Singing

Good morning everyone (anyone?).

I love Sundays! Even though I have been retired for almost 20 years (I gave up working at the age of 47) I still love the weekend feeling. It is a day of possibilities but with fixed points. Generally we enjoy a traditional lunch but there is time for a walk or hobbies and lots of time for reading the Sunday papers.
Sunday now includes choir practice at 4.30pm. I have always loved singing. I suppose I have sung in various choirs since the age of eight when I started in a Primary school choir with the formidable Mrs Ness, a third year teacher. She was not well liked by the children there as she was known to be strict. In the 1950s teachers were still using physical punishments for minor misdemeanours in school. She was fairly keen on a thwack with a wooden ruler on the back of the legs. Luckily I avoided her wrath! However she was a good musician. Isn’t it amazing how details of the past come flooding back when you write about past times? I even remember some of the songs. We sang The Ash Tree and Waltzing Matilda at a competition once. Anyway, I digress.

I lived in Northern Ireland from about 1983 until 1990 where I joined the local Parish church choir in Bangor, Co.Down. The church had a fine musical tradition and it was an honour to sing there. When I moved to Penarth in South Wales and married Mike I joined the Cavatina choir. This was a fairly large SATB choir who sang a varied repertoire.

One of the attractions of the Malvern area is the huge musical tradition. The English composer Elgar was born near here and the Malvern Hills inspired many of his compositions. I joined the Powick Community Choir about eighteen months ago. It is a large SATB choir under the musical directorship of Tom Wells, a local councillor and former teacher of music. We sing a varied repertoire from Mozart to Mercury. Tom is a talented composer himself. Our main concerts are sung every Christmas at Stanbrook Abbey where we sing six concerts over four nights, a mammoth task. Stanbrook is now a hotel but it has retained a large former chapel in its original state and the acoustic is magnificent.
Singing is well known for its positive effects on mental health and well-being. It has been a constant in my life and whatever problems I might have are forgotten for the couple of hours singing with others. I can not recommend it enough.

Sabrina Voices

So, that’s today sorted. The papers, some ironing (hateful), last nights postponed Burns Night supper for lunch then choir practice at 4.30.

Click on this to hear the choir

Christmas at Stanbrook

A link to Powick Community Choir

So, that’s my day sorted. Enjoy your day doing things which bring you joy.

Catherine x