All posts by Chris K

This Week’s Rehearsal

Lins Emails
Good afternoon to you all, and a Happy New Year,
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmastime.
Well, we are back for a new season, and for this week’s rehearsal, Lillian would like to start on our new songs, some of which you will not receive until you get to rehearsal on Thursday.
She would like to sing through the following:
Human
The Music is Always There for You
Come What May
To Make You Feel My Love
Take Five
Rhythm of Life
Rocketman
Java Jive
Chili Caliente
It had been suggested that we have some sectionals again at the start of this term, but when we looked at what it was going to cost, the Committee decided that we could not afford any so we have come up with the following – our rehearsals will finish at 9.45pm, and when Lillian wants just the men or women for their songs, we will finish earlier and use the rest of the time of the rehearsal for that purpose, and we can also use that time for the small groups that will be singing “Rocketman”.
The Committee also looked at the programme for the Summer Concert and the Summer Spectacular, and although some songs have already been kept back for the Summer Spectacular, it was agreed that for the Summer Concert we will only sing as a full choir, and then introduce solos, duets etc for the Summer Spectacular, thereby having a different programme for each event.
To help members have a rest between songs at the concert, it has been suggested that we have some musical pieces such as Chris on the piano, Emmy with her Flute, Lillian with her violin, and Toby, our sound engineer, with his saxophone.

On the matter of rehearsals, can I remind everyone that if you are not feeling well, please do not come, as it has been reported that there is a new strain of Covid going around which is particularly infectious, and we do not want the choir going down with it.
Here are some dates for your diary:-
Annual Dinner – Prince Consort, Netley –  Saturday,16th March – provisional
Bitterne URC – Thursday, 25th April, 2.30pm – programme tba
Beetle Drive – Saturday, 27th April – provisional
Hedge End Methodist Church Centenary Concert – Saturday, 11th May, 7.00pm
Summer Concert – Saturday, 1st June, 2.30pm – KCC Hedge End
Fareham Rotary – Sunday, 23rd June, 2.30pm – Stubbington
Summer Spectacular – Saturday, 20th July, 2.30pm – Hedge End Village Hall
For the Hedge End Methodist Church Centenary concert and the Fareham Rotary concert we will be singing the same programme as our Summer concert.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see you on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric

Summer Programme 2024

Lins Emails
Good morning to you all, and a Happy New Year,
Well, its a start of another season, and the Music Committee have been hard at work sorting out a programme for the summer.
I enclose a copy for your attention so that you can have your music ready for when we start back on the 11th.
Tony, our Music Librarian, has also been busy getting the music together which you do not hold, and which will be available on our first rehearsal.
The programme really looks good, with some old favourites, and some new ones, which we hope you will enjoy.
I have been reliably informed that the Local Vocals have a full programme for the coming months, and we look forward to seeing everyone who is able to come along and sing with us, as the residents certainly enjoy our singing.
There are several dates that you will need to know about, but I will confirm them once we have had our Committee meeting next Monday.
Well, that’s all for now.
See you soon.
Regards
Eric
pdf icon Summer-Programme-2024.pdf

Applemore College Concert

Lins Emails
Good afternoon,
I enclose a copy of an email I have received from the organiser of last night’s concert:-

From: Carol Eskriett <caroleskriett@btinternet.com&gt;
To: ERIC GERREY <ericgerrey@aol.com&gt;
Sent: Friday, 15 December 2023 at 09:54:39 GMT
Subject: Thank you!
Good morning Eric
On behalf of the Foundation can I just say how much we enjoyed the choirs contribution to our Christmas concert. They were fantastic! To say they added a touch of class to the event would be an understatement. They looked professional, sounded professional and made the concert a huge success. I hope they enjoyed coming and performing for us as much as we enjoyed listening to them.
Half of the profits from the evening will go the music department at the school. I’m going to suggest they invest in a voice coach! It was great that the kids were brave enough to stand up in front of a hall full of people and sing, but yet again, the quality of their performance was disappointing. Thank goodness for the choir!
Anyway, if you could let me have the bank details I’ll arrange payment. It probably won’t be until next week now as I’m off to Germany for a few days tomorrow, visiting some Christmas markets to really help get into the Christmas spirit!
I hope you have a lovely Christmas Eric and I look forward to working with you again in the New Year.
Best wishes
Carol
So a big thank you for all who attended last night and it looks like we might have further engagements after speaking to Andy, the Head of Music at the school, and Carol.  Once they have a total, I will let you know.
Don’t forget we are meeting next week for a “Social Gathering” and  a “Bring and Share” food, and we will provide tea and coffee.
Eunice is still looking for singers for the Local Vocals on Thursday and Friday next week, so if you are available, please let Eunice know.
In the new year, I will be sending out the programme for what we will be doing for the summer concerts.
If I don’t see you next week, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Bye for now.
Eric.
Sent from my iPad

Fw: Lost property!!

Lins Emails
Hello,
It seems that some of you left some items behind after yesterday evening.

Hi Eric,
Can you send this out to the choir and ask the owners to contact me to let  me know when they will be at a NMM function to collect their property?  Thank you!  2 men’s flat hats, 1 Xmas headband, jacket and scarf, a pair of ear plugs, music folder (empty) and glasses case.

Fw: 🎼🎶Wonderful Christmas Concert🎶

Lins Emails
Good evening one and all,
Well, didn’t it go well yesterday.  I know it was a lot of hard working getting there, but we certainly put on a good couple of concerts.
I can only thank all the helpers that came along on the morning to help set up, worked during the concerts, and stayed behind after to clear up.  We were out by 10.10pm.  Also, thanks to those that came on Friday to get the equipment from the Lock-up to the hall and again this morning to put it all back. It certainly makes the job easier with more helpers.
I received the following from Lillian last night:-

Wonderful Christmas Concert
Hello choir,

I am so impressed by your performances today! I think the selection of music was balanced and varied, full of meaning. And your performance was stunning. Your tone and diction was impressive, as was commented on by several audience-members, including the Mayor, who is himself a singer! He said he thoroughly enjoyed himself this evening, so well done.
Although a few rhythms and entrances were a little off and we had some intonation issues in the evening performance, the afternoon performance was truly spot-on! I think a few of us got a bit sluggish from having our bellies full before the evening concert 😂 But overall, I truly believe it was one of our best concerts yet–you were very well prepared, and it sounded and looked fantastic!
Thank you once again to Eric, all the volunteers, Chris and Martha, the instrumentalists, and the soloists for their beautiful renditions. It’s been a privilege to be a part of such a well-oiled machine as is the New Music Makers!
I’m looking forward to seeing you all again at the Applemore College combined concert, where I think we might be able to relax a bit more and really enjoy ourselves.
Until then,
Lillian
Speaking of Applemore, I enclose a copy of the programme which we will be following on Thursday.  Just to remind you that we need to be there for about 6.30 so that we can organise the seating as I know that some of you are not able to make it.  I will bring some copies with me for those who do not have access to a printer.
If you need a lift, I know that there are some spaces available, so please let me know and I will put you in touch with someone.
The Local Vocals have a busy time ahead.  We are singing at Snowdrop Place on Tuesday, 12th, for the Dementia Support Group, then again on the Wednesday, 20th for snowdrop themselves.  We also have the two concerts for the Dementia Support Group on the 21st at Fareham, and the 22nd at Eastleigh, so if you are able to make any of these, please let Eunice know.  We will send out the details for these two concerts nearer the time.
Our last meeting will be on Thursday, 21st December, where we will be having a “Bring and Share” buffet, and we will provide tea and coffee.  Please do not bring any alcohol as it is not permitted on Methodist premises.  We will have some Christmas music playing which you can either sing along to or just have a chat to one another.
I will also send out the programme of music that we will be doing for next year, but I will leave this until after Christmas, to give you all a well earned rest.
Well, its the end of another successful year.  I would like to say a very big thank you to all that have helped to make this year a success.  With a choir as large as ours, it does not run by itself, so THANK YOU.  Well, if I do not see you before we start back on the 11th January, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Bye for now.
Eric

pdf icon APPLEMORE-COLLEGE-2023.pdf

This week’s rehearsal

Lins Emails
Hi there,
I enclose a copy of the programme that we will be following for our concerts on the 9th December, and which we will be rehearsing this week on Thursday, as Lillian wants to do a full run through of the programme.
For those of you that do not access to a printer, I will bring some spare copies on Thursday.
The programme for the 14th at Applemore has been completed, but I will send this out next Sunday, so as to not confuse you.
Well, I can’t think of anything else at the moment, b ut if anything comes up, I will let you know.
Bye for now.
Eric
pdf icon Christmas-2023-Programme.pdf

Rehearsal this Thursday

Lins Emails
Good afternoon,

Hope you are all keeping well with this colder weather we seem to be having.

Here is a message from Lillian regarding this week’s rehearsal.
Hello everyone,
I hope you had a nice weekend! This Thursday I would love to start with what you worked on with Chris:
Twelve Days of Christmas
Last Christmas
This Christmas
Brazilian Christmas – with instruments
Gabriel’s message
Mary, Did You Know
Wexford Carol
The First Noel – with flute
Let it Go
Believe
And then next week, I’d like to do a run-through of all our pieces before the concert!
Kindest regards,
Lillian
We now have only two rehearsals left before our concert – no pressure then.
If you haven’t already done so, there is a Fish & Chip order on the table at the front on Thursday evening if you want something in between the concerts on the 9th, and if you haven’t already paid, can you make sure that you do asap, either by paying straight into the choir’s bank account, or giving cash to Gen Marsh on Thursday.
Just a reminder for the Local Vocals that we are singing at Florence Court, Segensworth, on Friday afternoon, at 4.30, so we would like you there for 4.15 to get ready.  The mayor of Fareham is coming to switch on their Christmas Tree Lights.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see you on Thursday.
Bye for now.
Eric

NMM rehearsal next Thursday – 23-11-23

Lins Emails
Hello there,

Hope you are having a good weekend.

As mentioned last Thursday, Lillian will not be with us this week, so Chris is taking the rehearsal, so here’s what’s happening:-
Hello everyone,
I’m very much looking forward to leading our rehearsal on Thursday.  Our priority will be to revise/learn The Twelve days of Christmas and continue to build confidence with our other songs.  Here is the plan for this week:
The Twelve days of Christmas (100 CFC p 246)
This Christmas
From a Distance
Let it Go
Believe
Merry Christmas Everyone
Wexford Carol (just page 100)
Wonderful Christmas Time
The First Nowell (with Flute)
Last Christmas
Wonderful Christmas Time
We will finish at 9:30pm.  I’m happy at the end of the choir rehearsal to do a run through of songs with the soloists who will be singing in the concert.
Have a good week!
Chris
We are still looking for help on the day, and also donations for the raffle.
We have arranged for fish & chips in between the performances and the list will be at the front table on Thursday if you have not already put your name down. Payment to be made straight into the choir’s bank account, with the reference: Fish & Chips, or give the cash to Gen Marsh.
Just a reminder for Local Vocals that we are singing at Hawthornes Care Home, Woolston, at our usual time, on Thursday afternoon, and this will be the first of our Christmas programme, so you need to wear your Christmas Jumpers and Hats.
We have also had a request from Florence Court, Segensworth, to go along on the 1st December at 4.30 and sing some Christmas songs and carols ready for the Mayor to switch on the lights at 5.30pm, so if you are available can you let Eunice know.
The programme for Applemore College on the 14th December has been agreed, but I will send this out nearer the time so as not to confuse anyone.
Some of you have asked if it is possible to print off the music from the 100 Carols book of the songs that we are singing in our concert as you find the book rather heavy to hold, so if you want a copy, email me back and let me know which ones you want copied before next Thursday.
Well, that’s all for now, so see you on Thursday.
Bye for now
Eric