Back to choir!

I hope you and your families have enjoyed a wonderful summer break and are feeling refreshed and invigorate as we look ahead to the start of the new term in a week or so.
Firstly let me welcome the latest addition to our choir – baby Patrick who was was born in July to Rachel and Ben.  Many congratulations on your new baby, we look forward to meeting him.
The last time we met, informally over coffee in the Haywain just before the summer break, we had a great opportunity to review our progress and look ahead to what the choir would like to sing in the coming months.  Thank you for your many wonderful ideas and suggestions – it was incredibly productive and a chance for us to exchange view and ideas in an informal setting.  The main focus was our next “concert performance” on 17th October which we’ve been working on for some months now at our Thursday evening rehearsals.  We have a great set planned, including some solos and duets from those of you who volunteered.
Here’s the line up (we’ll finalise the order during our next rehearsal.)
California Dreaming
Make you feel my love
Patience (Phil and Paul duet, choir harmonies)
She’s the One (Paul solo, choir harmonies)
Amazing Grace
Wishing you were here again (Sandra and Phil duet)
All I ask of you (Phil and Sandra duet)
Paddy on the Railway
Hymn (Martha, Rachel/Amanda, Phil)
My Life is in your hands
Hallelujah
We’ve had some excellent suggestions of new hymns to learn over the course of the year, including: Sing to the mountains, Come all ye nations, Come to the water, Lord I lift your name on hight, I watch the sunrise, Eagles wings, Be not afraid, How great thou art, Love Divine, all loves excelling, The Lord is my shepherd (with a descant,) Our God Reigns.
I look forward to expanding our liturgical repertoire (we may need new choir folders soon!)
Some dates for your diaries: Sunday 7th September – choir practice resumes after the summer break.  10.30 in the Westlake Room.
Thursday 11th September – evening choir practice in Lady Chapel resumes at 20.00.
Saturday 20th September is our Choral Workshop when Ula and Suzzie will be spending the day with us again.  Those of you who attended last year got so much out of it and hopefully there will be many more of you this year joining us for a fantastic day of vocal training.
Wednesday 17th December – carol concert at St Joseph’s Church – 7.30pm.
I am looking for dates in October/November (away from half-term week) to hold the “musicianship for singers” workshop which I promised.  Please let me have a few dates that would be suitable.
Onwards and upwards!
Regards,
Helen