6th March 2025

Welcome to no roadworks, welcome to Thursday evening. Ukelele Dave is keen for a new flat mob so don’t tell anyone it’s Saturday 28 June, time to be conformed. 

2nd and 3rd April for our Easter concerts, with lollipops and prizes. More details next week about the singing workshop, but it will be running 10 to 4pm. 

One song needs to go tonight, to whittle 9 down to 8. We warmed up with I WILL FOLLOW HIM. Don’t forget to hold those long notes. No passengers allowed. 

Ed slipped out from behind the piano to fire up the backing track and conduct. It went well. 

Next, BANNER-MAN blasted from the speaker and from us too. Breathing is essential for this song, and don’t forget to fully participate in the competition between stage right and stage left. We worked quite hard on this one tonight. Was it concert perfect? 

Then we ‘relaxed’ with LOVE LETTERS as you do. The first record Lesley ever bought.

We dug out copies of TIL THERE WAS YOU/HERE COMES THE SUN and spares were shared. Ed slipped behind the piano forte and sang along too.

ALL MY LOVE was played by Ed too. On the second run through he blasted out the harmony before letting us lose with the sound track. Lovely love. 

Up tempo nest with YOUNG AT HEART. Ed said that were lovely too, and we flipped to AVE MARIA. He was also very pleased with that. We might have to persuade Dorch to try again, or just wow them at the concert! 

Abba to finish, ONE OF US. Yes indeed. Be careful with STUBBORN AND MISCONCEIVING !!!!! 

Fab singing, you have all obviously been practicing in ASDA etc. but that’s not why I love you x 

27 February 2025

Tonight was a very exciting night. We were going to be able to choose songs for our Easter concerts on 2nd 3rd and 4th. Just kidding. No one could agree on the dates. Choose songs wisely. 

Jenny has been busy sorting out the musicals workshop day, making sure there’s a delicious menu on the 16th. 

Champagne supernova is on hold … in October there’s a concert at the pavilion on the 10th October… we will be backed by Jacks band and taking part in Rock for Riley. You can catch The Haze at Wyke Smugglers this Saturday, just incase you fancy that. 

We warmed up. Ed appologised for the road closure. He and Jenny got caught in that themselves! 

We began our songs with ONE OF US, beginning with a revision of the intro, harmonies included. Ed explained the three coin trick, when teaching the piano. It doesn’t sound fun to be honest, but it was a vain attempt to try and get us to sing ‘stubborn and misconceiving’ correctly. And it worked. 

Digging into old songs we tackled BANNER MAN next. Energetic. Then it was time to vote to include this in the Easter concert. It’s staying. 

I WILL FOLLOW HIM drifted into the hallway with plenty of dramatic hissing. Some of us joined in without words anyway. It got a yes vote. 

LOVE LETTERS was next. That’s quite quick to sing. It was voted in, buy a cat’s whisker. 

Back to this terms songs with RUN FOR HOME, and it got voted in as well as the ABBA song.

I love YOUNG AT HEART but it does sound a bit odd with Dorset accents. Just saying. It was voted in. 

A quick sing through of AVE MARIA, said Ed as he slipped behind the piano. Although Dorch voted it out we said yes, so that was that. 

ALL MY LOVE blared from the speakers. Stage left really wasn’t sure but it slipped through so that was nice. 

Next, HYMN following a pondering about whether it was blasphemy or unblasphemy. It’s definitely interesting lyrics. We popped it in on the shelf. 

Finally, gone 8.30pm we sang FRIDAY, I’M IN LOVE. Carol confided that she’s warming to it. Phew. 

Good start back DFS, well done. Xxx

13 February 2025

Ed reminded us that next week is half term. So don’t come next week. Ed and Jenny are going away for a nice break. 

We warned up with sirens which we haven’t done for a while. Esp me who was missing last week with the lurgry. We dum dum diddled as Jenny went off to the shops. 

We did some diaphragm work. Everyone felt a bit shy. I felt a bit rusty, that was my excuse! 

Then it was time to sing nicely, FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE, a song we often finish with. We sang it through with the cure blasting out of the speakers. Ed wanted to teach us harmonies. Yum. We also worked out an ending. Boom, on went the backing track. 

In notices - we have a gig. Easter concerts are looming - 2nd and 3rd April. 16th April for an Easter singing workshop and lunch.

25th May is Fayre in the square this years. 11am for our slot. And there will be a flashmob at some point this year. 

We had to start YOUNG AT HEART three times … that echo! Stage right are the interrupters at the crossover. We attempted the whole thing without accompanyment. That was fun. I think. 

Ed sat at the piano and didn’t sing at all while we sang AVE MARIA. Probably roughly. But better when we worked on it. 

ONE OF US started with Ed at the piano to got over that gorgeous intro. Once perfected, out came the came the backing track. 

And the newer song ALL MY LOVE next, sounding lovely, and our finale was RUN FOR HOME so some people stood to sing. 

Well done DFS, ya done good, have a great half term x 

30 January 2025

We had a fresh sheet of paper tonight, and Ed said we were going to do something different, and start by listening to our new song to see how many of us actually know it. 

He pressed play on ALL MY LOVE and it filled the hall, and then we turned to AVE MARIA as a warm up, to Dah. I was instantly lost. Never mind I warmed up at a funeral this afternoon. 

Careful with the graaaaaaa and the doooooooh whose notes drop down before you sing the next bits. Can I get an Amen? In at the deep end, we tried to sing it so Ed could listen but we didn’t get much beyond page one. 

ONE OF US begins with a lot of Aaaaahs. Or it was going to but Ed’s battery was flat, so he slipped back behind the piano. 

Once plugged in again Ed guided us thru the melody and the harmony of the intro. We tried a capela. 

Next YOUNG AT HEART yeeeeeehaaaaaa. There are lots of overlaps and interruptions. And lots of opportunities to be removed from choir. Not really. 

And on to HYMN which we are getting more used to.

We went back to ALL MY LOVE with Ed at the piano. That was nice to listen to as I think I’d only heard it once before.

We swished the pages to RUN FOR HOME but Ed said Lindisfarne and we had to guess which song that meant. But we got there. We sang along. 

We stood for the chorus of CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA, twice. 

Super smashing singing, see you next time xxx 

23 January 2025

This week we ran out of music. Especially the dots for Ave Maria. We shuffled and fluttered, passing pages back and fourth. Such that there was no time for propper warm up so we aaaaaghed to AVE MARIA.

Latin pronunciation is always a challenge and it became a good hearted debate. Then it was time for the backing track we were loads better than last week. 

We changed the pace with ONE OF US and the backing tracking track. We broke it down at the second verse as it goes up and down more than people were singing it. That was helpful. We also went over the intro aaaaaahhhhhs and added the harmonies which were new last week! 

And another run through and Ed said very well done. We flipped over the page to sing RUN FOR HOME with the original. Ed demonstrated the lower harmony like Yoda then dug out a backing track. It was rather loud. 

Muttering as Ed announced CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA and sat at the piano to tinkle bash plonk. We only got halfway through before Ed explained that, for once, we can slide in this one. 

Satisfied we flipped to YOUNG AT HEART yeeeeehaaaaa and had a good look at the intro with that echo. Well we tried. 

We stood to sing (and dance) FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE. 

Fab. Now go home and rest. You deserve it. Cat xxx

16 January 2025

I’ve been blogging for 16 years, for choir, and Ed and Jenny had good news … it was the eve of Ed’s and Bobs birthday. 

The Easter holidays might hold a workshop said Ed, before the mic shut down with a snap, crackle and a pop. Tonight we had printouts for seven brand-new-to-choir songs, so we warmed up to happy birthday and dum-dum-diddled too. 

Carol next to me chose YOUNG AT HEART and it blasted out of the speaker. There are harmonies from the first lines which Ed requested lots of. There are 3 parts. 

Next up, a few requests for dots for AVE MARIA and it wasn’t the version I thought it was going to be. I’ll drop the link to the YouTube version. 

FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE filled the room. This has quite an adventurous middle eight, for sure. On went the backing track and we were off again. 

Ultravox HYMN has been on Eds wish list for some time.

Abba again, this time ONE OF US. After a run through we went over the lovely intro and sang the song again with the backing track. Cha cha chaaaaaa. 

Choirs do a fab version of CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA. On went the speaker. 

We just had time to sing RUN FOR HOME before we had to … run for home. 

Wow well done on tackling all those new songs. Keep singing, that’s not why I love you x 

5 December 2024

It was the last day of term and festive lights hung in the hall. Don’t come until the 16th January. The eve of Bob and Ed’s birthday. 

Brewery square is cancelled, due to no gazebos or electricity. However, next Wednesday is our Christmas concert, yay! 

I’ve got my ticket for the Xmas party do, please get yours by next Thursday. Jenny went off to the shops to pick up the buffet and Ed turned on the lights for Lesley.

We dived into our running order for our next to appearances, give or take. We didn’t even warm up, just like on real concert days! 

CHRISTMAS MEDLEY 

Ed thanked everyone for the huge turnout for Wyke and its lovely weather, and our unexpected theatre in the round. Ed also knocked his own antlers fell off. 

Do mind your sssssssssssss please. 

SOLOS AND SUETS - come along next weds to see what me and Bob are singing … 

FIRST NOEL

MARY DID YOU KNOW 

Conviction. We attempted it A Capella. Hmmmmm. We broke it down. 

WHEN A CHILD IS BORN

HAPPY CHRISTMAS WAR IS OVER

More Oooh please. It is high. We get it. 

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

O HOLY NIGHT

Well done choir, we know it was hard. See you at the concert next week. Can someone pick me up? Ed wished everyone a happy holiday too x 

28 November 2024

This Sunday we sing in Wyke, all officially, performing about 12.55, and the running order will appear below.

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW kicks off our flash mob of course. Sing loudly, and bounce your voice off the wall of the square. Dress warmly and maybe a teeny bit festively. 

We worked on the syncopation of the piece. 

WHEN A CHILD IS BORN we must avoid sliding notes at all costs. Some worried about the harmony parts but Ed said it’s only Christmas. 

HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) comes with advice to dip up and down the octaves. No snakes allowed. Nice balance said Ed, when we were done.

THE FIRST NOEL was ran thru. 

MARY DID YOU KNOW … perhaps we had forgotten the ending there. Not that it really makes sense or logic. 

Medley time. Phew. Bring your own jazz hands. 

O HOLY NIGHT will be held in reserve so that we don’t run over time. We sang it last. 

Happy Christmas everyone! Xxx