Our last major concert...
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Come and see us at 7:30 on Friday 19th December at Merton Abbey Mills
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News...
This website needs updating! In the mean time, a summary of what's been happening and what's coming up.
During what would have been our traditional summer break, about 35 of us carried on rehearsing, learning seven songs and gathering sponsors for Sing For Water. Antonia entered us for the event, while Christopher took a break, and Elaine took up the virtual baton. Just as the Indian summer started on 14th September, we joined 800 others on the South Bank to make some great noises for charity.
About 20 of us also performed in Wimbledon Park for Merton Council's Cultural Olympiad on 28th September, along with our new banner!
On 29th September we had our first Annual General Meeting, at which we elected the following committee members:
Mugshots to follow - there is no escape! There will also be an Events Co-ordinator, to be announced. We discussed a Constitution, which was given to all at the rehearsal on 6th October, and will be voted on at the 3rd November rehearsal.
We are now going to pay Christopher (Musical Director) and Antonia (Accompanist) - goodness knows they deserve it, and we're very lucky to have had them for free for the past two years! The main consequence of this is that term fees will now rise to £24/£16 (concessions), and £4 per rehearsal for guests.
Half term is on 27th October - there will be no rehearsal.
Christopher is returning on 3rd November.
We have now outgrown our upstairs room at the Community Centre, and it's rather noisy too, facing the High Street. We thank the Centre for hosting us for the majority of our existence, but sadly we have to move on. We are privileged that Merton Vision is allowing us to hire their wonderful space at the Guardian Centre, and we will be moving there on 10th November. Rehearsal days and times will remain the same (Mondays, 1930 for 1945, until 2130).
Our main Christmas event will again be combined with Christ Church's celebrations, on 7th December. In addition, we will be singing for the Seniors' Lunch Club at the Community Centre, and no doubt some other events. With our new banner, we'll look good serenading the commuters at the Tube station!
An off-shoot of the highly successful local community initiative “Making Colliers Wood Happy”, the Colliers Wood Chorus has grown into a 30-strong choir with high musical aspirations. Singing as a unit has brought so many people together – and to think, they are practically neighbours anyway!
Our
main focus is on fun and getting
to know our local community, but of course music needs to be made too,
so Christopher (the
baton wielding choirmaster – he is not a
monster though)
warms us up with serious vocal technique at the start
of each rehearsal and we work quite hard. Tea and coffee during the
10 minute break means another chance to catch up with your friends
and comes as welcome relief to those vocal cords – talking
uses
an
entirely different set of cords don't you know! Our repertoire
ranges from medieval rounds to old jazzy favourite “Dream a
Little
Dream of Me” with Mozart and Musicals in between. In December
2006, we performed along with Streatham Voices and other local
musicians. Considering that the Colliers Wood Chorus was only 8 weeks
old at the time, a public performance was quite ambitious but we
measured up and exceeded our highest expectations, raising funds for
the local Woodland Trust.
We are looking for more men specifically to fill out the tenor and bass sections. However, everyone is welcome and there is no audition – just try us out once – come along to the Guardian Centre and join in on Monday evenings at 19:45 – 21:30. If you like what you see (and more importantly – hear) then come again. You can join Merton Vision to buy drinks from the bar after rehearsal, and there are many social events and concerts happening throughout the year.
For more information contact Christopher Killerby at info@collierswoodchorus.org.uk.
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