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The Musicality Singers (February 2022)

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After the traumas of the past couple of years, this year, thankfully, seemed to get off to a good start for The Musicality Singers, with the choir getting back on form in January after the Christmas break. Our accompanist, Jennie, secretly recorded us while we sang through one of our newest pieces (from ‘Les Mis’). When the recording was played back, we were delighted to hear how good it sounded. Someone even said: “We sound like a real choir again.” On another occasion, after some work on polishing an old favourite medley of songs, Greg, our musical director, was overjoyed with the way we were performing. Definitely a promising start to what should be a special year for The Musicality Singers. The choir is now ten years old. Our 10th birthday fell in autumn of last year, but we weren’t in a position to celebrate then because of Covid restrictions. This year is also the 10th anniversary of Greg Watson becoming our Musical Director. It will be a double celebration year.

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You can expect some popular favourites from previous performances as part of the celebration (what you might call The Musicality Singers’ greatest hits) as well as new material that is currently being practised and polished.

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And it’s just as well that the choir is back and in fine voice, as it already has a substantial programme of performances planned for the year. The first is a charity event at St John’s church in Worksop on 2nd May. From then on, there are performances either in Worksop, Shireoaks or Dinnington in most months until the end of the year. Charity and community events figure prominently in the programme, but there will also be the return of our popular summer and Christmas concerts. The summer concert will be at Worksop Town Hall on 1st July and the Christmas concert will be back at The Crossing in Worksop on 15th December. (You might want to make a note in your diary – remember it’s a double celebration year.)

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2022 started off well for the choir. Here’s hoping that it carries on in that way for everyone.

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Malcolm Fritchley

 

The Musicality Singers (January 2022)

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Well, here we are with a whole new year to play with - and the first rehearsal of 2022 taking place on 6th January.

Last year was the choir’s 10th anniversary. Sadly, because of the Covid situation, we couldn’t do anything to mark the occasion. It seems wrong though, to ignore such a milestone. So we’ll just have to move the celebrations on a year. Venues are being lined up and a programme of music is being put together to make sure that the anniversary is properly celebrated. We’ll be re-acquainting ourselves with some of the popular favourites from over the ten years, of course. There will also be new material. (We’ve never been a choir that rests on its laurels, just as we’ve never been ‘ordinary’.)  Last year, almost as soon as we started rehearsals again we were being asked to be involved in different community events for this year. Could be an exciting time, Covid willing.

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We’ll be letting you know how things develop as 2022 progresses. If you want to know more about The Musicality Singers and what we do, don’t forget you can check out our website at: www.musicalitysingers.com.  If finding out what it’s like to be part of a community choir was one of your new year’s resolutions (or even if it wasn’t) don’t forget rehearsals are from 10.30 to 12.30 on Thursday mornings at the Golden Ball, Victoria Square, Worksop (now the home of the Poplars Church).

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For now, from The Musicality Singers to all of you, here’s a fervent wish for a happier new year 

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The Musicality Singers (December 2021)

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Well, it’s been a strange couple of years for everyone. The Musicality Singers started 2020 in buoyant mood. The choir’s Christmas concert had been a huge success and people were learning new material and planning for the move to a new rehearsal venue at The Golden Ball in Worksop. Then, just after the move, everything stopped. Lockdown! Even when lockdowns were lifted, government guidelines effectively prohibited choirs getting together. It was a long wait until the beginning of September this year when the choir could reunite at last.

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Sadly, The Musicality Singers won’t be able to give us one of its quirky, entertaining, highly popular Christmas concerts this year. Plans are being put in place, though, for a programme of concerts for next year.

 

In the meantime, if you want to hear the choir there are a couple of opportunities to do that before Christmas. The choir will be singing at the Carol Service at St Luke’s church in Shireoaks on 12 December. The service begins at 6.30pm.

 

The Musicality Singers will also be opening its doors to the public at one of its general rehearsal sessions from 10.30 to 12.30 on 16 December at the Golden Ball. If you want to go along, you’d be very welcome. (There may be coffee and cake, too.) It will be a sort of peek behind the scenes.

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In the meantime, a very happy Christmas to you all from The Musicality Singers

 

 

The Musicality Singers (October 2021)

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We’re back! After 18 months of not being able to get together, The Musicality Singers held a long awaited practice on 2nd September 2021 – the first of many, hopefully. There was no knowing how many people would turn up on the day, but in the event, about two thirds of the choir were there. (To be honest, that was better than I’d hoped.) We were also joined by a new member and, by the time you read this, so I’m told, we will have another four new members. Welcome to you all.

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So, how did it go? Jenni, our brilliant accompanist, set the ball rolling by getting us to do breathing and singing exercises to get lungs and voice boxes operating properly, followed by some tongue twisters to exercise facial muscles and tongues. They were about cups of coffee in copper coffee pots and witches watching which watch. (Well, we never have been run of the mill.) Then it was over to Greg, our esteemed musical director, to get us singing. After some pieces that have been part of our repertoire for a while to get us used to being together again, we moved on to working on a new arrangement.  It was a Christmas song. Yes, September 2nd and we’re already getting ready for Christmas!

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And, to round things off, Chris, our accomplished chairperson, had organised a buffet for us (and rather nice it was too, although she has told us not to expect it on a regular basis).

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Speaking personally, looking back on this first practice, I could tell I was rusty. But as the session went on, the rust began to flake away and some of the shine began to reappear. I’m looking forward to shedding more rust and becoming more polished over the coming weeks. And, whatever my shortcomings this time round, I have to say it was so good to be back with everyone again and to be singing as part of a choir after such a long time.

                                                                                               

Malcolm Fritchley

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