Dear All,

Tomorrow’s rehearsal will begin at 1.15 for the Wednesdays to consolidate the overture sections we didn’t quite nail on Wednesday in order to give clear cues for the Monday Chorus
Main rehearsal begins at 2pm -please try to be on time so that we can have a proper break at half time
Please bring snacks to share AND YOUR OWN MUG (only tiny tea cups at Harecourt ) – I will bring tea/coffee/milk/herbals/fruity ones.
FINISH 6PM and then on to The Alywne Castle to talk about the show with potential members of the gig gang … this will be an informal meeting for those of you who are interested in helping make this performance the best EVER! … you are not committing to anything by joining the discussion and you may have some great ideas but no time so PLEASE come if you can. If you don’t have words for any of these they are all on the website .
Nick will be joining us at 3.30 . Please respect that time with him is very precious and don’t chat while he’s playing like last time!!

SONGS TO CONCENTRATE ON
OVERTURE
YOU AND I KNOW
NEW YEARS DAY ( men)
MY DARLING
GALLOPING FULL TILT ( four difficult lines … This land/heaven/cry/longing is ours)
I LOVE MY COUNTRY …
THE BEST SEAS … in that order

DONT FORGET MONDAY IS RECORDING DAY FOR SALAAM/THANDA/SHALOM at the NAVE NOT HARECOURT 6.45 ( first hour only , then we will begin the final section of the show)

very much lookingforward to it

Dear ALL,

Thanks for the lovely good nature Ive experienced in the choir over the last few practices . Its reflected in your singing and interpretation of the more uplifting new pieces Ive written to enhance the original Cantata – I think we are sounding good and Im genuinely hopeful for this show. Ive hired a brilliant camera man to make a film of it ( chap who did video for Occupy Citzenship song on my Facebook page ) and we have Adrian and Les Mompsen ( the brilliant in-house sound man at the Chapel ) working with us so we are in good hands . BUT as always happens at this time of year we have had pretty flakey attendence at class and a few dropouts of lovely, valuable people. I cant afford to let that happen in the run up to the show. I want committed and positive people to sing with us, as a community and that’s undermined by people thinking it doesnt matter if they turn up or not . It really matters. On Monday Ill be running through everything so far in preparation for our SATURDAY 2-6PM run though with Nick . Could you make sure you’re up to speed over the weekend on the stuff thats up on the website . This is your choir – let me know if Im doing things wrong or where I could improve the experience for you . Im open to hearing your thoughts and working with them . Note date change of gig gang meet .
On MONDAY 19TH we have been asked to record SALAAM/THANDA/SHALOM for a massive interfaith documentary for schools – the filmakers requested a church setting so MONDAY 19TH Ive booked the NAVE -6.45-9PM for that . It would be BRILLIANT if as many wednesdays as possible could come along to that for the first hour so that we sound wonderful and not overbalanced with chaps. I think this is important work and an honour . Parts will be going up on the website today. Will send reminders re venue change closer to the time !

DATES
SATURDAY 17TH MARCH 2-6 PM ; 6.15-8pm GIG GANG MEET and eat? IN ALWYNE CASTLE after rehearsal
APRIL 2ND -15 Easter holidays
APRIL 16TH / 23RD /30TH JOINT MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY CLASSES FOR 3 WEEKS
CLASSES BACK TO NORMAL MAY 7TH / 9TH
MAY 12TH residential starting at 12PM sat till 4pm sunday . Venue TBC … Im really struggling to find somewhere that will book a big group for just one night …. suggestions very welcome … help!!!
JUNE 17TH -GIG … followed by a joint weds class on 20th
NEW RAINFOREST CANTATA residential 29th JUNE - 1ST july COLDBLOW ( camping possible ) music will be part structured part improvisation … will be awesome!
last class of the year JULY 9TH JOINT .

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK LOVELY MELODIC FRIENDS . XX

THE NEW FULL CHOIR REHEARSAL DATE IS MARCH 17TH at Harecourt 2-6 and the Cantata performance DATE IS CONFIRMED FOR JUNE 17TH at The Union Chapel.

DEAR aLL,

THERE was general agreement to putting Saturday’s cancelled session onto MARCH 17TH … and I’ve only had one person so far say they can’t do that -and as there were quite a few who couldn’t do Feb 4th I am hopeful that we should have a good turn out and at least we are unlikely to be snowed of. SO THAT IS IS GOING IN THE DIARY

2. VERY URGENT REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE REPLY …
I have felt a sense of urgency re the Cantata which I feel may be detracting from our enjoyment of it and that’s missing the point of SONGLINES so I made a well received proposal to do the main show ONE MONTH LATER ON SATURDAY JUNE 16TH … the Chapel is CURRENTLY unbooked on that day BUT they will need a payment from me to secure it before FRIDAY as there are other enquiries for that date… I was loosing 3-4 singers for MAY 12TH due to student exams and other commitments – many people felt that JUNE suited them better and gave us the opportunity of doing a RESIDENTIAL in MAY ( weekend of 12th ) which is likely to be better weather – so we’d keep the APRIL 21ST day as a London based day of full run throughs.

please let me know ASAP if you can commit to JUNE 16TH

IF IT TURNS OUT THAT MANY CAN’T I’LL STICK TO THE ORIGINAL DATE .

Sarah xx

Sarah would like to propose SATURDAY 17H MARCH as the alternative get together date … could you check your diaries and let her know if that’s possible.