All posts by Chris K

Fw: Rehearsal Plan for 31 October

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

Hello choir,

I hope you’re having a good weekend.
I’d like to do the choir solo auditions this coming Thursday, so please be in attendance and prepared if you are auditioning. I’m looking for the following solos:
-Santa Will Find You (either male or female)
-Sending You a Little Christmas (either)
-Gaudete (preferably 2 females & 2 males)

Here’s the rehearsal order:
The Wexford Carol
Mary’s Little Boy Child
Sending You a Little Christmas – audition
I Believe in Fr Christmas – audition
Gaudete – audition
Brazilian Christmas Carol
What Sweeter Music
A La a Anita
Candlelight Carol
God rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
White Christmas 
The choir is sounding great! I hope someone records my final concert with you 🎶
Many blessings,
Lillian
Also, just to remind you that if you are thinking of singing a solo spot in the programme, the auditions will be taking place on the 14th November, and we will finish our rehearsal that evening earlier at 9.15pm.  We also need two members of the choir to act as adjudicators for the auditions.
Have a good rest of the weekend, and don’t forget to put your clocks back an hour tonight.
Bye for now.
Eric

Rehearsal Plan for 24 October

Lins Emails
Good afternoon,

Firstly, here is a message from Lillian regarding this week’s rehearsal:-
Dear choir,
I’m sad to have announced that we are moving away in January, but I am so pleased to know that Chris will be taking over for me. Thank you all for your kind words, and I am grateful we will be able to complete my final concert with you in December!
This Thursday, I’d like to rehearse the following songs:
Merry Christmas, Everyone
White Christmas
From a Distance
The First Noel/Pachelbel’s Canon
I Believe in Father Christmas
Sending You a Little Christmas
Santa Will Find You
Mele Kalikimaka
Brazilian Christmas
What Sweeter Music
A La Nanita Nana
Thank you,
Lillian
We have decided that it would be nice for Lillian to sing the solo part in “O Holy Night” as a fitting tribute to the work she has done with choir since she started in 2016.
On another note, we are looking for charities which we can support when we make the collections at John Lewis and Haskins, in December.  We have had some already, but if you have anymore that you would like to put forward, can you make sure that you will have access to collection tins etc from the charity involved.
We also need to start thinking about the help that would be required at our Christmas concerts in the afternoon and evening, so if you have a partner or friend that is willing to help, please let me know.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see either on Tuesday, at the Local Vocals at Netley Court, or at the rehearsal on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric

Announcememt

Lins Emails
Hi there,
There was an announcement last night from Lillian.
Her mother-in-law has not been well for sometime, and her care has been the responsibility of her sisters, so Felipe felt it was time that he took over some of the responsibility for caring for her so he has found a new job in the States and will be starting in January.
This means the Christmas concert will be the last that we will see Lillian, as the family will be moving back to the States in January.
She said that she has thoroughly enjoyed her time with the choir and will have many fond memories of being with us.
The Committee has already decided to offer the position of Musical Director to Chris, and he has accepted the offer, but that means we will be looking for another pianist to replace Chris.
We wish Lillian and her family all the best for the future, and we cannot thank her enough for the way that she has brought the choir on during her time with us, so lets make the Christmas concert the best that’s ever been so that she leaves us on a high.
Regards
Eric

Rehearsal Order for 12 September 2024

Lins Emails

Hello Choir,
Thank you for a productive rehearsal last week! Please be practicing and listening to our new songs this Christmas.
This week, I’d like to rehearse the music in this order:
Candlelight Carol
Brazilian Christmas Carol
Gaudete
White Christmas
What Sweeter Music
Santa Will Find You
O holy night
A La Nanita Nana
The Wexford Carol
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Mary’s Little Boy Child
Mele Kalikimaka
See you then!
Lillian

Christmas Programme 2024

Lins Emails
Hi there,
I thought I will remind you of the music which we will be singing this term.

Brought forward from last year

Brazilian Christmas Carol

The First Noel/Pachelbel’s Canon

From a Distance

Merry Christmas, Everyone

 

From our library

Marys Boy Child

What Sweeter Music

White Christmas

O Holy Night

Santa Will Find you

Sending You a Little Christmas

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

 

To be purchased

Wexford Carol

A La Nanita Nana

Candlelight Carol

Mele Kalilimaka

I Believe in Father Christmas

 

New arrangement

Gaudete


Regards

Eric

Rehearsal Order for 5 Sept

Lins Emails
Hi there,

I hope you have had a good holiday over the summer period with the various weather that we have had, and have recharged your batteries ready for the autumn season.

Here is a message from Lillian regarding the rehearsal this week.
Hello all,
I’m looking forward to being back and preparing Christmas music!
I’d like to rehearse the new songs in the following order:
A La Nanita Nana
Gaudete
The Wexford Carol
Mary’s Little Boy Child
Melé Kalilimaka
I Believe in Father Christmas
Sending You a Little Christmas
God Rest Ye Merry gentlemen
O Holy Night
White Christmas
What Sweeter Music
I hope you’re as excited about the new music as I am!
Lillian
Just a reminder that our rehearsals will start at 7.30 and finish at 9.30, with a 5 minute break in the middle, so that those of you that travel up or down the M27 can get home before they close the carriageway over night.
Also, anyone who wants to do a solo etc for our Christmas concert, there will be an audition on the 14th November, which gives you time to start practicing now, and Chris will give you a hand after we have finished our rehearsal each week.
I am waiting confirmation of the dates for singing at Haskins which are the 19th and 20th December, at 6.00pm.  I am also going to a meeting with John Lewis on Thursday to discuss singing in their store sometime before Christmas, so I will let you know how I get on.
I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric

Update from AGM

Lins Emails
Good evening to you all,
I hope you are enjoying this fine weather we are having at the moment.
I thought I had better let you know what happened at this year’s AGM for those of you who were not able to make it.
The major thing that was agreed was that the subscriptions were agreed to be increased to £22.00 per month as from the 1st September.  You all saw in Sharon’s report that we are experiencing increase in our costs, and if we let the subs stay the same, we will make a loss on the day to day running of the choir, as we had agreed at a previous AGM that any profits that were made from our concerts were to be used to purchase new music or equipment.  It was felt that it was better to increase our subs yearly so we don’t have a big jump one year.  This was carried unanimously at the meeting.
The Officers and Committee are staying virtually the same, although Maureen stepped down as our Secretary at the beginning of the year due to her health problems, and Louise stepped down at the beginning of July, as a Committee Member due problems with her son’s health, so we have Naomi Hollaway as our new Secretary, and we welcomed back Rebecca Williams as a Committee Member who will help Naomi with our bookings etc.
The Officers and Committee are as follows:-
Chairman – Eric Gerrey
Vice Chairman – Sarah Turl
Secretary – Naomi Hollaway
Treasurer – Sharon Thomas
Committee – Jerry Gamble, Margaret Ballard, Gen Marsh, Eunice Deuchar and Rebecca Williams.
Music Committee – Tony Jardine – Music Librarian, Hilary Green – Sops Rep, Maggie Jacobs – Altos Rep, Percy Knight – Tenor Rep, and Eric Gerrey – Bass Rep.
A couple of other things which will effect our rehearsals is that we will run from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with a five minute break in the middle due to the problems members were experiencing with the night time closures of the M27, and that the auditions for the solos for our concerts will be held at least one month before the concert so that it will give the soloists time to rehearse and not put pressure on the persons organising the printed programme. It will also mean that Chris could have sometime after we finish are rehearsal to give the soloists some time to rehearse.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see some of you at the Local Vocals during this month otherwise I will see you on 5th September when we start back with our Christmas programme.
Bye for now.
Eric