Unfortunately Ed Bonner is unwell but we have one of the first reserves, Anthony Chater, stepping in instead. We hope to squeeze Ed Bonner in next week which would make for a longer session but we hope you would all be on for that.
Also reminder we will have wine available tonight afterwards. If you can bring your own picnic glass so much the better. (Eco Lesley)
Dear All
Please arrive on time tomorrow (19:45 latest) to help set up so we are all ready to go when Ed Bonner arrives. He will need to start right on 20:00. Bring your Brahms scores!
Once both auditions are completed and candidates departed, we will have chance to discuss what we think about each of them and the committee can field any questions you might have about their background and experience.
Following the discussion we will vote on our preferred candidate.
We repeat this pattern on 17/6 then hold an additional vote to chose between the favoured candidates from each night.
Hope all of that is clear. More information on tomorrow’s candidates may be found below.
Ed Bonner (20:00)
Some of you may remember Ed from when he deputised for Penny at one of our rehearsals before Christmas. He is the Musical Director of Surrey Heath Singers; professional choral singer, working with English National Opera and Philharmonia Chorus amongst others; church musician for several London churches including St Martin-in-the-Fields and teacher of singing and piano.
Kieran Morris (20:50)
Kieran got in touch with SGC when he heard Ben had died to offer his help in case we needed it – he knew Ben from his time at the National Youth Choir. Kieran is associate conductor of New London Chamber Choir; Conductor and Director of Sing Healthy Choirs in Berkshire and public speaking voice coach with Join the Dialogue.
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
Dear All
Well done everyone in the choir on a fantastic concert last night. It all came together for the final performance – Penny was absolutely delighted!! It’s a great compliment that Richmond Orchestra enjoy working with us so much and really are keen to do so again (we’ll have a think about choir positioning!).
Of course, a special bravo has to go to Robert and his astounding Rhapsody in Blue. It was a real experience for us in the choir to both hear Robert’s exceptional playing and witness the orchestra close up. What a treat – thank you Robert!
Penny wanted to pass on her congratulations to the choir for last night’s performance but also to say a huge thank you for her gifts. She was very touched. She received a selection of craft beers and gin hidden amongst her flowers and gift vouchers worth £215 collected from your very generous donations. Thank you everyone. She reiterated how much she would like to return as a soloist for us in future, something we’d be delighted to arrange.
Looking forward to seeing you all next Tuesday for the first round of auditions – details below. Bring your Brahms scores! ( Edit – We also have some wine ends to drink from the opened unused on Saturday so bring your own picnic glass if you think some of this will help with your decision making on Tuesday! It’s on the house)
Auditions Tuesday 10th & 17th June:
We will be holding two audition evenings running at approximately the same time as our usual rehearsals. The time table for each evening is set out below.
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 – bring Brahms scores!
Well done for an excellent last rehearsal on Tuesday. Penny was really pleased with our efforts overall (we all know which bits we need to look at ahead of Saturday!). It’s going to sound fantastic – it always does on concert day. Just remember: KEEP EYES ON PENNY!
Schedule for the day is below.
Concert dress will now be either all black or white top, black bottoms.
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
Hi All
Rehearsal on Sat 7th June will now start half an hour earlier than suggested in earlier post (which I have now amended to avoid confusion). New times below:
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
Dear All
We ran through movements III, IV, V & VI last week. Two key takeaways were:
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
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
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. Rehearsal 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
As I mentioned at the end of tonight’s rehearsal I am giving a recital at Putney Library this Thursday at 6.30 to both celebrate the life and music of a former pupil, Alan Rushton, who sadly died last year and, at the same time, to celebrate the arrival of his piano, donated by his widow, to begin a new life as a community instrument for anyone, or any group, who wants to use it.
If you want to find out a bit more about Alan you can read a lovely obituary that his widow, Andrée, wrote for the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/sep/17/alan-rushton-obituary
The programme is based around pieces that he played to me, with a few contributions of my own. I’ve attached the programme and the info about the concert below.
Robert
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