Holmfirth Choral Society

6 January - The weather looks to be passable (at least around Holmfirth), and I've had a negative LFT, so this evening's rehearsal is ON.  Please note that Alan will be collecting subscriptions during January, starting this evening, after a free term. 

3 January 2022 - HAPPY NEW YEAR.  Rehearsals recommence January 6th in Holmfirth PARISH church (we're not yet back with the Methodists), 7.30pm.  Please bring copies of Brahms Requiem and Dvorak Te Deum (plus any other copies to be handed in).   As we said in December, please observe recommended practice - if you've any symptoms, please stay away; wear face coverings and take lateral flow tests as appropriate.   

8 December - INFORMAL CONCERT - part of Messiah - 2pm, Saturday December 11th, Holmfirth Parish Church.  Dress is "smart casual".  We will be seated in the nave of the church, as we are at rehearsal, maintaining some distancing.  Subscribers and family/friends of choral members are invited as audience, and they will sit in the back and side areas around the choir, plus the choirstalls as needed.  The accompaniment will be by string quartet plus Malcolm on organ/harpsichord.  We have four soloists lined up who are looking forward to singing for us.  The concert will last approx an hour and a half, and there will not be an interval, to minimise movement around church as Covid infection rates are still high.  Please observe recommended practice - if you've any symptoms, please stay away; wear face coverings and take lateral flow tests as appropriate.   

As I write, tomorrow will be the final rehearsal for the concert, and we will have a break in rehearsals then until the new year.  A decision will be taken later in December as to whether we continue rehearsing in the Parish Church, or move back to the Methodist Church when we resume in January, but please let me know your opinions about this.

Enjoy the concert, and have a happy Christmas.

We hope that we will be substantially back to "normal" in early 2022, so our "third" concert of the season (second!) will be back in the Civic Hall, April 2nd, evening.  Brahms German Requiem, Song of Destiny, Dvorak Te Deum.

31 October -  At our AGM last Thursday, we welcomed our new President, Chris Wilkinson.  We also decided to cancel our November concert (the Covid infection rate has been  rising, and though there is some evidence that it's peaking and will possibly subside, we thought it prudent not to hold a concert so soon).
We expect to sing a shortened Messiah on the AFTERNOON of December 11th, in Holmfirth Parish Church.  Further details to follow.

25 October - Our rehearsal this week (28th October) will include our AGM (actually for two years since Covid restrictions meant that we didn't have an AGM last year).  We will welcome our new President, Chris Wilkinson.   For the next few rehearsals, please bring Messiahs in addition to the other music we've been practising recently.

7 October - If you have your own copy of Fauré Requiem, please bring it to this evening's rehearsal, and for the next few weeks.

30 September - If you want rehearsal files for the Dvorak Te Deum, there are some midi files for S, A, T and B  at  http://www.learnchoralmusic.co.uk/Dvorak/TeDeum/tedeum.html . These will play on any midi player (most computers), but midiplay.exe is recommended for this purpose - see below under "Rehearsal Aids".   You can also buy similar aids at cyberbass.com

20 September - We restart "normal" rehearsals on Thursday 23rd September, 7.30pm at Holmfirth PARISH CHURCH - not the Methodist Church.  This is a temporary arrangement allowing for better ventilation than the Methodist church can give us, until the Covid situation improves.  The heating system in the Parish Church has been improved since our last concert there, and we will be seated in the nave (not in the draughty chancel seats).  However, we do intend to return to the Methodist church as soon as becomes practical.  Please bring your Messiah copies to this first rehearsal, also any copies outstanding from the outdoor sessions in summer. (I'm not intending to spend much time at this stage on Messiah, but we may sing some choruses from it). 

Covid risks:
Wearing of masks is advisable whilst moving about inside church, and you are asked to maintain sensible distancing.  Please also do not come if you have any symptoms of Covid, or have recently tested positive yourself, or if you are a first contact with someone who has tested positive - I'm not suggesting that tests are compulsory - just that we all try to avoid spreading the disease by being careful.
Our rehearsals initially will end no later than 9pm, and there will not be a break - but these details are open to discussion.

I look forward to seeing many of you (and some new singers joining us) on Thursday (and subsequent Thursdays).

31 August - Thank you to all who supported the singing on the lawn sessions - we now look forward to restarting proper rehearsals and I'll give more details later.
Meanwhile, I've received an email from ChoraLine, a company that provides rehearsal aids and other supplies to choral societies like ourselves, and some of you have used some of their products or services.  I quote from the email:-

20% Discount for Choral Singers

If you order ‘EasyPlay’ via the ChoraLine website you will receive an email with a blue link to click and use on your PC/Laptop and the rehearsal recording will also upload into the Purchased Music section in the App to use on your Tablet/Phone.

 20% discount code :    CHORAL

                 STEP 1

                Visit the ChoraLine website to select the rehearsal recording you require.

                 STEP 2

                Click in the circle by your voice part (eg. Alto) & then click in the circle by ‘EasyPlay’

                 STEP 3

                Click  ‘Add to Basket’

                 STEP 4

                On the Shopping Basket Page type   CHORAL   in the discount code box and click the green arrow to activate the code.

                 STEP 5

                Complete the transaction and use your rehearsal recording on all your devices:

                 Phone & Tablet & iPad: The recording will upload into the ‘Purchased Music’ section in the App.

                PC & Laptop: You will receive an email with a blue link to click to use EasyPlay.  Please click here for tips

­­­­­________

 The ChoraLine App

We recommend the App as the best way to use ChoraLine when rehearsing at home.  Please click the link below for a ‘step by step’ guide on installing the App and watch a video showing how to use all the new features in the App:

https://www.choraline.com/tips-for-the-choraline-app

 ChoraLine CDs are now sold by Presto Music  (01926 886883) who are running a special 25% discount until the 30^th September.

 Choral Clinic – Singing Tutorials for SATB Choral Singers (also available on the App)

Theses tutorials were recorded during ‘lockdown’ by two highly experienced choral singing teachers.  There are four levels (Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced) for every voice part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass).  Please click the link below for further details and to listen to a recording made by the teachers to help you choose the level right for you:

https://www.choraline.com/choral-clinic

 Handel’s Messiah  -  We have put together a special page on our website with tips and advice when learning to sing this wonderful piece of choral music. Please do click the link below:

https://www.choraline.com/handels-messiah

Vocal Exercises (also available on the App)

When singing at home we advise you always warm up your voice and pleased to recommend this recording specially put together by singing teacher Deborah Miles-Johnson - please click the link below to hear a sample:

https://www.choraline.com/store/vocal-warm-up-exercises/vocal-warm-up-exercises-devised-and-demonstrated-by-deborah-miles-johnson-ve1#.X47afdBKiUl

Advice and Support

Please do email music@choraline.com if we can be of assistance and we will do our very best to help.

 Best wishes from us all at ChoraLine

 Andrew

 Andrew Grigg

www.choraline.com

www.choralineapp.com

REHEARSALS when re-started  -  Thursdays 7.30 until 9.15 (normally).    New members welcome! As you know, we are low in numbers particularly in the tenor and bass sections - if you know of any able tenors and basses, do please invite them.

March/April 2022 Concert: We have been fortunate to borrow a set of Brahms Requiem copies locally, enough for all members.  However if anyone insists on buying a copy, we are using the Peters Edition (EP 3672).   This edition (each page has the number 10115 at the bottom) was first published almost 100 years ago, and can be freely downloaded from imslp (but has 95 pages of music), but is still in print.  The publishers price is £8.95, and it's available at musicroom.com at that price, but amazon.co.uk and ebay.co.uk both have copies available  more cheaply (search for EP3672 under books).

CONCERT DATES . 
November 2021 - perhaps, date & venue to be decided.
Saturday December 11th 2021 (probably) - Messiah, venue to be decided
April 2nd 2022 (probably)- Brahms German Requiem plus another item, Holmfirth Civic Hall

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