The next Music Saturday is on February 1. It's a week earlier than usual so we don't collide with the Pantomime in the Village Hall. If you're stuck for something to do on Saturday 8, get a ticket for pantomime – it's always great fun. Slow Tunes will again be the final session.
15 of us enjoyed a meal together at Lal Khazana in Shilbottle after the January Music Saturday. We'll do it again in a few months time.
The Music Saturday pattern goes on being broken – the next one is on February 29, Leap Day. That's because our usual weekend was needed for our Gilbert and Sullivan Workshop. Our Swedish Folk Music sessions start again, running from 3.30 to 5pm
If you are planning to take part in Trial by Jury, our Gilbert and Sullivan for this year, you should have received an email asking you whether you want to borrow a score and about taking on a solo part. If you haven't had an email, contact me now. It's not too late to join in – just make contact.
Our next Musical in a Morning is on Saturday March 28 – and it's Showboat. Join us on the Cotton Blossom, a vessel on the Mississippi, help tell the story and sing along to numbers like “Ol' Man River” and “Can't Help Lovin' dat Man”. All as usual - 9.30 – 12.30, everyone welcome, £5 includes everything you need.
We're getting close to fixing a date in March or April for Drop In to decamp to the Running Fox for a session of Drinking Songs. Do let me know any impossible Tuesdays for you if you'd like to do it.
There's an exciting new opportunity for singers and instrumentalists of any standard and type of music on March 21 in Rothbury. Check out the calendar to read all about it, and make contact if you are interested in participating.
The Bridge Singers and the recently formed (and very good) Coquet Concert Band are sharing a concert on Wednesday February 19 in Swarland Village Hall. A great variety of music and a new piece by Cheryl Camm. Tickets may be in short supply – talk to people in the groups and look out for posters.
Music Saturday on January 11 will end with the Slow Tunes session, at 3.30pm. Our Swedish Folk Music sessions are taking a break for a little while – they will restart on February 29. Perhaps we'll do leaping tunes then.
Several of us are planning to have an outing to Lal Khazana in Shilbottle to enjoy an Indian meal together after Music Saturday on January 11. 5.30pm for 6. They aren't too worried about precise numbers in advance, but if you think you are likely to join in, do email, so we can give them an idea of numbers.
We had a great Carols on the Bridge on December 16. £568.48 was raised for the Blood Bikes. Well done all!
Drop Inners – remember we are thinking of having a session at the Foxes Den sometime soon. Theme – drinking songs and maybe the odd fox. Do email with your impossible Tuesdays if you'd like to come along, so we can find a date that suits as many as possible.
If you are a Music Saturday regular or occasional joiner-inner, do make a note of the dates for the first part of 2019. For various reasons, our regular pattern of the second Saturday of every month has to be changed in February, March and May. Apologies if this means you won't be able to come along. The dates are: January 11, February 1, February 29, April 11, May 2.
Music Saturday on December 14 will end with the Slow Tunes session, at 3.30pm. There's no Swedish music workshop. Apologies to all aficionados of this lovely music. Normal service will be resumed in January.
The Bridge Singers are gearing up for a busy time, with a concert a month. There's a proper Christmas concert in St Michael's at 3 on December 7, a Burns Night on January 27 in the Village Hall and in February, a concert at Swarland Village Hall shared with the Coquet Wind Band on the 19th. See the calendar for more details.
We've got the dates now for our Gilbert and Sullivan in a weekend. It'll run from the evening of Friday March 6 to Sunday March 8 at tea time. We'll put the whole of Trial by Jury on for friends and family. If you haven't signed up yet and would like to join in, email me.
CLICK THE IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD THE POSTER. PRINT AND SHARE - THANKS!
Do you know anyone who might enjoy coming along to a Felton Music Saturday when they haven't a better offer?! Do spread the word. All the sessions are viable, but we could easily cope with more people. Singing things in the morning, instrumental stuff in the afternoon, including an hour for ukuleles, guitars, banjos – any instruments with frets which complements what people may be doing elsewhere or on their own. We play (singing optional) and explore the chords and how the music works. Slow tunes for an hour and a half – learning and playing folk tunes at a manageable speed and then a unique opportunity to play Swedish Folk Music.
If there's anywhere you could display an A4 poster, there's one here to print out. The next Music Saturday is on November 9.
Here's a message from Hazel, about singing carols:
I am Hazel Metherell, a member of The Bridge Singers in Felton. Last year I arranged for groups of singers to go out into Care Homes in the area in the run up to Christmas, to sing carols with the residents. The feedback from residents, staff and singers was all positive, so I am aiming to do the same this year. Would you like to be part of a group of 8-12 singers to take part in a visit?
I have offered sessions in the mornings ( 10.30 ish) or afternoons (1.30ish) during the week of Sunday 15th to Friday 20th December. At this stage I just need a list of singers interested in coming for one or more sessions, and I will later be asking for who is available when. You do not have to come to all of them! We usually sing for 30-45 minutes, then may stay for a cuppa and chat. We will have a couple of optional sing-through practices beforehand. Details yet to be decided.
If you are interested, please e-mail me at : hazelmetherell@gmail.com. Thanks.Bridge Singers are going to be working on Monteverdi's Gloria again. Remember there are downloadable materials to help you get to grips with how this amazing piece works and learn/review lots of other generic music stuff as you go. Here’s a link to the resources: Learning Lots with Monteverdi's Gloria A Learning Collection of 40 Projects.
After all that work, take a bit of time off, by following this link. Recommended by Peter Hall, it's wonderfully entertaining and musically amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKezUd_xw20&feature=youtu.be. If you have an absolutely-mustn't-miss suggestion, do email with it.
Progress is being made finding dates for the next Music Literacy Course and Trial by Jury (Gilbert and Sullivan in a weekend). If you're not already in touch about these, do email.
Carols on the Bridge are on December 16 this year. 6.30pm as usual. Wrap up well and come along to enjoy singing lots of carols with the Band.
There are lots of good websites for all sorts of music. Here's one if you are interested in getting to know more folk tunes https://www.tuneworks.co.uk/ Email if you want to share other good sites you've found, whatever the type of music.
Felton Music Saturday comes round again on October 12. If you haven't given it a go, why not take a look now: https://www.feltonmusic.co.uk/music-saturdays as we approach the season when outdoor things can be a bit less tempting. Come to anything whenever you can.
Interested in Early Music? Medieval Mixture is holding an open session on October 19. Details via the Calendar.
Finding possible dates for the next Music Literacy Course and Trial by Jury is taking a bit of time. More information in the next website update!
We've got a date for the next Musical in a Morning: Saturday October 26. It's going to be either Fiddler on the Roof or Show Boat – depending on what the library can provide.
After singing at Feltonbury and the Handlebards performance of “The Tempest” the MadriGals are taking to the road. Three not-a-concert-concerts on September 10. Follow the link for details: https://www.feltonmusic.co.uk/ensembles
Music Saturday is on September 14. Whether you are a regular attender or want to give it a go, check out what we've been up to and what we're planning by clicking on the event on the calendar. The Ukulele Session is starting again after a summer break – and is now open to all players of fretted instruments. You can email for materials for any of the sessions.
Shall we run module 2 of the Music Literacy course this autumn? If you haven't received an email about it and are interested, make contact. If you missed Module 1 or would like to join a group for one of the other Modules, just email. Go to https://www.feltonmusic.co.uk/music-literacy for information about all the modules.
The new wind band starts rehearsals on Wednesday September 4 at Gallery 45. If you haven't made contact about joining yet, it's Derek at sanddbelshaw@gmail.com or 0789 124 5201.
We need to sort out dates for Gilbert and Sullivan in a Weekend before the Village Hall gets booked up. “Trial by Jury” in Spring in Spring 2020. Go to https://www.feltonmusic.co.uk/gilbert-sullivan-weekend to see which dates are on offer and find out more about the project if you haven't been involved before. Email your preferences.
It's a bit of a drive, but there's a great opportunity on offer in Duns in November for anyone who'd like to sing Mozart's Requiem. Maybe a bit of car-sharing to spread the load and increase the sociability? Treat yourself to a weekend away? For more information check out the calendar (November 13, 16 and 17) www.feltonmusic.co.uk/calendar/november .