Blog

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

As mentioned at the rehearsal last Tuesday I’m involved in a concert on Sunday at All Saints Putney with the 1885 Singers, under their new MD Chris Langworthy, which is well worth coming to because (a) I’m playing a shedload of notes, because (b) the programme begins with the searingly beautiful “O, Radiant Dawn” by James Macmillan and especially because (c) I’m not playing for the Macmillan which is unaccompanied. Elsewhere you will hear some very fine baritone singing from Ambrose Connolly, the familiar and rousing strains of Vaughan Williams’ Antiphon which is the last of the Five Mystical Songs, some thigh-slapping music from Elgar (think Elgar meets the Sound of Music and you’re in the zone) and some very jolly nautical stuff from Stanford including the following tantalising lyrics: “there are queer things that only come to sailormen; they’re true but never understood; and I know one thing about the Admiral, that I can’t tell rightly as I should…”

Well if you want to know more you’ll be there on Sunday night. 7.30 kick-off. Medals may be worn.

Dear All

Everyone was sounding pretty good on Tuesday, despite working on some particularly tricky bits, and we had good run-throughs of a couple of sections. 

Please see below for recap of sections covered this week and what we plan to look at on 18/3. The ‘Gerechten’ section is a difficult one – we made good progress on it and will finish it next week. It’s definitely one worth listening to and working on if you have time! Chord Perfect practice tracks links on repertoire page &  here is Cyberbass.

Sections looked at on 11/3

So Seid (II) run through: p18-21, b74-123

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

Gerechten ((III): p52-56,b173-190

Lieblich (IV) run through: p61-74, b4-173

Sections scheduled for 18/3:

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

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

Gerechten (III): p56-60 ,b191-208 (the bit we didn’t get to last week)

+Gerechten (III) run through the whole thing!: p52-60 ,b173-208

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

If time run through the whole of Movement (I) , p1-13

Sections looked at so far: 

Selig (I): p1-4,  b15-45

Tranen (I): p4-9, b47-96

​Denn (II): p14-18, b22-73

​So Seid (II): p18-21, b74-123

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

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 )

Lieblich (IV): p61-74, b4-173

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

​Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100

Karaoke – June Date tbc: 

Choir summer social will be a Karaoke evening – more details to follow in due course. Thank you to Tricia and Sue for organising!

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

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

Dear All

Solid rehearsal last week well done everyone for all your efforts.

Please see below for recap of sections covered  and what we plan to look at on Tuesday 11/3. A couple of people have remarked on how much better they find the Chord Perfect practice tracks compared to Cyberbass, links on repertoire page.   

Sections looked at on 4/3:

Ach (III): p47-50, b129-161

Lieblich (IV): p61-74, b4-173

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

Sections scheduled for 11/3:

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

Ach (III) – last bit: p50-52, b164-173 

Gerechten ((III): p52-60 ,b173-208

Haben(VI): P84-88, b3-78

If there’s time we’ll run through the whole of Movement III (p40-60, with lots of Baritone solo bits) 

Sections looked at to date: 

Selig (I): p1-4,  b15-45

Tranen (I): p4-9, b47-96

​Denn (II): p14-18, b22-73

​So Seid (II): p18-21, b74-123

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

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

Lieblich (IV): p61-74, b4-173

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

​Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100

Subs: 

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

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Singing Lessons with Marta:

Marta Garcia-Ortiz whom many of you know from when she sang with SGC, is offering private singing lessons locally (Mortlake) at her home. Marta, originally from Spain, is an accomplished musician (teacher, cellist, conductor and singer). For anyone interested in finding out more please don’t hesitate to get in touch with her either by WhatsApp   07511 103 484 or email  garciaortizmarta@gmail.com

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)

Dear All

Well done everyone for the rehearsal last week – felt like people had been looking at those practice tracks or something! It was lovely to welcome Becky to the altos as well.

Please see below for recap of sections covered last week and what we plan to look at this coming Tuesday 4/3. If anyone is struggling to follow all the detail do let me know.

Sections looked at so far (*denotes covered on 25/2): 

Selig (I): p1-4,  b15-45

Tranen (I): p4-9, b47-96

​*Denn (II): p14-18, b22-73

​*So Seid (II): p18-21, b74-123

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

​*Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100

Be prepared to look at the following sections this week (**denotes new bits!):

Selig (I): p1-4,  b15-45

Tranen (I): p4-9, b47-96

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

​So Seid (II): p18-21, b74-123

Herr (III): p41-45, b17-93 (we looked a this one a couple of weeks ago – be prepared to run through!)

​**Ach (III): p47-52, b129-173

**Lieblich (IV): p61-74, b4-173

​**Haben (VI): p84-88, b3-77

​**Du bist (VI): p98-104, b208-266

​Toten (VII): p114-123 , b1-100 

Point to note on p17 from b60: make the diminuendo (getting softer) gradual, measured and weighty. As Penny suggested, you might like to listen to Elgar’s ‘Like as the Damask Rose’ which has a similar feel to this part of the movement.

Here is link to practice track. There’s an alternative practice track on Chord Perfect website (thank you Jules!) which some may prefer; links for each part on repertoire page. 

Subs: 

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

Account Name: Sheen Gate Choir

Account Number: 47107324

Sort: 60-01-39

Singing Lessons with Marta:

Marta Garcia-Ortiz whom many of you know from when she sang with SGC, is offering private singing lessons locally (Mortlake) at her home. Marta, originally from Spain, is an accomplished musician (teacher, cellist, conductor and singer). For anyone interested in finding out more please don’t hesitate to get in touch with her either by WhatsApp   07511 103 484 or email  garciaortizmarta@gmail.com

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)