES got their air gap back. 

THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM is going to be our encore. 

Well sung DFS, me managed without the big words on the screen, just like we have to in concert night. Keep singing xxx 

17 March 2022

I don’t know if I can blog this week. But here I am. Ed reminded us of up and coming concerts and someone asked him to wear a posh jacket for the bond song. I’ll grab some sequins. I’m not volunteering for the good paint job #goldfinger 

We warmed up. It was a cold day and a full moon. Ed will be posting a survey to discover what people would like to wear, perhaps blue and yellow to support Ukraine or our usual rainbow of choir colours. 

The screen was behaving this week, so Jack put up the words to LOVE GROWS WHERE MY ROSEMARY GOES. Ed made a mistake so we had to go over it again.  

Another easy song for us is BURNING BRIDGES and ALL AROUND MY HAT so we sang that next. We worked very hard to get the timing right on a certain line. Like singers ought to do. 

And calmly into MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN. We did well. 

WILD WEST HERO was sung next. With coconuts for the instrumental. Class. A bit of a canter and a smidge of a trot. Have we rented a pantomime horse? 

We got ready for THE BEST OF BOND MEDLEY. Ed said we could listen to it. But we did actually sing it too. Mostly in the right place. Please remember to use low voices at the start. Ed slipped behind the piano to bash out some timings, such. A good. Choir. 

We looked at FINISH LINE and finished with THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. We stood. 

Well done DFS another valiant effort this week. I love you xxx 

10 March 2022

The two Jennys welcomed us to choir, while we waited for Jack to hot foot it from college. If you read last weeks blog before I shared all the concert dates. Our Easter concert will raise money for UKRAINE and everything from our buckets on the night will be sent to the Red Cross for this purpose. 

We may well start the concert with AMEN and encourage the audience to sing along too, and join our sneaky warm up. We usually have to do it in the car on the way so that will be nice. 

Ed shared his vision for WILD WEST HERO. Possibly a pantomime horse? Or a real one. Or a donkey. Now it’s gone all silly. We continued with our warm up. 

With Jack back in the room, we started with MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN. But the laptop wasn’t playing words, so some of us who normally read screens galloped off for some words. Then we actually sang WILD WEST HERO. 

I think I have a hobby horse in the shed, come to think of it. We could pass it around during the intrumental moments. Kind of like a crowd surfing pony…

Another rush for paper as we sand BURNING BRIDGES and ALL AROUND MY HAT and I tried to catch up with the blog. Ed said we sounded like a choir. And we moved his world. 

WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME is going to need some more work on it, so we looked at that one next. After a run through Ed helped us with the harmony and demonstrated the one that is a third down. And there’s a very tricky key change. 

Ed volunteered to solo the verses, for FINISH LINE but many people joined in anyway. And it’s coming along quite nicely. 

We haven’t had a look at our BOND MEDLEY so we whipped that one out. Please mind the gap between your and ear. 

We also looked more closely at the LIVE AND LET LIVE section because we needed a good laugh. Er sorry. Because we needed to. 

For our finale we chose TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU. 

Wow well done DFS, keep singing, it’s good for you xxx

 

3rd March 2022

Tiz the season of lent, which finds me back in the blogging saddle and back in the church hall, warming up with a choir getting ready for Easter concerts. 

Good news for Ed and bad news choir …. Prices go up by a huge massive 50p after Easter. Of course, it’s well worth every penny, as one satisfied member said. I’ll be dropping all concert details here stating with the first in St Aldhelms church on the 7th April. 

Who shall we raise money for? Please bring your charity ideas next week. 

EDITED - From Ed -  Here's a gig list for the year:

Thursday, 7th April, 7pm, St Aldhelm's Church, Easter Concert raising money for The British Red Cross Disasters Emergency Committee for Ukraine

Saturday, 23rd April, 2.30pm (approx, tbc), St George's Day Fair, Fordington Green, Dorchester 

Saturday, 7th May, 7pm (approx, tbc) United Church, Dorchester, raising money for Parkinson's UK

Sunday, 29th May, midday, Fayre in the Square, Brewers Quay, raising money for the Rotary Club of Weymouth 

Sunday, 3rd July (time tbc), Sutton Poyntz Street Fayre

Sunday 17th July (time tbc) Swingtime Dorchester, Dorchester Borough Gardens raising money for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust  

Thank you, see you there!

First song, Wild West Hero our concert opener. The one with the quietest intro. What could possibly go wrong? 

Next, and randomly selected, My Song Is Love Unknown because we are not yet sure of our concert order. This song was originally intended to be sung at our 2020 Easter concert, and Ed said it was sounding really lovely considering we have only been singing it for 2 years. Please TAKE care to sound the K in TAKE and SAKE, and WAKE up your inner Aled Jones vibe. Or something. 

From Gospel to Finish Line next. I almost whipped my phone out to video Ed’s demonstration of the choreography required for the ending. I was so impressed I forgot to blog the instructions. I’m still not so sure I can sing and move at the same time. We stood to perform… 

We looked at a little of the diction in the chorus so it didn’t sound like a huge siren to possibly keep Ed awake tonight. Gold stars all round. 

Burning Bridges / All Around My Haaaaaat including a ‘pic your own accent’ section. After we gave that a run through it was time to meet a new song. Brand new today, To Know You Is To Love You. This song has been covered by many. 

Ed wants to change the ending. Concert ready? You be the judge. Because it was time for Rosemary in Love Grows. 

We squeezed in When You Tell Me That You Love Me. 

Well sung DFS. Don’t forget your gold star on the way out and keep singing xxx 

27 January 2022

New Elton John back on the cards tonight, but first quick warm up. Eeeee-oooooh!

While Jack sorted out some technical issues we sang My Song Is Love Unknown from the paper. I had to hum because I only have a blog in front of me. But then I remembered. Google. 

We used you tube to listen to the Bond Medley as sung by an American choir, and sing along too. But they actually weren’t as good as us, so we went on alone, Ed, backing track and words back on the big screen. 

But it began to get very cold. My hands will stop working. As I am a very cheeky blogger I texted Liz at front of house who closed one of the sets of doors after checking with us. Hooray. Ed broke the song down for us and we carried on singing. 

Time for Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes which made my children laugh when I sang it at home this week. Apparently it’s trending on TikTok. So that’s where Jack got it from …

Perhaps Love was demonstrated by Ed at the piano. A new song for many of us. Our homework is to get to know it. We moved onto When You Tell Me That You Love Me. A few more people seemed to know this one. 

The mash up Burning Bridges/All Around My Hat warmed us up gain didn’t it choir? Pick an accent, anyone will do! 

Finish Line to finish with. Yes, it was touched on before Christmas and it was back to fill up our mouths again. I’m off for a hot choc, see you next week … 

Well done DFS. Next time, I’m going to come wearing really really big pants. Possibly furry ones. Keep singing xxx

20 January 2022

Happy Birthday Blog. You are 13! 

We have a new song today thanks to Jack, and his impeccably good taste. But first, on a cold, cold January night, a warm up.  

Cheese has holes. Ed ran a mathematical and cheesy joke past us and I almost blogged it but decided you didn’t need it. It’s not that my fingers couldn’t keep up. 

My Song is Love Unknown appeared on the big screen and clutched in our hands, and we began to sing. Mr Ed belted out the harmony parts. And we Laaaaaa’d together which was actually very beautiful. 

We moved on to Wild West Hero to tackle something else we had tackled before. Perhaps a little line dancing in the instrumental. Or perhaps not.  Lovely crossover at the end, and have you heard there’s another actual tune? It would even make a nice harmony if you can get your head round it … 

Our brand new song is Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes and I thought I kinda knew it and a kinda don’t. I’ll just pretend I’m really young. It felt a bit low. Time for a new key. We went up to a nice C with Ed at the Casio. We sang it wonderfully for a new song, good choice Jack! 

Burning Bridges mixes very well with All Around My Hat which is interesting far beyond my belly button fluff.  Our efforts sounded quite good. We sang All Around My Hat again but with very very open mouths and in an accent of your choice. 

Bond next to see if we had done our homework. I heard about it in a socially distanced catch up and I was pretty impressed to hear it. It’s great fun! Maybe there’s an issue with the number of Oooohhhhhs so we will be ok if Ed doesn’t get mixed up. 

God Only Knows if we will get an Easter concert this year, but we shall sing until we do. 

We finished with The Impossible Dream and I didn’t fall asleep … 

Well done DFS. We always keep singing, and we always will. Love, Cat xxx