Saturday, 27 August 2022

WELCOME BACK TO CHOIR

Rehearsals for girls restart on Tuesday 30^th August at the usual time of 6pm.  On Sunday 4^th September the girls sing at the morning service (9.30) and the boys (and men) in the evening, with the usual 5,30 rehearsal.  The training system for boys and girls is almost back to normal, and progression through the ribbon levels is once more taking place.  At the end of last term all four of our senior boys had been awarded their red ribbons (full chorister) – a record for our choir – and two girls also have this award, with many of the others having dark blue (Senior Singing Girl) or light blue (Junior Singing Girl) ribbons.  Well done, everyone!   

RECRUITMENT

As I have commented before, if the choirs are to survive we must recruit new members each year. So please will everyone keep their ears and eyes open for potential choir members, especially boys.  I hope to visit local schools in September to talk about the choirs and to distribute literature, but recruitment by existing choir members bringing their friends and relations is an excellent way of boosting numbers.   

ORGAN SCHOLAR

Thomas Winrow-Campbell has played for his first 9.30 Eucharist service with the Girls Choir and will be present at some Evensongs with the boys and men choir soon.  We expect his involvement to grow with time.

TIMETABLE TO EARLY NOVEMBER

On the back of this sheet is the choir timetable up to early November.  This covers the break for the school half-term holidays.  I will print plenty of paper copies, so that spares will be in the choir vestry pinned to the notice board.  This should also be found on the church's website (www.slhk.org); follow the links to ‘music’ and then to ‘Newsletter and timetable’. The music list for the month is also there.   During this period there are some special services, as follows:

25^th September - HARVEST FESTIVAL AND 50^th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Some changes of times of services are made for this day.  First, the morning service (Adult Mixed Choir) will start at 11.00.  This is followed at 12.30 by a bring-and-share Harvest lunch in the church, to which ALL CHOIR MEMBERS, past and present, and their families are invited.  Drinks will be supplied.  This also marks the 50^th Anniversary of my appointment as organist and choirmaster at St Leonards.  Tim has been trying to contact the three-hundred or so boys and girls and adults who have belonged to the choirs at St Leonard’s since 1972. Though we know their names, we do not have the addresses of everyone.  It will be a great opportunity for past generations of singers to chat, to meet the current choir members and, hopefully, to have a hearty sing to celebrate times past.  The idea is to have a rehearsal for eveyone at 3.00 and to finish the day with a sung Evensong at 3.30. finishing at about 4.10.

If you know of former choir members who may not have got the message, please pass the invitation on to them.  This is intended to be a very inclusive event!

Berkeley

CHOIRS OF HYTHE PARISH CHURCH