All posts by Chris K

Chairman’s Newletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,
Here is a message from Chris regarding our rehearsal this week:-

–Hi all
In this week’s rehearsal I just want to look at one new song – 
Dance a Cachucha – Please try to have a look and listen to it prior to Thursday, especially at the words as saying these at speed is probably harder than learning our notes!
We will spend the rest of the evening revising the following – 
Something Inside So Strong (looking at the 3 choruses (b 16-25; b40-49; b60-74) and then singing through the whole song
Why We Sing (practising the intro b1-9; Bass tenor and alto in b10-25 and adding the descant to the final chorus – last time ladies whose birthday is in May, June or July sang this!)
Can Can
Let the River Run
Let’s Dance Medley
Beatles Abbey Road Medley
Fix You
Believer
The Bare Necessities

Have a good week and see you on Thursday.
Chris
If you haven’t already done so, those of you who are going to the dinner in the 21st, can you make sure that your selections are given to Lin or Rebecca asap.
Local Vocals are at Sunnybank, Fair Oak this week, so I will either see you there, or at rehearsal on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric 

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Good morning,
A couple of things this week.  First is the message from Chris – 

Hi NMM
I missed you all last week.  I’ve heard from Hilary – it sounds like you covered a lot of ground while I was away!  This week we are continuing with a mixture of new learning and revision, gearing things up now for the concert we are doing for the Mayor in May.  For this we will use some of the songs originally marked for our Summer Spectacular to create some variety from our own Summer Concert.
Songs we will look at this week are –
Can Can
The Bare Necessities
Why we Sing
The Beatles Medley
Something Inside so Strong
Celebration
Fix You
As always do try to listen to these in advance to maximise our time together.
 
I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.
Chris
Second is additional information from Lin and Rebecca regarding the dinner – 
 

NEW MUSIC MAKERS ANNUAL DINNER 2026

THE SOUTHAMPTON ARMS –  89 MOORGREEN ROAD WEST END S031 5BJ


For those that were not at choir on Thursday there are a few additions to the menu.


Rump Steak

10 oz Owtons rump steak served with chips, mushrooms, garden peas and onion rings  +£5.00


They are only able to offer 10 servings so will be for the first to order.


They are also offering wine for £20.00 a bottle that’s pre-ordered but unfortunately will have to be normal price on the day.

The choice of wine is either Merlot or Chardonnay    Email  lin.kellaway@yahoo.com     You can also email me your menu choices 

Third, we are at Florence Court, Segensworth tomorrow, 2.00 start, for Local Vocals.

We have just had confirmation of the dates for Haskins, Sunday 13th and 20th December.  At the moment the times are 2 to 3, but I will confirm the arrangements with Haskins in September, and I will see if we can bring it forward.

Well, that’s all for now, so I will see you sometime during the week.

Bye for now.

Eric

NEW MUSIC MAKERS ANNUAL DINNER 2026

Lins Emails

HI there,

Firstly, many thanks for those who turned for the funeral this afternoon, it was a very nice service and I believe we were well received in bolstering the hymns.
Secondly, here is a message from Lin and Rebecca regarding the Annual Dinner:-
ANNUAL DINNER
Please find the menu for the Annual Dinner attached to this email.
There are a few things that we haven’t been able to confirm yet but wanted to get the menu out before Choir this week so will let you know when they have got back to me or I have time to pop over again.
If you are able to, print a copy of the menu and hand it back to me at choir or you can just email  or WhatsApp me your requirements.  Please can you let me have your choices and transfer payment no later that 5th March 2026 please.
Sharon has kindly agreed that we can pay by Bank Transfer which is the easiest way for everyone. If you are unable to do this then please let me know and we will find an alternative arrangement.  Bank Details.
                        NEW MUSIC MAKERS 30-90-89 / 36801660   Ref: ANNUAL DINNER
The Chef seems very accommodating so if you have any slight changes in the menu as in wanting chips instead of mash for example,  I am sure that they will be happy to oblige.  Can you state if you want custard or ice cream where appropriate and also if you have any dietary requirements or any allergies.
I will bring some forms Thursday evening.
Regards
Lin and Rebecca
Well, that’s all for now so I will see you tomorrow night.
Bye for now.
Eric 

pdf icon NMM-ANNUAL-DINNER-26.pdf

Rehearsal 19th February

Lins Emails
Hi there,
Here is a message from Hilary regarding this week’s rehearsal.

Really looking forward to leading our rehearsal on Thursday.  
Please remember to bring your pencils, water and all your music! 
We will be singing:  
  • Can-Can – our main item for the evening as we’ve not sung it for while so we will be relearning it – it’s a sprightly number – lots of short notes (dots/lines/> markings). Please make sure you have a look at if before Thursday – noting singing parts split, so the 2nds have the opportunity for their own part (except for tenors, sorry)  
    Bring your dancing shoes!*
  • Why we sing – going back over what we did this last week to cement that lovely bit between bars 10 – 48
  • Believer
  • Circle of Life
  • All things bright and beautiful
  • Shine
  • The Parting Glass – if we have time
  • Let the River Run- if we have time
  • And some bits from the other 2 medleys we have done so far – if time
* Only kidding! Hope to see you all there! 
Hilary 

Don’t forget those that are going to the funeral on Wednesday that funeral starts at 1.00pm, and although there is car parking around the back of the church, there is usually not many spaces, so you will need to get there early to grab a place.
If you have already done so, can you confirm to Lin that you will be going to the Annual dinner on the 21st March .  You can email her on lin.lellaway@yahoo.com, or WhatsApp her.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will either see you at Local Vocals tomorrow at Hamble Heights, Park Gate, at 2.15, at the funeral on Wednesday, or at the rehearsal on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric


Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,
Here is a message from Chris regarding next week’s rehearsal:-

Hello everyone
Hi all,
In our first five rehearsals back this year we have covered 13 songs!  SO, this coming Thursday we are going to slow the pace (in both number of new things we look at and tempo of some of our faster numbers!) to allow some time for revision.
This week we will look at
1. Why We Sing b1-41 (especially focussing on 10-25)
2. Something Inside So Strong 
3. The Sound of Music Medley (revising each song in here separately)
4. Let’s Dance! The Songs of Irving Berlin Medley (revising each song separately)
5. Fix You
6. Celebration
7. Let the River Run
8. Believer

Do keep listening and practising with the tracks to all of these as you are able as these are such a helpful resource that Jerry has put in place for us and help us make the most of our rehearsal time together.

The other 5 we have touched on in rehearsals so far  are songs we have carried over from previous years (most from last year)
 Bohemian Rhapsody
 Shine
 Circle of Life
 The Parting Glass
 All Things Bright and Beautiful
That is a lot of music we have covered since January so well done. Lots of time to refine and go over it before any of our performances!
Take care and see you on Thursday.
Chris
Lin has reminded me to ask you that if you ae intending to come to the Annual Dinner on the 21st March, at Southampton Arms, could please let her know as soon as possible so that she can book the room at the pub.  She is on holiday at the moment, but she will acknowledge your emails.  Her email is lin.kellaway@yahoo.com.
We have confirmation of the date for Bitterne URC which will be the 23rd April, so can you let me know if you are available so that Chris can arrange the music depending on how many we have.
For those of you that have offered to help with the singing at Marg’s mother’s funeral on Wednesday, 18th February at Holy Trinity Church, Fareham, I enclose a copy of the three hymns that thewy will be singing, and Chris has agreed to rehearse them once we finished our rehearsal next Thursday. The time of the funeral is 1.00pm, so I would suggest that we get there earlier than that as parking is not very good around the area.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will either see you at The Firs, Park Gate on Tuesday for Local Vocals, or at rehearsal next Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric

doc icon Hymns-for-Funeral.docx

Newsletter Extra

Lins Emails
Hi there,
A couple of things have come up since I sent out my weekly newsletter.
The first is a request for help.  As most of you may know, Marg Dunne’s mother has recently passed away, and her funeral is being held on Wednesday, 18th February, at 1.00pm, at the Holy Trinity Church, Fareham PO16 0NT. It is where we sing for the Dementia Support Group for the Christmas Christmas party. Marg has asked if any of us would be available to go and help to sing the three hymns which her mother had chosen for her funeral, to booster the singing.
The three hymns are:-
How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
O Love that will not let me go – tune St. Margaret
Just as I am Without One Plea – tune Saffron Walden
All three hymns can be found on YouTube, and Chris is willing to rehearsal them after we have finished our rehearsal on the 12th February so that you can familiarise yourself with the hymns.  I will ask for volunteers tomorrow night.
Secondly, we have been asked by the Bitterne URC Senior Citizens Club to sing at one of their meetings in April.  Chris is available on either the 23rd or the 30th, so we have given those dates to the club and are waiting for a response back from them.  Can you let me know if you ae available for this.
Lastly,  we have secured KCC for our Summer concert on the 6th June.
Well, I think that’s all for now, so I will see you tomorrow night.
Bye for n ow.
Eric

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,
First is this from Chris:_

Hi all,
This week we will continue to learn new music and revise songs we have looked at so far.
In this week’s rehearsal we will start to learn
  • Something Inside So Strong
  • Why We Sing
and we will revise
  • Celebration (look at b48-end) and then run through
  • All Things Bright and Beautiful
  • Fix You
  • Let’s Dance Medley
  • Let the River Run
Thanks for all the work you do learning these. Keep listening to the practise tracks as it really does help us make the most of our time when we are together as a choir.
I look forward to seeing you again on Thursday.
Chris
Secondly, we were approached by the Mayor of Eastleigh at our Christmas concert to see if we would do a concert for her Mayor’s Charity Appeal.  We have agreed to this requested and the concert will take place on Saturday, 9th May, at West End Village Hall, with the time still to be agreed.  Chris and I will make arrangements to go to the hall so that we can arrange where everything will go, and I will come back to you when we have further information, but please put the date in your diaries.
Local Vocals have also agreed to sing for the Botley, Hedge End and West End U3A on Wednesday, 9th December, at 1.30, so please put this date in your diaries. Location still to be agreed.
Well, that’s for now, so I will see you at rehearsal on Thursday as there is no Local Vocals this week.
Bye for now. 
Eric