January 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL !!!

Let's all hope for lots of singing and harmony in 2011. It is a bit depressing to continually hear about all the doom and gloom. Remember a useful motto: "If in doubt SING". Doesn't do any harm anyway.

Carols at Lagganlea
A reminder that Cathy and I are hosting an evening of carols and carousing on 12th night. Wednesday 5 January at our house from 6.30pm. Let me know if you have a favourite carol and we'll see if we can line it up in some way.

Choir dates
IMPORTANT reminder that we start back on Thursday 6 January but at the LATER TIME of 7.30pm - 9.30pm because of a church service. Kate and I are raring to go with another new term. The term is in two halves as usual: from 6 January to 10 February and from 17 February to 31 March.

Kate's voice clinics
Saturdays January 15 and 22 January, 10am- 11.15 ish. Kate's house at Burgie (lifts usually from Forres/Findhorn) cost £7/5.
Leading up to singing two songs at the Choir's annual Singing Supper (see below). All Big Choir members, new and seasoned, welcome. Voice clinic has evolved, it is still ...
... fun / only open to choir members / a great way to kick-start the weekend / welcoming to newcomers who want to meet in a small group outside choir / a chance to look at your technique (briefly) / help you become more confident holding a part ...
AND ... we are learning a couple of juicy songs that we are not doing in the choir, that we plan to sing for the singing supper ... to date these are a close harmony song in three parts called "Roll me in your arms" by North of England trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson, and a version by Nickomo of "Tibye Payom" (but this latter may change). The group has a regular clientele and newcomers are welcome on the first of the two sessions. Contact Kate.

Singing Supper
Saturday 29 January at the CHURCH ROOMS: 6.30pm for singing at 7pm. Our annual birthday party (our seventh!!) An opportunity to socialise and sing and to share something of the choir life with family and friends. Bring them along.

Ali Burns Workshop
We have provisionally arranged for Ali Burns to come up on Saturday 26 February for another wonderful day of her songs.
Let us know if you are interested. More details to follow asap.

Concert
We are planning another concert in the Church towards the end of the summer term (end of June) - to be confirmed. We hope this will fit in with our plans to take part in Water Aid at the same time of year (again tbc), for which we can use the same repertoire.

Eigg 2011
Our fifth annual songfest in the wonderful Hebrides!
From 9 to 14 April. See poster. A £60 deposit gets one of the few remaining places.

Georgian songs
Bill, Vera and Jacqui are starting another series of Georgian songs on Sunday 9 January. Ask Bill for details. This is a committed group, we meet every fortnight, six sessions to 29 March.


Lots of love from us both, Bill and Kate