Lins Emails

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,

First, here is a massage from Chris:-
 
Hi all
Just a quick note from me this week.  No directions from me this week on what to practise or what to work on.  Just a really big well done and thank you for 12 months of hard work and some great concerts – not least of all Saturday’s Summer Spectacular.  Once again it was an event that our audience thoroughly enjoyed and a great finale to our Summer Season.  Enjoy your break.  I’ll pop in to the AGM on Thursday for any questions on my MD report.  Have a great summer.  Find some men! And I look forward to seeing you in September. 
Chris 
Second is to remind you of the AGM on Thursday, at the normal time of 7.30.
Last, we are singing at Sunnybank, West End, next Tuesday, but at the moment, we have only six going, so if anyone else is available, can you let me know.
Well, that’s all for now so I will see you tomorrow night.
Bye for now.
Eric

NMM Summer concert 2027

Lins Emails
Hi there,
We have just had confirmation from Barton Peveril College that we can have the 12th June for our Summer Concert next year, so can you put the date in your diaries.
Regards
Eric

Dates for the Diary

  • Annual General Meeting – 16 July 2026 – Methodist Church Hall
  • Break-up for the the end of term – 16 July 2026
  • Return for Autumn Term – 3 September 2026
  • Bishop’s Waltham Christmas Fayre – 26 November 2026 from 12pm
  • Freegrounds Christmas Fayre – 28 November 2026 from 11am TBC
  • John Lewis Saturday – 5 December 2026, 12-1pm, arrive 11.45am

·         Break -up for Christmas – 10 December 2026

  • Christmas Concert- 12 December 2026
  • Haskin Garden Centre –  13 December 2026
  • Haskin Garden Centre – 20 December 2026

·         Return for Spring Term – 7 January 2027

  • Summer Concert – 12th June 2027(1.00 for sound check, 2.30 performance)
  • Summer Spectacular – 17 July 2027 (1.00 for sound check, 2.30 performance )
  • Christmas Concert – 11 December 2027  (1.00 for sound check, 2.30 performance  plus 7.30 performance )

·         ‘All dates and information as known for forthcoming Events can be found on the website Calendar | New Music Makers.’ 

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,
I hope you all had a good weekend.

Here is a message from Chris regarding the rehearsal this week:-
 
Hi all
Thursday will be our final rehearsal of songs this term and the last rehearsal before our Summer Spectacular.  The following Thursday is our AGM so can I take this opportunity to say thank you to you all for your hard work, enthusiasm, commitment to the choir and all the practise you do to ensure we always perform to the very best level we can.  And can I also ask you to keep that up for one more week so we end this term with another great performance in our Summer Spectacular! 😀  It has been an absolute pleasure to lead you through another year and I’m looking forward to starting some new music when we return in September.

This week I want to run through our entire program again and give Keziah some time with our soloists.  The program is as follows  –

Let’s Dance Medley
(Welcome)
Can Can
ROY SOLO
Go the Distance
Circle of Life
SAFFRON SOLO
Beatles Abbey Road Medley
The Rose
The Wellerman
Shine
INTERVAL
The Sound of Music Medley
Flying Free
SOLO 3 – Amelia
Galway Girl
The Parting Glass
EMMA SOLO
Something Inside So Strong
Fix You
The Bare Necessities
RAFFLE
Celebration

Please could you also bring “Let the River Run” so we have a standby piece in case we need to sub in an extra song.

Looking forward to Thursday!
Chris
Local Vocals are at Snowdrop Place on Tuesday at the normal time of 1.45 for 2.00pm
 All the dates for the Local Vocals can be found on the website. Local Vocals! | New Music Makers

Just to remind you that the costume for Saturday is White Top for Ladies, and White Shirt for Men, and Black Trousers or Black Ankle Length Skirt for Ladies and Black Trousers for Men. Men can wear a Short Sleeved Shirt if they wish.  Ladies can add a bit of colour to their tops by way of jewellery, scarfs or button holes. Black shoes and hosiery for all.
We will need help to set up on Saturday morning and a list of jobs that need to be done will be on the table as you come in for the rehearsal.
You will need to be there for 1.00pm for a sound check as the doors will open at 2.00pm for a 2.30 start.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see you during the week.
Bye For now.
Eric

Dates for the Diary

  • Annual General Meeting – 16 July 2026 – Methodist Church Hall
  • Break-up for the the end of term – 16 July 2026
  • Return for Autumn Term – 3 September 2026
  • Bishop’s Waltham Christmas Fayre – 26 November 2026 from 12pm
  • Freegrounds Christmas Fayre – 28 November 2026 from 11am TBC
  • John Lewis Saturday – 5 December 2026, 12-1pm, arrive 11.45am

·         Break -up for Christmas – 10 December 2026

  • Christmas Concert- 12 December 2026
  • Haskin Garden Centre –  13 December 2026
  • Haskin Garden Centre – 20 December 2026

·         Return for Spring Term – 7 January 2027

  • Summer Concert – 5th or 12th June 2027TBC (Time of arrival/ performance TBC)
  • Summer Spectacular – 17 July 2027 (1.00 for sound check, 2.30 performance )
  • Christmas Concert – 11 December 2027  (1.00 for sound check, 2.30 performance  plus 7.30 performance )

·         ‘All dates and information as known for forthcoming Events can be found on the website Calendar | New Music Makers.’ 

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
HI there,
Thank goodness it is a bit cooler now. I really don’t think we could have coped with the heat on Thursday night.

Here is a message from Chris regarding this week’s rehearsal:-
Hi all
I hope you are all doing ok in the heat!  As we weren’t able to meet this week, with two rehearsals left before the Summer Spectacular I want to spend our final two sessions running through the entire programme.  Amelia will be with us this week and please could all soloists bring their music with them.  We will give you some time with Keziah in the church during the break/at the end.   Here is a reminder of the running order for our Summer Spectacular
Let’s Dance Medley
(Welcome)
Can Can
SOLO 1
Go the Distance
Circle of Life
SOLO 2
Beatles Abbey Road Medley
The Rose
The Wellerman
Shine
INTERVAL
The Sound of Music Medley
Flying Free
SOLO 3 – Amelia
Galway Girl
The Parting Glass
SOLO 4
Something Inside So Strong
Fix You
The Bare Necessities
RAFFLE
Celebration
Songs in bold are songs we will try to give a bit more time to on Thursday to refine certain things.  It’s great that we have almost sold out for this concert.  Let’s see if we can sell the remaining tickets and I’m looking forward to seeing you Thursday.  Do try to keep going over things using practise tracks just so we hit Thursday fresh after a week off!
Take care and see you Thursday.
Chris
Local Vocals will be at Alston House, Eastleigh on Wednesday, 2.00 for 2.15.

If you are not going to be at the Summer Spectacular, can you let me know so we can adjust the seating plan to suite.

We are still looking for people to make some cakes for the concert.

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

Bye for now.

Eric 

Tomorrow Night’s Rehearsal

Lins Emails
Hi there,
Due to the exceptional weather we are having at the moment, and the forecast for tomorrow is much of the same, it has been decided to cancel tomorrow night’s rehearsal.
We had thought about moving the rehearsal into the church, but it is just as warm in there as it is in the hall.
Breathing and singing takes a lot of effort Chris says, and we need to make sure that we are looking after our members.
Chris is very happy about where we are, and missing one rehearsal at this stage will not make a lot of difference, with still two more rehearsals to go until the 11th July.
Bye for now.
Eric

New Music Makers Annual General Meeting

Lins Emails
Hi there,
I hope you are enjoying this lovely weather we are having at the moment.
This is to give you notice that we will be holding our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 16th July, at 7.30pm, at Hedge End Methodist Church Hall.
The paperwork for the meeting will be sent out nearer the time.
Nominations for the positions of the Executive Officers and the Committee Members will be left on the table as you come in the door, at the hall.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards
Eric

Chairman’s Newsletter

Lins Emails
Hi there,
I hope you are going to be able to enjoy this lovely weather that we have for the weekend, but don’t get burnt too much.
Here is a message from Chris concerning next week’s rehearsal:-

Hello everyone
We have 3 rehearsals left before our Summer Spectacular.  This week I want to focus more on specific songs again.  We will look at the following…
Beatles Abbey Road Medley – Timing
The Rose – Word endings
The Parting Glass – Dynamics
Can Can – Standing/Sitting
Circle of Life – Rhythms
Something Inside So Strong
Fix You
The Bare Necessities – clapping
Celebration – Memory
We will finish about 9pm to give me some time with the men to work on The Wellerman

Please have everything else with you in case there is time to run through other songs.  If our soloists could bring their music too and we will give you time with Keziah in the interval/at the end.
Have a good week and see you on Thursday!
Chris
Local Vocals are at Sunnycroft, West End, on Tuesday – 1.45 for 2.00 start.
As I said last night, tickets for the Summer Spectacular are now on general sale, so if you need some for your friends or relatives, you will need to get them quick.
Well, that’s all for now, so I will see you sometime next week.
Bye for now.
Eric

NMM Christmas Music 2026

Lins Emails

Dear New Music Makers,
 
Some weeks ago, your Music Committee chose the songs the Christmas programme that we’ll start rehearsing from 3 September. Our suppliers have been prompt delivering the new music we have chosen. I have also assembled the music we will be singing that is drawn from our archive. I’m pleased to tell you that I can start issuing this additional music to you from tomorrow (18 June). Don’t worry if you’re not here this week. I’ll bring in anything that I’ve not issued along to subsequent rehearsals. And if there is still anything left, you’ll be able to get it from me from 3 September onwards.
 
New music  – in the music pack you’ll be issued with from this week

A Pentatonix Christmas Medley (arranged by Mark Brymer)

It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas (arranged by Mark Hayes)

From our archive – in the music pack you’ll be issued with from this week

Do You Hear What I Hear? (arranged by Harry Simeone)

Midwinter’s Chill (arranged by Greg Gilpin)

The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (SAB) (arranged by Jay Althouse)

Walking in the Air (arranged by Audrey Snyder)

From your personal libraries – you have these already

A Muppet Christmas Carol Medley

All I Want for Christmas is You

Fairy Tale of New York

Grown Up Christmas List

Somewhere in My Memory

Step into Christmas

The First Noel/Pachelbel’s Canon

We Wish You the Merriest

Choir Carols – From 100 Carols for Choirs

Cradle song – No 41, page 178

The Shepherds’ Farewell – No 89, page 344

Audience Participation Carols – From 100 Carols for Choirs

O little town of Bethlehem – No 57, page 234

Once in royal David’s city – No 61, page 260

See amid the winter’s snow – No 70, page 283

Kings of Orient – No 95, page 370

To be used when we are singing out and about at our “gigs”

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Most, but not necessarily all of you, hold this in your personal libraries already. If not, please see Tony.

 

And for those of you who want to get any early start with your learning, Jerry has kindly uploaded the necessary training music to the website already.

 

Please direct any queries about any music you hold to Tony too (librarian@newmusicmakers.com).

 

Best

 

Tony

Music Librarian, New Music Makers