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