Sunday 21 December 2014

November 2014 & December 2014: Shortest Day Longest Night

A rare bevy of blokes @ SingWiv
Catching up posting session recordings from the last two months, have a listen via the links:


November - our teacher, Chris Rowbury, said, 'We did three songs. The Waulking Song was a new one for me so thanks for being guinea pigs, but I think everyone did really well although I did set it off at quite a pace!
I thought Adios Hermanos sounded great. Not bad to do FIVE parts with a relatively small group. Well done everyone.'

December - Chris said, 'Despite me being seriously under the weather, despite the low numbers and despite the struggles we had on the day, it all ended up sounding not too bad!'

Here's the Mormon Tabernacle choir singing Betelehemu which we tried - several hundred of them by the looks and they'd maybe practised a little before the filming. So considering there were only a bakers dozen of us and we only practised it for 30 minutes we did do rather well!!

Happy Mid Winter :-)



Thursday 16 October 2014

October 2014: Mellow autumn melodies



October's session recordings are here, enjoy!

And here is Sam Cook singing Amazing Grace. Fab.

Next session 1st November, new singers always welcome, no experience needed \o/


Wednesday 27 August 2014

Back after the break...

SingWiv re-starts after the summer break with guest teacher Clive Barker who led a great session last year at the same time. Chris Rowbury is back in October.

The session on Saturday 13th September starts at 2.15pm (usually 2pm) until 4.30pm.

New singers always welcome, no experience needed!

Friday 27 June 2014

Midsummer Melodies

Chris Rowbury ran a workshop at Wivenhoe's first Midsummer Fete, attended by around 25 people, some singing in a group for the first time - and loving it!
  After a break for July and August, we meet again on 13th September when guest teacher Clive Barker will lead the session at the Scout & Guide Hall, High St. from 2pm to 4.30pm. New songs every session so it's easy to join in any time. No need to book, just pay on the door £8/£6 conc.

Saturday 14 June 2014

June 2014 Tunes & a FREE Workshop

Here are songs from June 7th workshop which we also sang out in the busy Black Buoy pub garden at the end of the session, in glorious sunshine. 

Chris says 'I didn't record Ladum iZulu, but I have put an authentic African version up so people can see how it should be sung! I thought everyone was on cracking form - learnt the songs quickly and sounded really, really good.'
 
We had some great feedback from the pub garden audience. Someone said 'it sounded really professional, a bit like Gracelands - Paul Simon, I'd like to hear you sing again.' Wow, not bad for a couple of hours learning songs from scratch!!

Don't miss the free workshop at the Midsummer Fete in Wiv on 21st June - a great chance for friends to try it out. Chris will run a 50 minute session starting at 2.30pm.

We're back at the Scout Hall on September 13th with Clive Barker and Chris is with us again from October.
Happy summer time \o/

Wednesday 14 May 2014

May 2014 (has come around quickly!)

Here are May's songs, just two this month of which Chris says, 'Tedumela is a bit shaky but it sounded great when we first nailed it! [earlier in the sesssion]
Mravalzamier is seriously impressive.'

Next month on June 7th we're singing out the songs learned at the session at the Black Buoy at about 4.15pm, with the workshop starting at 2pm as usual at the Scout and Guide Hall.

And, just catching up, here are April's songs.  !!

Saturday 5 April 2014

April 2014


Spring has sprung!

We learnt just one new song this month, a Native American chant. The rest we'd done before because we did a little performance over the road in the library so wanted to do something we were familiar with.

The "Cherokee song" is not really a Cherokee song at all! It is based on a version by Rita Coolidge and Robbie Robertson from the album: Music for the Native Americans. It was sung by women only as part of the morning prayers, facing the rising sun, welcoming the new day.  It is not actually in Cherokee, but may have been brought to them by the Tihanama who often worked for them as seasonal farm labor. 

"Haere mai" is a New Zealand maori song arranged by the late Nick Prater. The dance moves are mine (!) cobbled together from various authentic Maori dance moves.

"Tedumela" was written by percussionist Brian Abraham in an African style. "We are one" was  added by Roxane Smith. You can hear the massed Sing for Water North choir singing it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKJmXMjK0gI

"Somagwaza" is a South African initiation ceremony song. It was often taught to the audience by Pete Seeger at his concerts. 

Sunday 30 March 2014

Sing Outs

SingWiv sessions in April and June will include a 'sing out' at the end.

New singers are welcome to join in the workshop beforehand, you don't need to have been before.

The May 10th session is from 2pm to 4.30 in the Scout Hall as usual


No sessions in July and August.







Friday 14 March 2014

March 2014: Hal-an-tow

Have a listen to songs we learned at March's session, Hal-an-tow from Cornwall and Feuilles-o from Haiti. We like to gad about the world at SingWiv.

If you have been thinking about giving it a try do come along. Newcomers often remark how friendly people are - you'll soon feel part of the crowd.

Next session is 5th April when we'll finish the session at 4pm with a sing out at Wivenhoe Library, all welcome! 

Here's Simon and Garfunkel singing Feuilles-o


Tuesday 11 February 2014

Fanfare for February 2014

Someone should spare me from my blog post titles... any SingWivvers wanting to do some writing on here please let me know!

So, here are a couple of recordings from this month's session. Due to some over enthusiastic button pressing on the recording equipment, Chris has given us the Gospel song we learned, but the recording is from the Shared Voices session that morning! I'm sure our recording would have been just as lovely ;-) The Scottish lullaby 'Dream Angus'  is pure SingWiv though. Enjoy!

I couldn't resist this reminder of more or less this time last year...
Maybe it'll be 'Freezing February' yet!

pic is of the Big Garden at High Woods Country Park where I work as a Community Gardener.

The March session is Saturday 8th, hope to see you there - as always, new singers are welcome to join in.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

January 2014 Joyfulness

We kicked off the New Year with 40 people in the hall, including our teacher Chris Rowbury. That's the most singers yet!

I recently sent around a questionnaire for feedback, all of which has been really positive. A few suggestions for minor tweaks to process or content, but overall, people are loving it. And hurrah for the new chaps who turned up - what a great sound you added \o/

Here are some of this month's songs. You can click on each of them to listen to straight away or choose the download option near the top.  


Chris says: ' Lyrics and song info are in the comments [on the above link]. If people are interested, they can find a video here of a choir doing Indonga za Jeriko with all the moves!'

Just to remind anyone reading this for the first time that we learn new songs each month so it's easy to join in at any time.