Author: Siobhan Jones

Dear All 

We ran through movements III, IV, V & VI last week. Two key takeaways were:

•  TIMING! – keep eyes on Penny as much as you can there are quite a few mid-movement gear shifts and we run the risk of sounding sluggish at some points or racing ahead making holding things together difficult.
• PITCHING NOTES FOR ENTRIES​ – practice these so all sections start confidently. Go over with practice tracks but do also listen to recordings – it really helps when we’re singing with the orchestra.

We will run through as much of the music as possible (Brahms & Fauré) during our last rehearsal (3/6). It’s worth making a note of any shaky bits to go over ahead of the concert day.

Focus this week will obviously be on the concert but please don’t forget we have two weeks after that when auditions will take place! 10th & 17th June.

Gift for Penny:

For all those who would like to make a donation for a gift for Penny, please do so by making bank transfer to choir bank account and – very importantly! – putting ‘Gift for Penny’ in reference. 

The reference for all choir payments is key especially at this busy time when there are a lot of transactions to keep track of.

If anyone prefers to donate in cash you can bring it to Tuesday’s rehearsal and I’ll collect.

Concert day schedule – AT ALL SAINTS, E Sheen:

2:00-2:30: Set up for anyone who can make it

2:30–3:15pm: Gershwin (including the 5 minutes time at the end for choir to get into their positions for Faure)

3:10 -choir take places for rehearsal once Robert has finished. Arrive in church in plenty of time but please keep noise down while Gershwin rehearsal is on.

3:15 – 3:30pm: Faure

BREAK

3:45 – 5:15: Brahms

6:20 Bar opens

7:00 Concert starts

Running order for concert:

-Fauré

-Gershwin

-Break

-Brahms

Tickets:

Thank you to all those who have bought tickets. Reminder we request that each member sells at least 3 concert tickets.

-Tickets are £20 each , £10 for children under 12.
-Purchase is via bank transfer to choir bank account (same as for subs – details below)
-Put ‘tickets’ in reference
-Email me to let me know number tickets purchased Siobhan.waswood@icloud.com
-There will be a list on the door with members’s guests (no physical tickets) 

Choir bank details:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Auditions 10th & 17th June:

We will be holding two audition evenings running at approximately the same time as our usual rehearsals. The format will be similar  to when we did this last time. The time table for each evening is set out below. More details on each of the candidates will follow later.

Both audition evenings:

19:45 PROMPT arrival so everything can be set up and ready to go by 20:00

20:00 -20:40 first audition

20:40-20:50 break

20:50-21:30 second audition

21:30 discussion and vote 

Tuesday 10th June: 

Ed Bonner 

Kieran Morris

1 vote to pick preferred candidate from this evening

Tuesday 17th June:

Neavan Lobban

Paul Jeanes

2 votes – 1st to pick preferred candidate from this evening, 2nd to pick between the two preferred candidates

The audition will take the form of:

1.Warm up

2.Candidate teaches/directs us singing their choice of piece

3.Candidate directs us singing Movement IV from Brahms Requiem 

Calendar: 

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun 

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun  & 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

      

Dear All 

Penny was really pleased with how we were sounding on Tuesday – well done to everyone for all your very apparent efforts!

Next week (27/5) we will run through the remaining movements (see below) then plan to run through the whole thing on 3rd June.

We’ve had a really positive response to our advert for a new Music Director and have, after much debate, selected 4 candidates to attend auditions on 10th & 17th June – see below. I hope as many of you as possible can attend. It’s great fun (for us anyway!) and it really is a fantastic experience meeting these excellent musicians and seeing how they work.

We will be organising a collection for Penny over the next two weeks as a thank you – don’t worry she isn’t on the distribution list for this post!

Serious plea to pay subs and buy tickets:

As you all know the choir is run by volunteers with subs going to pay costs of venue and our two professionals and ticket sales covering the costs of our concerts. We have always taken a very relaxed approach to people paying subs – life is busy and we know intentions are good. We intend to keep it this way but we really do need people to pay the subs otherwise we won’t be able to keep going! Equally we need members to make sure they sell at least 3 concert tickets to cover those costs.

Huge thank you to those who have already paid, and another one to those who will do so after this prompt. 

Choir bank details:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Auditions 10th & 17th June:

We will be holding two audition evenings running at approximately the same time as our usual rehearsals. The format will be similar  to when we did this last time. The time table for each evening is set out below. More details on each of the candidates will follow later.

Both audition evenings:

19:45 PROMPT arrival so everything can be set up and ready to go by 20:00

20:00 -20:40 first audition

20:40-20:50 break

20:50-21:30 second audition

21:30 discussion and vote 

Tuesday 10th June: 

Ed Bonner 

Kieran Morris

1 vote to pick preferred candidate from this evening

Tuesday 17th June:

Neavan Lobban

Paul Jeanes

2 votes – 1st to pick preferred candidate from this evening, 2nd to pick between the two preferred candidates

The audition will consist of:

1.Warm up

2.Candidate teaches/directs us singing their choice of piece

3.Candidate directs us singing Movement IV from Brahms Requiem 

Remaining Rehearsals:

27th May:   -Movements V-VII (p75-129)

            -Movement III p41-50

            -Fauré

3rd June:   - Full run through

Ticket Sales​:

We ask all members to sell minimum 3 tickets to cover the costs of the concert. Please advise me by email/whatapp when you have purchased tickets and how many. If you can give me receipients’ names all the better! Siobhan.waswood@icloud.com, 07887 648422

As before, if members are buying tickets for their guests please do so by paying directly into choir bank account (same account as for subs) as this avoids the SumUp charge. Put ‘tickets’ and your name as reference.

Calendar: 

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun 

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun  & 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

      

Dear All

As mentioned last week, we will be adding an extra rehearsal to the schedule – 27th May (half term week I know but come along anyone who can make it!) – so we have 3 reherasals remaining. It’s really sounding very good now, we just need to familiarise ourselves with the trickier bits where it’s harder to keep our place in the score when all the parts are singing together. R​ehearsal plan as follows:

20th May:   -Movements I-IV (p1-74)

            -Fauré

            -Mvt (VI), p98-104

27th May:   Tba

3rd June:   -Movements V-VII (p75-129)
            -Fauré

Reminder to circulate flyer and start selling tickets! See below for more information on ticket sales. 

Ticket Sales​:

We ask all members to sell minimum 3 tickets to cover the costs of the concert. Please advise me by email/whatapp when you have purchased tickets and how many. If you can give me receipients’ names all the better! Siobhan.waswood@icloud.com, 07887 648422

As before, if members are buying tickets for their guests please do so by paying directly into choir bank account (same account as for subs) as this avoids the SumUp charge. Put ‘tickets’ and your name as reference.

Otherwise, tickets may be bought via the link on choir home page.

Flyer here

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Calendar: 

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun 

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun  & 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

      

Dear All 

It’s been one of those weeks and I haven’t managed to get the rehearsal recap sent out, apologies, but hopefully you have had chance to look at the online rehearsal schedule and are familiarising yourself with the parts of the score that you find most tricky….

We have 3 reherasals remaining – we may try to fit in an extra one at half term for those who are around. After recapping the sections highlighted below at tonight’s rehearsal, we will be running through large sections of the work in the remaining rehearsals.

Keep looking at those practice tracks!

Parts to be covered 13th May:

Mvt (II), p14-40

Mvt (VII), p124-129

Mvt (VI), p104-113

Dear All

Apologies for the delay in sending out post. Rehearsal recap below.

Reminder to circulate flyer and start selling tickets! As before, if members are buying tickets for their guests please do so by paying directly into choir bank account (same account as for subs) as this avoids the SumUp charge. Put ‘tickets’ and your name as reference.

Otherwise, tickets may be bought via the link on choir home page.

Rehearsal Recap:

Sections/pieces scheduled for 6/5:

Movement (III): p41-60, note the bits we haven’t looked at yet:

p51-52, b164-173 
p56-60 ,b191-208

Movement (II): Ewige p37-40

Movement (VI): p98-113 plus recap p84-98

Cantique de Jean Racine  – music here

Sections looked at on 29/4:

Movement (VI): p84-98
Cantique de Jean Racine

Concert Flyer – please share & start selling tickets!:

The flyer for our concert is now available – please share widely! Link to flyer is here. You’ll also be getting one via your section WhatsApp groups. 

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Calendar: 

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun except 1 week half term 27 May, 7 weeks

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun  & 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

Dear All

What a fantastic rehearsal on Tuesday! It was really good to hear everyone singing so solidly after the break.

Recap of what we covered below including some reminders of the fine tuning Penny was pointing out. 

There will be two audition dates for the new MD on Tues 10th & 17th June. I hope as many of you can attend as possible.

​We are also hoping to find a new date for the choir karaoke social – look out for a separate post about that.

& don’t forget subs!

Rehearsal Recap:

Sections/pieces scheduled for 29/4:

Movement (VI): p84-113

Cantique de Jean Racine  – music here

Sections looked at on 22/4:

Movement (IV): p61-74 

      -remember dynamics

      -together at ends of phrases (watch Penny)

      -p70 – don’t rush quavers
Movement (V): p75-83

      -keep phrasing smooth

      -focus on timing at start of phrases & when singing with soloist

Movement (I): p7-13, b78-157

Sections looked at so far: 

All Brahms Requiem covered apart from following few pages:

Ach (III): p51-52, b164-173

Gerechten (III): p56-60 ,b191-208

Concert Flyer – please share!:

The flyer for our concert is now available – please share widely! Huge thanks as ever to David Corless for all the work that has gone into this. Link to flyer is here. You’ll also be getting one via your section WhatsApp groups. 

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Calendar: 

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun except 1 week half term 27 May, 7 weeks

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun  & 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

Dear All

I hope you are having a lovely Easter break. Rehearsals will resume next Tuesday 22nd April.

Those who were at the last rehearsal will know we have now run through pretty much all parts of Brahms Requiem.  There are just a couple of ends of sections in Movement (III) which we didn’t get chance to cover during rehearsals (listed below) which it might be worth checking on.

We have 6 rehearsals remaining before the concert so ample time to finesse the Brahms – plus an additional piece of music familiar to many in the choir – Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine. See below for schedule for next Tuesday’s rehearsal.

Our concert falls on the same weekend as a town twinning event being organised by Richmond Council involving visitors from twinned towns Fontainebleau in France, Konstanz in Germany and possibly (?) Richmond, Virginia, USA. Our concert, which we are putting on jointly with Richmond Orchestra, is one of the many cultural events being promoted by Richmond Council that weekend. The German connection is covered by the Brahms, Robert will be performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and we’ve added the Fauré piece especially for the French visitors (it’s also a choir favourite and I’m sure those of you new to it will love it too). For those who don’t have a copy, printable music can be found here and on repertoire page where you will also find practice tracks.

Don’t forget subs for next term! Bank details below if needed.

Rehearsal Recap:

Sections/pieces scheduled for 22/4:

Movement (IV): p61-74
Movement (V): p75-83

Cantique de Jean Racine  – music here

Sections looked at on 1/4:

Ich Will (V): p81-83 , b62-79

Movement (VI) – the whole movement, including parts we’d looked at previously:

Haben (VI): p84-88, b3-78

Wird (VI): p89-97, b82-207

Du bist (VI): p98-104, b208-266

Du Hast(VI): p104-113, b267-349

Finale (VII): p124-129, b103-165

Sections looked at so far: 

Movement (I): p1-13​

Movement (II), p14-40

Herr (III): p41-45, b17-93

Ach (III): p47-50, b129-161 (p51-52, b164-173 of this section not looked at yet)

Gerechten (III): p52-56,b173-190 (end of this section, p56-60 ,b191-208, still to be looked at )

Movement (IV): p61-74

Movement (V): p75-83

Movement (VI): p84-113

Movement (VII): p114-129

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Calendar: 

Spring Term:

7Jan-1April (NO half term break), 13 weeks

Two week Easter break (not the usual 3 weeks) 8/4 & 15/4.

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun except 1 week half term 27 May, 7 weeks

• 7th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun, possibly plus 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

If anyone is free this Saturday evening 29th March and fancies a bit of local culture Richmond Orchestra (who will be accompanying us for our June concert) are holding their Spring concert at All Saints, East Sheen. Rachmaninov piano concerto No1 and Tchaikovsky “Pathétique” symphony. A big evening!

Date: Saturday 29th March 2025

Time: 7:30pm

Venue: All Saints, East Sheen

Tickets: here

Dear All

We had a spirited rehearsal last night including Penny gamely recapping some of what we did last week….some of which had not stuck too well in the memory! Nothing that a bit of work at home on the practice tracks won’t put right (even a run through of the trickier bits makes a world of difference – and makes the rehearsals even more fun!) and Penny was very positive about where we are with our preparation at this stage.

Detailed recap of parts covered can be found below as usual, but before I come to that I wanted to let all those who weren’t there last night know about the announcement made after rehearsal. 

We’re sorry to say Penny will be stepping down as Music Director after our summer concert. We are incredibly lucky to have had Penny directing us this year. We were enormously grateful when she took the reins of the choir last September which she did seamlessly and in style. That was no small feat, taking on an existing programme of music, especially seeing what preparation she puts into our rehearsals. She has brought an energy and precision to our practice which we have greatly benefited from and which I hope will be reflected in our performance in the summer. I’m confident this news will help us all focus our efforts over the next few weeks so we do Penny proud on June 7th. (Get those practice tracks and recordings out!) I’m delighted to say Penny would love to come back as one of our soloists in future. After hearing her beautiful singing during rehearsals that really is something to look forward to. Thank you Penny.

We will be advertising for a new Music Director over Easter with the aim of holding auditions at the end of next term (which we hope as many people as possible will be able to attend), the position to be taken up from September. Details below.

Rehearsal recap: 

If you have time do have a look at what we covered this week as well as new parts scheduled. It really helps fix it in the mind. Chord Perfect links on repertoire page &  Cyberbass.

Sections looked at on 25/3:

Aber (II): p25-37, b198-303

Ewige (II): p37-40, b305-337

Haben (VI): p84-88, b3-78

Run whole of Movement (II), p14-40 don’t forget double speed p26 b206

Sections scheduled for 1/4 (don’t be put off – some bits are very short!):

Ach (III): p51-52, b164-173 (the bit not yet covered)

Gerechten (III): p56-60 ,b191-208 (the bit not yet covered)

Ich Will (V): p81-83 , b62-79

Wird (VI): p89-97, b82-207

Du Hast(VI): p104-113, b267-349

Finale (VII): p124-129, b103-165

If time, run through:

Movement (III)

Sections looked at so far: 

Movement (I): p1-13​

Movement (II), p14-40

Herr (III): p41-45, b17-93

Ach (III): p47-50, b129-161 (p51-52, b164-173 of this section not looked at yet)

Gerechten (III): p52-56,b173-190 (end of this section, p56-60 ,b191-208, still to be looked at )

Movement (IV)

Ihr Habt (V): p76-80 , b18-49

Du bist (VI): p98-104, b208-266

Haben (VI): p84-88, b3-78

​Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100

Appointing New Music Director:

We plan to follow a similar recruitment process to that used the last time we did this. Outline as follows:

• Advertise 
• Committee draw up short list of candidates for audition
• Audition in front of choir 
• Choir vote at end of audition evening for preferred candidate.

More details will follow as necessary but for the moment the most important thing for members to be aware of is making themselves available on audition day(s).

We will aim to audition all candidates on Tuesday 10th June (already in the calendar as last rehearsal of term). If that date proves impractical for candidates we may add the following Tuesday 17th June. 

Please keep audition days free so you are able to attend if at all possible: 

Tuesday 10th June

Tuesday 17th June 

Calendar: 

Spring Term:

7Jan-1April (NO half term break), 13 weeks

Two week Easter break (not the usual 3 weeks) 8/4 & 15/4.

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun except 1 week half term 27 May, 7 weeks

• 7^th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)
• 10th Jun, possibly plus 17th Jun, audition dates for new MD

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Dear All

Please see below for recap of sections covered this week and what we plan to look at on 25/3. Good luck with all that practice! (Two more rehearsals then we’ve got the Easter break.) Chord Perfect practice tracks links on repertoire page &  here is Cyberbass.

Sections looked at on 18/3:

SS (I): p9-13, b100-157

Aber (II): p25-31, b198-261

Ihr Habt (V): p76-80 , b18-49

Sections scheduled for 25/3:

Aber (II): p31-37, b261-303 (the bit we didn’t get to last week)

Ewige (II): p37-40, b305-337

Gerechten (III): p56-60 ,b191-208 (the bit not yet covered)

Haben (VI): p84-88, b3-78

Du Hast(VI): p104-113, b267-349

If time, run through:

Gerechten (III) run through: p52-60 ,b173-208
The whole of Movement (II), p14-40

Sections looked at so far: 

Movement (I): p1-13​

Denn (II): p14-18, b22-73

​So Seid (II): p18-21, b74-123

Daf (II): p22-25, b146-197

Aber (II): p25-31, b198-261

Herr (III): p41-45, b17-93

Ach (III): p47-50, b129-161 (p50-52, b164-173 of this section not looked at yet)

Gerechten (III): p52-56,b173-190 (end of this section, p56-60 ,b191-208, still to be looked at )

Movement (IV)

Ihr Habt (V): p76-80 , b18-49

Du bist (VI): p98-104, b208-266

​Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100

Calendar: 

Spring Term:

7Jan-1April (NO half term break), 13 weeks

Two week Easter break (not the usual 3 weeks) 8/4 & 15/4.

Summer Term:

22 Apr-10 Jun except 1 week half term 27 May, 7 weeks

• 7^th Jun Summer Concert, Brahms Requiem & RB performance (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue)

Subs:

£90/term to be paid into choir bank account:

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39