Morningsong: Changes

Hello everyone -

So...it's for real and is all happening. It's hard to believe. I leave lovely Queensland for NSW in the week after Easter for a permanent move. This takes Morningsong and me up to the end of first term.

The absolutely fabulous news is that Nicole Murray and John Thompson from Cloudstreet are going to take over the reins after Easter. They intend to keep the name, the venue, the fees, the time, and the general style (non-auditioned, non-note reading mixed adult choir).

Nicole and John are both professional, active musicians with fantastic voices which you will find totally inspiring. They are super talented - playing many instruments between them and doing many original compositions and arrangements. On top of that they have made lots of CD's, are experienced at running workshops and hop around the globe doing concerts.

They may teach individually or together as a team - they will see how they go and see what works best and what their concert timetables dictate. They will delight those of you with a celtic bent because they are really into Irish, English and Australian folk music. As well as a lot of other styles...

There is no doubt in my mind that you will be in the best hands possible, and I'm really excited about where John and Nicole will take you musically.

We will be working together to figure out the logistics of the upcoming Peer Sing CD and they are happy to hear that Morningsong gets together for a Christmas concert. Meg has booked the hall for the last week of November for this concert/party.

I have another 4 sessions with you all. It's going to be hard to part company. However, since starting with 8 bright and shiny singers at the beginning of 2009 it feels really good to see that Morningsong has brought so many people together as friends and community - and you all sing pretty darn well now, too!

Edit: Whoops - Nicole pointed out that they weren't arriving in regal style so I changed reigns to reins!