Hot News

Chairperson - Jane Rawlinson
Temporary (very) Secretary - Ann Thorpe
Committee Member - Jules Davies

All other Committee Members offered to stay on for another year. We are looking for a new Secretary. Volunteers anyone?

In order to keep our Society in the manner it has become, more help is needed rather than resting on the well wearied shoulders of the faithful - and we all know who you are..........

Dodging between the thunderplumps I am writing to bring you up to date with choir matters and to look forward to seeing you soon.

Most of you will know that Moira is not in the best of health. She is hoping to be able to continue with her planned “sabbatical” in the spring and rejoin us next autumn. I know you all very much hope so and continue to send your love and best wishes to Moira. More sad news was Lady Aberdeen’s death: several of us (including Moira) were able to sing at the Memorial Service in the Cathedral of St Machar, where Elgar’s Go Forth from The Dream of Gerontius was extremely moving. June had done so much for music in the north-east and inspired so many.

I am glad to say we have been able to appoint Paul Tierney for the coming session (and of course for the spring as already arranged). We have also confirmed that Christine will be able to accompany us for several rehearsals as before. We all welcome Paul and Christine and look forward to working hard with them, starting on Wednesday August 26^th at 7.45pm – 9.45pm (note later start and finish) at the West Church Hall in Inverurie. Breaking only for one week (14^th October) we will rehearse Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man – a Mass for Peace for a performance jointly promoted with us by the West Church on Armistice Sunday (8^th November) at 7.30pm, preceded by an afternoon rehearsal. The West Church is underwriting any loss we may make but hopefully there may even be a profit which will be donated to the Royal British Legion.

We will then prepare for our stint of carols at Castle Fraser. The original date of Tuesday 8^th December may be changed to Saturday 12^th at their request – meanwhile please confirm to Ann Thorpe (details below) a.s.a.p. if you could make the Saturday instead.

Before that we have our annual social event of a BARBECUE, this year Christine Ross and husband have kindly invited us to Hillhead House at Keith Hall on the afternoon of Sunday 9^th August. I know Christine is dying to show us her recently developed garden but she has ample room inside if the weather is bad. We need help with barbecue “machines” and also we traditionally bring a dish of something suitable, especially desserts but also salad and savouries. The main barbecuing items will be supplied, but we need to bring our own wine, etc, which is then pooled, if you see what I mean! Important: please telephone or email Ann (Thorpe) as soon as possible to confirm numbers, including vegetarians, with offers of barbecues and food to bring (( 01467 620040, email secretary@inveruriechoral.org.uk ). I do urge you to come to the event which is always very relaxed and enjoyable (bring families, of course). Times and directions will be posted on the website when Christine returns from holiday.

Shortly after we begin rehearsals we have what is probably the most popular of social events, the Ceilidh at Daviot Village Hall on Saturday 19^th September. It may be, nay is, popular but it is also a risk financially as good bands don’t come cheap, so please make every effort to come and recruit family, friends and neighbours, etc. That way we may make enough profit to keep the Treasurer smiling when he computes our likely membership fees for the year! It would also cheer our hard-working Fundraising Group after the dispiriting turn-out of choir members at the recent Race Night. The time of year turned out to be bad for this but it can make a lot of money so we shall no doubt look to sweet-talk the organisers into a repeat when we don’t have excuses not to attend!

A final date, this time for next year’s diary: Choruses from the Operas, jointly with Inverurie Orchestra, on Saturday 5^th June in Inverurie Town Hall. This will sell out quickly so don’t hang about when tickets come on sale.....

Looking forward to seeing you again at the BBQ and when rehearsals restart, and don’t forget to contact Ann.....

Yours

Jon (Bailey), Chair/Chairman/Chairperson, take your pick.

At the recent AGM, new Committee Office Bearers were elected. We welcome our new Chairman Jon Bailey (thanks Ann for the sterling work over the last 3 years), new secretary (limited time appointment) Ann Thorpe - where have I heard that name before?? Committee Members Jane Rawlinson and John Smith. As owner of the website name, I have allocated our Committee "inveruriechoral" email addresses as you can see on the <Contacts> page. If you need to contact any of our Committee by email then just send it to their "inveruriechoral" email address and it should forward it to their personal email address which of course will not be known to anyone but them and I (and Membership Secretary)

I know our website is followed by past and present members of the Society so it is with great sadness that I have to advise you of the death of Betty Shewan on 18th June 2008. Betty was a founder member of our Choral Society and sang 2nd Soprano for us. Her Memorial Service took place at Meldrum Parish Church on Thursday 26th June 2008. A combined choir of the Society (some 20 members were able to attend) and Meldrum Parish Church (10 members) sang "Ave Verum Corpus" at the service. Remembering that this was the first piece of music we performed at Inverurie Town hall in the Summer of 1998, it is a special piece of music to us. The service was very well attended, which showed the love and high esteem in which Betty was held. We received favourable comments on the singing at her service. I have asked Society members to pass on to me their thoughts and memories of Betty if they so wish . I will attach them here in the near future.

Jim Hatter has kindly allowed us to use his picture on our home page of our website. However, if you want to purchase that picture then he will be asking £8 (normally £10) for the picture. Please see John Smith for details

Ann Landels emailed me from La Belle France to say that she will be here on the 7th of June and looks forward to hearing our concert. Welcome back, Ann, albeit as a member of the audience

For those who got aloe vera plants from me recently, if you wondered what it looks like when it flowers, then take a look at this

John Hooper emailed me to advise us of his website. He has produced midi's for rehearsal use. Have a look and maybe you will find some that may help in the future

As many of you know, three of us took part in Haddo Choral's tremendously successful "Pirates of Penzance". It was a sell out for the three concert days and such was the interest in the opera, the dress rehearsal was opened to the public. I know those who came to see it were pleased with the performance. The really nice thing about the opera this year was that there was only 1 imported soloist. All the other solo and chorus parts were members of the Haddo Choral and Haddo Youth Theatre. It was fun, though bl**dy hard work. Wilma Gillanders, our stage director had very positive ideas on how she wanted the opera to be performed. Moira will be aware of Wilma's efforts. I have polled a few photos from sources.

Miradoux chorale 'Les voix si, les voix la' at Ste-Mere, Gers, Sunday 6 Jan - part of the Ronde des Creches.

I'm still the small one in the front row!

The second photos is 'Les Britanniques' (plus a Belgique and Hollandaise doing 'Deck the Halls')

Received from Ann Landels from La Belle France (part 1)

While you are all singing at Castle Fraser 'La Voix Si et La Voix La' chorale of Miradoux will be taking part in the 'Ronde des Creches' - Peyrecave, Saint-Antoine, Sainte-Mere and Plieux, 4 afternoons between 9 Dec and 13 Jan.

http://www.abaceffect.com/rondedescreches/

'Les Britanniques' (mainly Scots, but augmented by a Flemish speaking Belgian and a Dutch) have their own spot - 'Deck the Hall' and 'Go Tell it on the Mountain'. Other familiar songs, in French, are ' Angels from the Realms of Glory (Les Anges de Nos Campagnes), 'Still the Night', 'I Saw 3 Ships', 'Jingle Bells' (completely different words - Vive le Vent (d'hiver), and a v. slow version, in English, of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'.

Concert dress - all black (skirts or trousers) and gold scarves.

Enjoy the social.

Ann Landels

Thanks to everyone who has bought a plant. I have raised the sum of £20 which will be given to Douglas when I see him. ALL MONIES GO TO THE SOCIETY

A very warm welcome to: Alistair , Marie and Peter , Alison , Lynn , Isla , Wendy , Sandra, Alan and Chris

Received from Ann Landels (sunning herself in France!!!)

Hi Moira and John, just a quick note to say that all well in SW France - summer finally came late, in September, but a bit chillier now! I had what was probably my last swim in the pool yesterday. Electrician is knocking my kitchen to bits so I have stoor everywhere! New kitchen goes in next week, so that will be a big step forward.

My French is improving by leaps and bounds - I can even speak on the phone now, a real achievement. Have found out about a local choir in Miradoux, a capella, and hoping to go next Tuesday. Seems already a few Scots from Glasgow and Edinburgh so I won't have to speak French ALL the time!

I'm keeping up with your activities on the website - who knows perhaps a concert tour to SW France sometime!

Tell everyone I'm asking for them. Ann Landels (I have Ann's telephone number and email address if anyone wants to contact her - JohnW)

I can heartily recommend Choraline to help you learn your part for Karl Jenkins, The Armed Man. Check them out on this site:

I used them for recently for Verdi's Requiem and they saved my bacon. a CD of your part will cost £10 including P & P

Further to the above, thanks to Phillip Tolley, British Choirs on the Net, has provided me with this link for rehearsal and choral training aids. The link is

IF YOU WANT TO FIND MIDI'S TO HELP YOU LEARN YOUR PART, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE SITES.

This CD has now been completely recorded and is with Roy and his "magic" to finish the item. Thanks to everyone for turning up early and the effort put into it. Thanks to Roy for his recording and mixing and to Drew for playing the organ. The price of the CD will be £7 per CD. It will be available over the internet by emailing cd@inveruriechoral.org.uk but will attract a £1.99 P&P surcharge irrespective of number of copies.

Something all societies have to do to remain solvent. We have a fund raising group which consist of Mhorag Atkinson, Kathleen MacKay, Jane Rawlinson and Ann Thorpe (thank you ladies). They have organised a couple of fund raising events.

More details of these fund raising activities will be found on the SOCIAL page. It is up to all of us to support, coerce others to attend these functions. The more the merrier and the happier our Treasurer will be!