25 May 2017

The one where Mike and Cat came back. So sorry about that, normal blogging has been resumed. 

We started with a jolly good warm-up with the good old piano which cheered up our Jack no end, and then in notices, we start at 11am in Brewers Quay on Saturday. Please don't show up at Brewery Square in Dorch. And the sniff of a social at the end of term. 

We winged through God Only Knows, then broke it down for overlapping analysis. Next rehearsal there will be lovely sheet music available for those that read music. And for those like me, who's heads go interesting places there will be sheep-music (baah-bah-bah-bah etc). People were not quick to volunteer to do do-doos but after some more reception we had a nice handful of do-doo. Then Ed grabbed a microphone and recorded all the parts one after the other, and several times! 

And when we had tamed the men back from being feral, it was all sounding smashing, even without Ed. And he gave us an 'oooh' for a wonderful 8 bars! If only our listening ears knew just how much we put into our songs! 

Next we were California Dreaming together ... lots more breaking things down carefully to improve our confidence and volume, and it didn't sound too badly at that. Thanks Ed. 

Do Wah Diddy Diddy was To Be Done next, and it sounded like we had practiced in Asda compared to last week, so that was smashing. And btw it's ok to practice in Morrisons or Sainsbury's if you prefer. I wonder if I can now get them all to sponsor or bar-b-que now? Don't forget the HUGE meaningful gap, a silent trap set to trip up unwary singers in choir. Count 5 and breathe...

Here at DFS I think we do all with love, but we did the next song Sealed With A Kiss! It needed a drastic key change, and not absolutely a Jurassic key change, to make it more friendly. We are nothing if not Man-Friendly here at DFS. Hmmmm I wonder if Kervin still reads this? Don't forget that soft LETTER. Lesley wrote down D minor, minus 4, so we won't forget for next time. Ed will. 

We made a decision together for the running order for Saturday. I think everyone was happy, and we gave Wings a run through with a little bit of extra harmony, and another go at the ending a Capella sounding like a heavenly host and making me all glad to be back at choir again. 

And random-oke time arrived at last. A-ha Take On Me blasted mainly from one speaker and 24 bars later we joined in. Such fun. Especially the 32 instrumental break in the middle. It was quickly followed by 9 To 5! 

I love you song-singers keep doing what you do, Love, The Cat xxxx

4 May 2017

Back in the common room again, as parents evening rumbled on in the hall, we pretended it was summer and opened all the windows to set the bunting flittering. 

The holiday news was a reminder to be ready to leave at 4pm and a concert and brewery trip added in to Saturday, and an earlier dinner. 

Busking at Preston Garden Party is on 20th May and then we are at Fayre in the Square the Saturday after that!

And then some special common room warm ups, with some special friends of Ed, beginning with Roger Burnley, in a pinch. Let's try to make our chords to make a nice clean connection. That really helped. Vocal Genie next, starting with a long hiss or three, and then some lovely lip trills, and some smashing bending too. 

Fantastic. And to a song as we Can't Help Falling in Love. The relief was palpable. Although the room absorbed the sound we gave it much more welly the second time around and we were allowed to move on to It Must Be Love, staying with that loving feeling that being part of DFS brings us. Ed introduced a lower harmony and we almost all ran with it. Cue a mission to rediscover the melody before it floated out of the windows and graced parents evening. 

When We Were Young sounded superb and lovely. 

Annie's Song next, with Ed singing the low harmony and the squeaky people singing the high. It needed more life, but again, we could blame the carpet again if we wanted ...

To Wings, which was lovely lovely lovely but some people were still sliding technique such as that of a church congregation singing How GREeeeEAT Thou Art. 

In a new key, It's Getting Better, but I need it like mama Cass, so I mimed. The key change was fab, but the last bit caught most people out again. Oops. Ed apologised for leading us astray. 

Let It Be Me sounded lovely "even in here," said Ed, sweetly. 

And in the last two concerts, We Are The Champions has been a real crowd pleaser, some of the problems we initially had dissolved but we did get a reminder about SENTENCE which turned out very helpful. 

The last song for practice, we stood to sing Uptown Girl because everyone could still some words. 

For random-oke this evening, the noise makers chose A Little Reapect and had it with great joy. 

And it remains to wish holly-bobs-peeps a fantastic and enjoyable trip. They stayed behind to practice and we all went home. I love you DFS, and I'm sorry not to perform with your recently. Please forgive me and completely keep singing, Cat XXX

28 April 2017

All Saints Church Portland Comcert

A spokesperson for choir said, "It was a pleasure to perform, yet again, at All Saints Church on Portland.  This was our 9th concert in as many years here and all the stops were pulled out for a great performance.  Although we had slightly fewer members of the audience than in previous years, we still raised a very impressive £280 which has been split between the church and DCH Charity Cancer Appeal.

Our next appearance is at the Fayre In The Square, Brewers Quay on Saturday, 27th May at 11am  (singing before midday!!)."

PS That was Ed.