singing groups
Singing Groups
I'm a firm believer that everyone can sing, that so-called 'tone deafness' is a misnomer and that anyone who thinks they can't sing can be helped to find their own voice. I can draw on a wide repertoire of songs from popular, folk, classical and non-western traditions which enable people to sing together, in unison or in harmony, and develop confidence in their own ability to sing. I'm able to offer one-off workshops or short series of sessions, and I'm also interested in helping people set up singing groups in their own communities.
SOME EXAMPLES
Global Fusion Music & Arts. I worked with GFMA to set up another singing group in the Charlton area, which meets on alternate Tuesdays. As well as these regular sessions, the group performs at GFMA events, including the Homage to Martin Luther King (Jan 2018 & Oct 2019), The Canaries (play about women munitions workers in World War I) (Nov 2018) and Afrika Jambo Night (May 2019). (See GFMA website: http://globalfusion-musicandarts.co.uk/ )
Dementia Carers Greenwich. I ran a regular group for the cared for and their carers in Woolwich. This was very informal, and includes some warm-up songs with movements as well as a range of favourite songs chosen by members of the group.
Alzheimers Society. I run occasional singing sessions for the Bexley & Greenwich branch of the Alzheimers Society, attended by people with dementia and their carers.
Holiday Courses for young people in Greenwich and Lewisham. Although these were primarily focused on instrumental music, we did include singing as one of the activities, partly because getting the whole group to sing together really helped them to bond together and had a positive effect on their other music-making. Getting reluctant teenagers to take part could be a challenge, but it was always worth it to experience that feeling of everybody joining together to produce a great sound.
'Folk Choir' Workshops mainly at Folk Festivals, including Southwell (right), Shrewsbury (far right) and Tenterden, usually involving a short series of rehearsals followed by an opportunity to perform as part of the festival. Also at Leith Hill Place, childhood home of Vaughan Williams - the video below is a song from the resulting concert.