12 February 2015

The one where we got on with the music festival songs....

Today's word is 'contrapuntal' and if that's not how it's spelled I apologise on behalf of my smart phone!

In notices, Cantenbury came up in the form of a nice spread sheet detailing who will be sleeping with who. Nice. See Ed at the end if you need it all explained!

A date for your diary is Fayre in the Square 11.30 - 12.00 Monday 25th May (Hope Square).

The Music Festival have given us a time slot, so Jack was given the task of finding the email with that email in. The old joke about stapling words to people's shirts was aired. We need to arrive at 10.55 and learn your words off by heart if you can. The less stapling going on the better really. 7th March is soon going to come around. 

So we sang it through very nicely, then everyone tried to think of someone that could play piano so that ed can conduct that day. Then for fullness, ed taught us a nice low harmony. Then ... The Sway was mentioned!

We went to San Francisco ... In the key of C as last weeks might have been have been too low. After the first sing through it needed Breaking down. Lots. And it was much better even if Jackie didn't agree. 

A special request song next. The amazing Bon-jovi-livin-on-a-prayer! Nailed it! Frankie Howard sings Bon-jovi-livin-on-a-prayer! 

After singing along with you tube Ed sat at the keyboard changed the key but told me not to blog that incase it didn't work out. 

And chicken tikka. My favourite ear-worm! Some one was a little premature tonight, probably a good curry overdue! And I don't know what happened to that meaningful gap but there you go!

Ed was happy with that because it's coming on very nicely. Ed reminded us to do our homework in half term!

Anthemic song to finish, a brand new ear-worm to soothe you to sleep! We are the Champions! Yes I know DFS ROCK, but i mean the Queen song. 

Well done everyone. You deserve a break xxxxx

4 February 2015

D F S Dorchester 4th February

A very good turnout considering the chilly weather, but as we all know, we will be warmer and full of the joys of Spring by eight p.m.

We had a good old warm up that consisted of shouting at the big window, and some improvised harmonies, I was actually trying to contact my dear departed Auntie Lil but the vibe wasn't right, sorry Dorchester but this strange humour is how they roll 'tother side of the ridgeway.

I think the order we rehearsed the songs was, The Prayer , free Italian lesson, thanks Jack, followed by, Get Around? (Beach Boys, not sure if that is the title) and then, the lilting and marvelous, Street Where You Live.

Lots of smiley, and increasingly  familiar faces at the end, we are the toddlers of the D.F.S family, but we'll be running soon !                  

See you next time , Carole M x

5 February 2015

The one were we weren't really in the dining room after all, and some people had a nice walk...

After a lovely lively assorted warm up, Ed sat at the piano to see if anyone had remembered anything from last week about the beach boys song! Erm.... Time for a lot more coaching. I still can't work out why bread-making gets into this song. 

Ed shared that he was considering this number for the Music Festival. How everyone laughed then Ed said it was the winning. (It must be the pulling-apart then). Many choir members wanted us to chose another song. 

So we moved so sing my all time longest-standing ear-worm... Chicken-tikka! But Ed didn't think it was festival worthy, just nice to perform in one of our usual concerts. 

Don't sleep in subway next, and has a little bit more 'sparkle' than chicken-tikka.

We tackled 'on the street where you live,' and I always visualise a scene from a muppet movie as this song kicks off! It's not that I think choir are a bunch of muppets, it's just that sort of feeling and I know muppets can tap-dance 'cause I've seen Kermit's feet! Rudely Ed cut the song a line short...

'Down-town' was given an airing next because we like it. Jackie threw in 'so happy together' and 'Imagine' is also in the mix. Then we all got excited about San Fransisco but we will never get a choir trip there, to be sure! Jack made a list on the white screen and we all got two votes! On the street and San Francisco won!

So we sang the latter. Then got you tube out I listen to the Beatles song, 'here comes the sun' but it was in man-key. 

The prayer next, one choir sang many moons ago. Yep. Many moons. Then finally 'rule the world' ....

Well done choir. Keep singing. Lots of lie and thanks for eveyone who came to the last Ed Zelton. 

28 January 2015

Dorset For Singing - Dorchester 

The night opened with Ed stating if anyone in the hall was there for the meeting its nextdoor! Through the first warm up a man stood up and sharpishly left the room (think he was waiting for the meeting hehe).

We had the chance to think of any charities we would like to put forward for the term, in which we voted for at the end of the evening. Songs for the evening where ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE, I GET AROUND, CHIQUITITA and DONT SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY. We sung each song and then broke them down into the verses, getting the harmonys sounding right and not ''sliding'' from high to low and low to high.

The evening ended with chior members speaking out as to why they would like to put forward each charity. After voting lastnight Ed has today anounced we will be supporting Motor Neurone Association for West Dorset. 

Written By Chelsea Lauren xx

29 January 2015

The one without poorly Jack ...

Ed showed off the new hot link on the DFS hame page leading straight to the DFS YouTube Chanel so you can all get right on with your homework when you have read this blog ...

Last night Ed forgot the words to dum-dum-diddley. Let's never let him forget it! Everyone needs to keep a look out for his missing memory stick, last seen resting on his lanyard. Sorry about the massive hiccup. I seem to have turned into my dad. Maybe I'll never live that down, either! 

While the mixing desk didn't look well, it was really fine. It comes out on flexible arms. The call from Jenny was charming to say the least. Well hello, Jenny!

Tonight's new song was 'On The Street Where You Live'. I felt like the only one who didn't know it and that was good because I felt very young! Ed taught us a harmony for the BVs, and we had a go once Jenny had put the phone down. Remember folks, if you are off-sick-from-choir you can now join in by Skype. DFS living the 21st century. 

The middle-eight really demands a tap dance but no one was up for it. We are not really a set of dancing queens. 

Next notices. Ed read out a nice Mo Jive poster but I couldn't get it all down. See Becky/Paddington for details. Then he plugged the Elton show tomorow and I can't wait. Ed was also on radio Solent again for half and hour, talking choir on Saturday. 

'I Get Around', was the next thing to tackle. Brand new to choir and blimey complicated if you ask me. We didn't have any groovy, braketed and colour coded words on account of the missing stick. But it started to make sense after ed broke it down lots. 

In the middle of that last nights (Dorch) blog post arrived and I quickly slapped it up! Anything to look busy and not sing any bum notes. I did enjoy the bit where Ed ran out of air! But we did make progress. Yes, I know! Finally we had some volunteers to whoo-woo at the special place for those sort of things! I would just like to know what making bread means in this song. I do hope it's not frightfully rude ....

Moving on, after quite a while, we downloaded chicken-tikka. Well, Jenny-as-Jack did ... Ed and Julie demonstrated the Low harmony. It's a third below for anyone that that means anything to. 

Next week we will be back in the diner, as the hall is occupied. You will find it beneath the common room. 

'Don't sleep in the Subway' to end with. Ed thanked us for our hard work, then shared the superb total we raised for charity for our Christmas concert. Everyone cheered. Much love and keep singing, Cat xxx

22 January 2015

UThe The one where we worked on THE HARMONY in a very adventurous warm up! 

Followed by the relief brought by a good dum-dum-diddle! And a satisfying yawn, during which the blogger became amused and horrified at the automatic word suggestions offered by the recent software update by the trusty blogger-phone!

Didgeridoo-Ing made us all sound like cats. Hmmm. 

Chicken-tikka to start with, looking out a fun you tube karaoke, which took some doing I can tell you! Thank you kar@oke80s. Ed liked it so much he decided to tease out some harmony, and some long notes for both harmony and melody parts. 

Then we stood for a run through and ex wated all our effort and singing the song as if it was our own. Or something. It started out the best Ed had ever heard, but our confidence and also our volume dropped as mistakes crept in. We had a few ups and downs! We spent a long time on this song then moved on to IMAGINE at 7.37pm. 

We discovered there were huge gaps in the song and then Lennon goes aaaah aaaahhh where Ed had assumed he went wooo- hoop! But the wait wasn't .... Worth the wait, so we dropped it!

Don't Sleep In The Subway next, which needs really good diction, and probably exaggerations too! This song covers quavers to swinging! But Linda just wants us to sing DOWNTOWN. Well at least I know that one!

And so, bowing to pressure, we did! And that was fun. Keep singing DFS, I love you, Cat XXX 

21 January 2015

The one from Carole M ...

A great turn out for very early days of D F S Dorchester, everyone had a great time, enjoying Ed's relaxed, yet very informative style teaching , just keep peeling the grapes and he is no trouble at all.

We had a fun (as always) warm up, then we sang through the songs,  Ed gave us notes on how to improve our breathing and on the timing and feel after each rendition , posh word eh ?

The songs were, Lean on me, Don't sleep in the subway, Chicken Tikka, (cant stop myself) and Imagine.

Everyone left on a high, looking forward to the next session. From where I was sitting, the future is looking good. Carole M x

14 January 2015

Dorchester Section Of DFS'S First Rehersal 

Firstly a great turnout by the Dorchester group!

We started the evening off with some stretches to loosen us up and relax those of us who were anxious. This was then followed by warming up our vocals and pretending we were shouting to someone across the road to get their attention and hold the note.

Our First song to practice was 'Lean On Me' For a first attempt i personally think we did ourselfs proud. Ed told us about shortening our S'ss so that we dont sound like snakes hissing at the end of the verses.

This was then followed by 'Imagine' which was also sung well for our first performance, although the group went quiet when we hit the You-hoo-ooo's . 

Also mentioned was the membership we could opt for or to pay for each session as we turn up. Also the fact that water is avalible in a ''sports cap bottle''.

We look forward to seeing you all next week, Chelsea xx