17 January 2013

The one were Ed turned 40, and nothing of any really proper singing work got done ...

It was nuttier than Christmas in the hall tonight, as Jack and Jenny worked the room with fizzy wine and only Harry stayed sober to press the buttons and slide the slider things to keep feedback at a minimum. While the buzz from the keyboard connections was mostly kept under check, the cheek given to the hour master reached new heights of annoying, and I'm very sorry about that indeed.

Am blogging from the sofa, in keeping with tonight's relaxed atmosphere, and with a nice glass of rosé! We had four new songs to have a go at including one which Ron sang at Wey-bay during one of our appearances there! We had a really good go at that as everyone seems to know the chorus of 'oh what a beautiful morning', and has sun it in the shower at least once.

Concert announced for the 10th may, at all saints church on Portland, so I pencilled it in on my iPhone at the same time as chatting with Jenny and Anna on a fresh photo of Ed. shared here for your enjoyment. Have a good weekend, In bed with the snow. Keep singing xxxx

10 January 2013 ...

The one where Michael got his tankard ...

Happy new year Dorset for singing, a bit of a croaky start for us all after all the seasonal indulgence, even yours truly had succumbed to the love that is Baileys, this Christmas! We had lots of lovely new songs to trial, and some of them were immediate hits and most of them were 'too low', but we got there in the end. As ever, we get a feel of new songs, sometimes in more than one practice, then sometimes kiss them goodbye and more on!

Some odd buzzes and crackles tonight, not from out throats but from Ed' and Jack's struggles with some dodgy leads and dusty projector filters, long overdue a good cleaning!

Really good feedback about of Christmas concert has come to me from a couple of sources, so just passing it onto share the love, we just get bigger and better every time. So well done DFS, pour your selves another!

Someone suggested a choir social to see Les Mis, and I think that would be a marvellous idea, esp as our other socials involve food, alcohol or too much coffee! But don't talk to Michael about organising that, as tonight he stepped down as choir manager and had to try very hard to unwrap his groovy tankard! He can bring that next week when Ed celebrates becoming 40. Don't knock it till you have tried it. 40 is fun! Turn up next week in your best dress, and find out! Please drink responsibly! Now get your you-tube out, and get singing! love you, Cat XXXX

13 December 2012

The Christmas concert ...

It is with great pride, and a glass of red wine that I sit to blog the blog about our enormously fun and successful concert, where we raised a healthy amount of cash for Motor Neurone Disease sufferers and families.Some of it while putting our hands on our bottoms, but I'll get to that in a minute! Thanks to Mary for  getting on the mic and telling us about the charity and her son Spencer xxx

It seems an age since we stood on stage at all saints school, and in fact we must have 'grown' as some of us were down on the floor again! And although the Christmas tree was not a patch on previous years' Christmas trees, it did mean that only the odd word was missing behind both it and one of the speakers used by the school. Of course, its no secret at all that we are all inclusive and make groovy power points so that the words can be seen at all. It sounds like many members have stopped staring at the screen now like rabbits-in-headlights, as I was asked by a member of the audience why the choir all stared at Ed. Well he was managing to conduct without his hands, rather clever id you ask me. MY favourite bit is when he mouths 'perfect' after a song finishes, while looking with relief at the notes on his keyboard ...

Well done from me to all soloists, I know what that feels like!

What fun we had playing heads and tails trying to win a Jeremy Bowen of champers, I esp had a giggle because of getting so close. Still not sure if I should stay Facebook friends with Richard now!

And after all our hard work, the treat of listening to Ed perform as his Alter Ego, during which I slipped away to relieve my lovely baby sitters and unwind from all that laughing at Ed's jokes.Well done DFS, love you so much, I cant wait to see you in 2013! Keep singing!

6th December 2012

The where the blogging was live...

Taking no chances this week against bad weather, sick children or forgetfulness, so blogging is taking place as we sing. Or not, as we haven't started yet!

All set up, and immersed in general chit chat, Ed and I worked out that the key for my solo is E minor.

Penultimate practice means a full concert run through, followed by a break, and some analysis. EEEEE-OOOOOR! The non-synchopators will be named and shamed again...The break was 4 minutes of speed-dating. Someone I didn't know did smile at me!

Next week, it's our concert and we will be back in the hall. The dress code is polo shirts and black bottoms, because we are indoors and do not need to wear our coats.

But for now it's back to the sofa for a hot drink, a bit of blogging, oh blogger me, I have already done it. Who wants to see a really funny pic of Michael and Ed?

The one where the blog was late ...

Hello nose-pickets, it's that time of year for coughs, sneezes and tummy rumblings to rattle round the hall as we dum-dum-diddly, and the like!

Have been having a very fat-head, so am stocking up on honey and lemon for our big concert, which is now rather less than two weeks away! Suggest you so same. Only coz I love you! Rather think though that a cash bar would be better.

Practice was filled with excited (paper) flutterings as charitable print outs of carols were handed out and my children tried to get one copy each because sharing sucks when you are KS1!

But we did get to Sing a good few of our all saints concert songs, and I hope you are all doing your homework this week. Keep singing/gargling and remember Maria Callas always used to eat tomatoes. Love you. The Cat xxxx

22 Movember 2012

MISSING CAT, STORMS ACROSS WEYMOUTH!
MISSING, CAT STORMS ACROSS WEYMOUTH!

One for the Echo there. And please accept this note from me best mate, who told me to stay home and stay safe. Linda sent me the low down on last night practice, as she and Jackie manned the doors and watched the choir folk arriving, wind swept and breathless before tackling the stairs to the common room. All the chairs facing the door, so anyone coming in late had the shock of everyone staring at them!

After the warm ups Ed decided that we needed a more intimate mood, so he turned most of the lights off. It was actually better to see the screen, which was right in front of the toilet door, so am Linda was glad everyone had `been` before practice, phew!

Then, the spooky bit! The lights in the staircase kept coming on and going off, so Harry was sent to investigate.... but he couldn`t find a light switch, like something from a bad dream. Every time Ed went to play on the keyboard the lights went off and on again several times. Perhaps he should have that organ looked at?

As the evening went on the room got very warm, but everyone refrained from stripping off. Choir sang all the songs quite well with some Dorset variations (laugh,passed etc), and we were reminded to be more American, esp since when we sang `Sing` it sounded Chinese! Nice. Keep singing folks, i missed you all. Thanks Linda see you for coffee sometime xxx

15 November 2012

The one where long ARMS can become a problem!

Ed does seem really pleased with us these days, told us off as usual, but we seem to be doing a lot of good singing. Sorry about the arms, its just that if you do sing a reeeaaally long one, and you are not careful about sounding that little 'M' sound in the middle, then you really are singing about lying in a very different place. and it wasn't the children that pointed it out, it was really me!

After a brief return of the Lobstickles, we belted out a good number of our new songs and felt very positive about our up and coming Christmas concert, on the 13 Dec. And were reminded that next week we are playing singing-sardines in the music block, so arrive at 5pm to ensure a parking space, and park near to the actual music block.

After practice, there was a wee chat about our Normandy tour, covering the possibly of exclusive tour t-shirts and whether frogs legs and snails could be served to vegetarians EVER. Fun. Still not sure who im sleeping with, but they had better snore more quietly than I do! Make sure you have passports as well as pyjamas, folks! Keep singing, I love you! XXXX

PS Ed is not really god, not even Buddha ...

8th November 2012

The one with the saucy wink!

Cracking on with this terms songs and not a feather boah or basque in sight! But Ed was seduced by our attitude anyway. He spoke about performing the song, as opposed to just saying the words in tune, and that if we are not affected by the songs contents with a shiver or a tear of emotion, then we are not really performing.

Our Christmas concert may clash with sparkle night but we won't let that put us off, everyone will need somewhere to come put of the rain anyway!

There will be a quick meeting at the end of next weeks practice, all about our up and coming European tour, and anyone who hasn't paid part two of their deposit will be sat on by Ed. just sayin'.

Keep singing, we are sounding ver pro these days, but that's not why I love you! Xxx