12 January 2023

The blog has been blogged for 14 years! Ed said Happy New Year. An Easter concert is already booked DFS, on 29 and 30 March for both choirs. 

September brings songs we rarely get to perform, so as well as fresh new song sheets to collect we will look at some of those again. Ed talked us through this terms fresh offerings. 

And so we warmed up … 

And kicked off with Uptown Girl which was great fun. After a run through we were introduced to some backing and harmonies. 

Inspired by a live performance of From Both Sides Now Ed decided to let us have at it. And so we did. But I didn’t because I’m far to young to know it. Ed played the piano and guided us to tighten up, and be mindful of any pauses. Slipping into the odd harmony when he felt the urge … 

Now Africa has actions … we create the sound of rain. We did this some time ago but I don’t think we took our rain to a concert. We sang along to the backing track. Such fun. The longest HAD we’ve ever had. We practiced making rain and thunder. It blended beautifully into the intro. 

Have at the hand actions if you wish, for I Who Have Nothing completely optional as are pulling dramatic faces. Ed say at the piano, and told us how much he loved us. Likewise. Drama is good today. Just this once. 

Meatloaf next because Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad. Most people know this even if they think they don’t. We just had a little taster because it is a rather long song and we wanted to fit in 9 to 5. A bit of dolly so send us out into the night, singing all the way home. Please bring your southern drawl. 

Wow. What a great lovely start to another year of DFS. Well done, that’s not why I love you xxx 

1 December 2022

Posters for both concerts were available tonight, plus some housekeeping for both our choir concerts next week. It’s on a need to know basis so I am not permitted to share deets here. Apart from. Dig out some tinsel if you want to get all festive. 

Ed’s big birthday is coming up. Two days before we start back on the 19th January. We sang Happy Birthday. To one of the Carols. And when we return in January this blog will be 14 years old. 

Without an official warm up we began with O HOLY NIGHT. The gentle version. 

Then we set about singing the concert properly, well actually no. We invested quite a bit of time getting THE HOLLY AND THE IVY right. I wonder if we shall cheer on concert night when we get it all lining up? Very well done DFS. But that’s not why I love you. 

Then we also missed out some songs we didn’t really need to …

Singing WHITE CHRISTMAS was a treat after that! 

AMEN is going to be a concert warm up on Thursday, so we had a practice. 

Super singing choir, I’ll see you next Wednesday because I’m all tied up on Thursday at Wey Valley. Cat xxx

24 November 2022

With two weeks to our concerts, instead of three, we panicked. Then hummed you raise me up to warm up, and Hark The Herald for a second warm up after our notices. 

Friday 9th we are booked for the royal at 7 - 7.30pm. 

Dress code is same for all concerts, bright or choir tops with black bottoms. Tinsel optional. 

Hark The Herald was a little quite. Feeling low in number we needed encouragement from the choir master to sing out. Second run through and we nailed it. 

With songs in order again, we sang O Holy Night with more confidence and volume. Ho Oh Lee Ee night. Over the top annunciation is a must. 

Carol of the Bells a capela as usual. 

Good King Wenceslas fell into line, with only 2 gents in attendance tonight. 

See Amid The Winter Snow has a first verse that makes me think of childhood roast dinners. The tender lamb … 

Merry Christmas Everybody will be a fun ending to the solo and duo section. 

So for a break in festive numbers we listened to Because We Believe which will can sing at Easter. 

Then back to Christmas, Rocking Around The Christmas Tree because concert in two weeks time! Don’t panic! 

Such fun singing The Holy And The Ivy. We don’t know what happened but following a few hiccups we peaked. Let’s just leave it there…

White Christmas crooned it’s way into the room. And only time to squeeze in O Come All Ye faithful and Fairy Tale. 

Phew. I really do feel like I’ve been jogging. Well sung all of you that made it in tonight, and well done to you at home catching up with the blog and drop box. Last practice next week xxx

17 November 2022

Ed began by announcing that tonight’s songs would be practiced in the the order that we will perform them in. So I’d better be extra on-the-ball tonight, thought I. Then I dropped my blogging phone and slidden my gloves across the room picking up my folder. Great start. 

We warmed up. I tried to sing my very bestest, but there are notes where I think they will help us. 

Today Ed learned that next week, the last week in November is the worst week for behaviour in schools. 

Concert Order 

From 7pm to about 8.05pm. 

Hark the herald 

O holy night 

   We had some coaching as we played with volumes and really good diction and remembering the big finish ho-oh-oh-ly night. 

Carol of the Bells 

   Stop frowning down and your lyrics and remember to look up. Well. It’s getting there …

Good king W

See Amid the winter snow 

   As with the last song, the gents, though they be but few, did us proud. Ed was impressed that we had really improved since the first song and felt a little emotional. 

Merry Christmas everybody 

*Solos, duos and trios etc from 7.20 to about 7.40*

Rocking around the Xmas tree 

The holly and the Ivy 

White Christmas 

Walking in a winter wonderland 

O come all ye faithful 

Fairy tail of New York. 

Then it was time to run through these in order! Go! We went home knowing we had done well. 

10 November 2022

We warmed up La-la-la-la and Dum-dum-Diddley before our festive treats. No. Not mince pies. We had a play at sirens before discussing something secret. Hehe. Christmas concerts of course … see last week for information. 

Hark the Herald kicks off rehearsal tonight. At the concert the audience will be invited to sing with us when we start the performance with this song. The descant part is played by a trumpet.

Link to drop box here - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lzxyga8qb6hhwjaemsvqi/h?dl=0&rlkey=ufd4pdqsmtf2arv5pz92f7xbp&fbclid=IwAR0LamYzJzL7UaW6FCbhN5Yc5o2fN6xBIS_QNGfvHlKuQ7ex3DRnkbiePm4

Roll your rrrrrrrrs during O Holy Night - yes, all of them. Please do keep your mouths open wide for the word night especially. 

We split into 1s and 2s for Carol of the Bells. The bell sound (dong) should be made mainly from the nose. On the second run through we stayed in tune because we all remembered to support the high notes. 

See Amid The Winter Snow was next, giving the men time to shine, in that awesome chorus. Don’t forget the special ending. Let’s revisit that next week. 

We were 1s, 2s and 3s for The Holly and Ivy. We lost part 2s at one point. They seem to be a little quiet, so we swapped about a bit … 

We went Rocking Around The Christmas because Ed said it would already be ready great. 

Next a former solo of mine, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Finally settled in the key of G. 

Then we were Dreaming Of A White Christmas is another one we can already sing well. 

And a descant for O Come All Ye Faithful if anyones up for it? For the finale of course, fairytale Of New York. 

Great work, choir! Keep it up and remember to read this blog. It’s full of top tips and no wrong dongs … xxx

3 November 2022

‘Merry Christmas!’ Ed balled as we commenced our festive half of the autumn term.  People grabbed booklets from the back of the hall. We are having 4 concerts on the books 7 and 8 for our choir concerts, 11 for The Christmas Cracker and finally a smaller number of us for the Chamber of Commerce dinner dance on Friday 9 ballroom, Royal Hotel. They actually only asked for 12 of us but this isn’t confirmed as yet. We don’t normally restrict numbers but they are willing to make a generous donation to our charity. Watch this space! 

We warmed up humming You Raise Me Up because Ed said we had 15 songs to squeeze in! 

Once In Royal David’s City requires support for those high notes so we don’t go flat. Ed demonstrated by not playing the piano for the first verse. 

O Holy Night made good use of a backing track on Ed’s phone. This song calls for great precision, especially when it comes to ssss and t’s. Ed sat at the piano. Beware spoonerism in the opening. 

O Come O Come Emmanuel rang out in the hall. I hope Liz in the office is feeling the festive vibe. But it’s a little weighty and might not make the the cut. 

Hark how the bells lead to a slip, 1s and 2s … Ed guided us through both parts. Don’t forget we have 4 rehearsals. We will be fine. 

Good King Wenceslas blasted from the speakers. Too much Gain. 

See Amid The Winter Snow is lovely. Ed recapped the mens part, covering the first two lines of the course. Can you reach that dramatic last note.

The fun really began at The Holly And The Ivy and we took our places. Or numbers. Rife disobedience ensued. But the result was better than Ed expected. 

Winter wonderland we know very well. Then we jumped to Rocking Around The Christmas Tree. 

Back to Hark The Herald. Know the descant part? Go for it! 

Are You Hanging Up A Stocking on your wall? No me either. One, it’s too early, and two, my ferrets would pull it down and hide it behind the sofa. 

Wow, Happy Christmas and keep singing xxx

20 October 2022

We almost had a dead piano tonight, and had Peter and Ed discussed the possibility of a replacement. This must have upset the piano just enough to get it working again. Just in time for Ed to announce it’s untimely demise. 

That meant we could warm up as usual. Although Ed did set aside the keyboard for some fun vocal-exercises, and a dum-dum-fiddle. 

We were introduced to Because We Believe and listened to it on Ed’s IPad, then to him singing it at the happily resurrected piano. Some of us joined in. Isn’t it lovely? 

But we have all been practicing being Barry Gibb for How Deep Is Your Love and I think we nailed it, making Ed laugh in pure delight as our over-vibrato filled the hall. Oh my. Does anybody read this and gain any insight? I do hope so. Especially if you didn’t come this week. This entire blog is your half term homework. Don’t come next week. 

We practiced the harmony parts then performed it with the backing track. We were allowed to congratulate ourselves heartily, then those who didn’t have one ordered a Christmas booklet from Ed. 

The piano was tinkered with so we could sing The Sound Of Silence. The last verse still has too many words that don’t want to fit. Ed wanted more harmony people, so demonstrated it again. 

We had a little bash at The Greatest Showman Medley and a stamp practice. Then stood to perform, keeping going even when the backing track gave up, and Siri called, I’m sorry! 

Finally The Wellerman filled the hall HUH and then it was time to go home, for sugar and tea and run. 

Well done and keeeeep singing all half term xxx

13 October 2022

With oodles of songs to get through we dived into a warm up. Have you got The Christmas Collection 2019 tucked away safely at home? Do have a look because next week you can order a set of you need one. 

We all ruffled through our pages to find Ave Verum Corpus. It went so well when we first sang it that I almost forgot to blog. I think I ran out of puff out on the last line. Ed sang out each of the parts in turn paying more attention to the second half. 

Time for a calypso so Ed whipped out the recording of the song for us to sing along to, then jumped behind the piano for a go without John. He also demonstrated the harmony for the chorus. 

The piano was all pitched transposed so that we could attempt The Sound Of Silence which was interesting. Ed wanted a lot more harmony. Harmony people sang with Ed to practice. 

Some choir members think we have sung How Deep Is Your Love some time ago but some of us only remember The First Of May. We practiced out Bee Gee impressions for the opening bars. The harmony parts needed some work. 

We dived into The Wellerman minus Scottish accents. There was a request to stand for this one, and we stayed stood to sing The Greatest Showman. 

All too soon it was time to go home to bed, well done DFS  Cat xxx