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Culture/Arts

singing for fun

(41 Posts)
Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 14:33:01

Do any other gransnetters belong to a Community Choir? If so what are you singing? I love my weekly meet up with all ages and abilities, a good sing certainly lifts my spirits.

Granniepam Thu 06-Feb-14 14:35:50

I would so love to join one but cannot quite get over the schooldays' stigma of being classed as a "low voice."

PRINTMISS Thu 06-Feb-14 15:00:40

If only I could hold a note, or keep in tune, I would absolutely love to join a choir, bit afraid of making a fool of myself!

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 15:03:28

I'm sure you would be welcomed in a Community choir, ours has no audition to join and although I've never had singing talent I manage very well in the sopranos. The Alto ladies have a lower range, come and sing with us ! smile

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 15:06:06

You too printmiss! We could start our own virtual choir - what would you like to sing?

ninathenana Thu 06-Feb-14 16:12:14

Rosannie can we make that a trio ?
I prefer to sing something contemporary smile

grannyactivist Thu 06-Feb-14 16:23:19

My musical understanding: blush

Note: a short missive
Pitch: used to fix leaky roofs
Melody: girl's name
Tunes: help you breathe more easily
Scores: what a footballer does
Key: a device used to open doors

These ^ ^ ^ are the reasons no respectable choir would have me.

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 16:34:41

No technical knowledge needed grannyactivist, just breathe open your mouth and enjoy! Ninathenana we're learning Fix you (Coldplay -a bit glum) Sing - Gary Barlow, California Dreaming amongst others. Fancy any of those? Name a tune and we'll have a go.

Mishap Thu 06-Feb-14 17:06:42

I run a community choir! - and a choirs project every 3 years at which we have around 250 singers from 8 to 88! Singing is good for you and EVERYONE can do it!

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 17:21:01

I certainly agree that singing in a choir is good for you!
Its the highlight of my week, me time smile

joannapiano Thu 06-Feb-14 18:33:10

Singing is wonderful for lifting your spirits! I belong to the local Community Choir, 60 of us aged from 30's to 80's, men and women.
I sing mezzo-soprano. You don't audition to join and don't have to read music. At the moment we are learning a "Queen" hit amongst many other different styles of music.
I often have to rush out for a rehearsal,as the day we meet I look after 3 DGC until 6pm. But however tired I am, I always feel rejuvenated at the end.

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 18:50:44

Mishap you lead a gransnet choir! Those who are shy of sharing their voices in public just now might be happy to sing at home, you could give a suitable uplifting song to practice.
What do we think?

Nelliemoser Thu 06-Feb-14 19:58:57

I go to a community choir and yes I do enjoy it a great deal, but after 6 yrs of this I am getting a bit tired of the repertoire the conductor chooses.

Heaven preserve me from singing the same stuff two years running. I have rather had enough of the Medley from Les Mis although it is a good sing.

I cannot abide the Military wives Choir song "Wherever you are" or "The Rose"

To be fair I enjoy it so much that when I retired in 2011 I joined a local Choral society as well.

GranniePam Our conductor refers to the Altos as "low woman." In the choral society with have three women tenors. in the community choir there is one tenor in particular who is so dreadful no woman would even consider singing with them.

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 20:32:29

Nellimoser, tell them what you would like to sing!
Suggest a suggestion box, its your choir after all.
I agree though the pros outweigh the cons, keep singing!

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 21:22:25

Anyone watching Big Ballet, Channel4? Similar theme, girls who want to dance against the odds and previous negative comments.

Frannygranny Thu 06-Feb-14 22:10:33

I'm a 1st Alto with a community choir and we sing a wide repertoire, anything from 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' to Les Mis medley to 'The Sound of Silence' to songs in Hebrew, Maori and Italian. I didn't audition either, just sang a few octaves so the choir master knew where to place me. I don't have the best voice but it doesn't matter as all the voices blend to make a wonderful sound. The choir master also helps us with diction and breathing while singing, I've noticed quite a change in my singing since I started. It really helps to raise your spirits as well (I suffer from clinical depression) but since I started singing I haven't had a single episode. I love my Tuesday nights!

penguinpaperback Thu 06-Feb-14 22:21:55

Oh another who would love to join a choir. I love singing with the grandchildren. smile

Frannygranny Thu 06-Feb-14 22:30:30

If you go into a website called Big Big Sing it lists choirs throughout the UK, hopefully the right choir is there for everyone.

bigbigsing.org

Frannygranny Thu 06-Feb-14 22:33:48

It looks as if it's just for Scotland especially Glasgow and the Commonwealth Games but if you go into start singing then find a choir it lists them for all over the UK.

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 22:57:45

I would love for everyone to be singing, in of out of tune, my grandsons have taught me that singing is natural and instinctive, we are only inhibited and disillusioned by criticism. SING !

Flowerofthewest Thu 06-Feb-14 23:22:16

friend of mine belongs to a thing called Shape Notes. Anyone else heard of this.

Rosannie Thu 06-Feb-14 23:33:10

Don't know Shape Notes which part of the country are you ?

Mishap Fri 07-Feb-14 09:56:09

http://www.naturalvoice.net/choirs Try this link if you are looking for a choir in your area.

If there was a way of leading a gransnet choir I would definitely do it!!!

Shape note singing comes from USA where the shakers and similar used square notation instead of our round blobs - and I guess this group will have named themselves after that.

AlieOxon Fri 07-Feb-14 10:55:07

Not sure what the definition of a community choir is!
But I belong to a U3A group called 'Singing for Fun' in Didcot. Anyone who is in U3A can join and there are no other qualifications - and it is fun.
It's done a tremendous amount for my singing confidence.
I insist on making suggestions and telling the leader what I don't like!

JessM Fri 07-Feb-14 11:45:45

www.naturalvoice.net/choirs Yes indeed. Enjoyable and no pressure.