Morningsong Choir

A Beautiful Day At Peersing

2011-11-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday saw Morningsong perform as part of Peersing, the annual gathering of community choirs in Brisbane.

It was a great day of music and our crew performed brilliantly.

Thanks to Mal Lloyd for having the presence of mind to have his recorder on hand. Here's how we sounded from the second row:

Chi Mi Na Morbheanna/Hush, hush
(Scots Gaelic traditional, Jim McLean/arranged Nicole Murray)

Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc

Right-click to download

VumaTraditional African/arranged Beat Lehmann

Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc

Right-click to download

Quest Newspapers - Great Morningsong Photos

2011-11-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Quest Newspapers in Brisbane are doing a story on the choir and so last Friday, Richard came along to take some pix. The gallery of photos has been posted here.

Some great shots!

Update from NSW

2011-06-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

In answer to some emails and a comment from Ros just posted - and because Blog Technology has so baffled me that I can't answer on my own blog (the messages just go Phhhff! ) no I haven't started a new choir yet. And yes - my email and mobile are still the same and I love hearing news from QLD.

Starting a new choir is a tricky business - I have spent months scouting out the various existing choirs and developing graphs of their various styles and meeting times so that I don't tread on any toes and ruffle feathers. But most of the geographical areas close to me already have a choir similiar to Morningsong. I went to a concert one choir gave on Sunday and every single song they sang was straight out of Morningsong's repertoire.

In the one area where there is a gap which could do with a community choir, there is not a venue in sight. Well - maybe the surf life saving club.

However, the one thing which is different here is the age of the singers. Where the Brisbane groups (and the Melbourne groups) have quite a range from young to old, here they seem to be grouped according to age - and the presumption is that if you are on the older side - you won't want to sing anything adventurous.

I got that first hand. Missing singing very much I rang two groups to see if I could just join. Not only could I not join because I had missed some kind of enrolment cutoff - after some not so discrete questioning by both groups it was found that I was on the wrong side of 50 and "we have enough older singers" . WHOA.

So - at least I have a niche if I can find a venue. It's for those people who just want to sing now and don't want a demeaning quizz about their age.

Keep in touch - and I'll let you know if and when I have a new group. It would be wonderful to do what they do in the UK and Europe which is develop networks of 3-4 choirs. They go visiting each other, hosted by choir members, and have little mini-festivals for weekends where they sing and eat, eat and sing. Hey, sounds like Morningsong!

Cheers and love
Jane

Samford Sings - workshops mid-July

2011-06-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone -

Just in case you need a reminder about this event I'm posting it here. Ann from Peace 'N'Choir (Peer Sing group) started organising it a year ago.

Samford Sings

Golden Fleece is a small group of singers who sing Georgian music - one of them is Joseph Jordania who is regarded as one of the world's foremost ethnomusicological experts on Georgian harmonies. It was hearing this group in Melbourne that sparked my interest in Georgian polyphony.

I am thinking of coming up to QLD especially for this - about a 50% chance at this point.

Missing you all heaps -
Jane

CD recording

2011-05-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

Wow - what a fabulous day.

We don't really know what our contribution to the CD will sound like but it sure was fun doing it. For those who couldn't come we sang three songs; Thuma Mina, Thula Sizwe and Aya Ngena and the recording engineer/director Simon, will decide what to use.

Nicole, John or I will let you know when the CD's have been made and what the procedure is for ordering them - and anything else to do with the project.

Thanks to all for coming and singing so enthusiastically. And the lunch afterwards at Bar Merlo in that gorgeous courtyard was a great finishing touch to a memorable day. But then we've always been a lunchy kind of group. Perhaps my next choir should be held in a cafe.

This is probably my second to last post to this blog. John and Nicole are pretty ready now to do all the communication to keep things running smoothly so we hope you have found the transition nice and eeeesy. There are still a few things to go like changing the website but we'll get there. No hurries no worries.

love
Jane

Term 2 start date: May 13

2011-05-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone:
Yes, I'm still very connected with Morningsong while this transition occurs.

Apologies for not getting this info out to everyone earlier but I temporarily lost my blog password, my head and everything else in the move. My piano has disappeared into the ether but we hope to be reunited one day.

The first day back for you all this next term is Friday May 13. However, if you would like to join in the sing/welcome back/rehearsal for CD this Friday at Madeleine's in Bulimba, contact Mal for details: mallloyd (at) bigpond.com

The times and place for the CD recording is still the same - Sunday May 15. I'll be there around 8 am and hope to see everyone between 8- 9 for rehearsal starting at 9 and we start recording at 10 for an hour. Nicole is planning to be there. If anyone has a good place for a post-recording coffee in the UQ area please sing out. And if you didn't get the maps to UQ also please let me know.

See you in a couple of weeks,
Jane

Morningsong: Changes

2011-03-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

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!

Workshop in Bulgarian Music in Bulimba

2011-03-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

Hello singers,
This lobbed in my email box this morning. Ann is the conductor of two of the choirs who sing with us in Peer Sing and many of you had her as your singing leader in the peer mix up.

"Hi from Ann Bermingham

I wanted to let you know that Reni Bojilov and I are running a Bulgarian singing workshop as part of Brisbane City Council's Art Bites program.

The workshops are all free and are happening between mid March and mid April.

Lots of interesting things, mainly visual arts, but also tap dancing, hip hop and Social Justice writing.

You can check out the website at www.ourbrisbane.com/artbites

Our workshop is open to anyone who loves to sing, regardless of experience and
confidence levels.

WHEN 9.30-11.30am, Saturday 19 March

WHERE Saints Peter and Paul Church Hall, 25 Main Avenue, Bulimba

COST FREE, bookings essential. Please call 3403 8473

GETTING THERE Bus Riding Road (Main Avenue) Stop 33/43, walk 60 metres".

Jane again: I'll definitely be going to this. Ann has had extensive experience with Bulgarian music which requires a very different vocal sound and way of producing this sound.

Edit: I can't make this link work and haven't been successful searching the ourbrisbane website. Will re-edit when I can.

Post - Flood January 2011

2011-01-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hello soggified fellow singers: I hope this finds everyone safe well high and dry.

There is a discussion going around the Peer Sing singing leaders about doing a joint charity concert to benefit people in our communities who have been wiped out.

We are thinking of following a similiar format to Peer Sing minus the Peer Mixup. It would occur sometime in early February so I just want to give you a heads up since it will come up pretty soon after we get together again. If you'd like to be in involved in the prep and planning you are most welcome. Just let me know as soon as you can.

There is talk of the Suncorp Plaza as being a venue but it's early days yet.

All of our groups have a few songs ready to sing plus ones in which we can get the audience to join in if that fits in with the format. So... I'm thinking repertoire: we could do 2 African ones - an upbeat one and a hymnlike one. However I'm open to suggestions.

Please let me Mal or anyone know if you need help cleaning up. There are many willing people ready and able to give a hand.

Singing 2011

2011-01-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone

I hope this finds you all in post-Christmas rest mode.

This post will have me attempting to sound literate without my comma key. It's gone nuts and won't play for me.

We start up again on Friday 21 January in the Bulimba Uniting Church upstairs hall at 9.30 am.

Two days later there is a workshop coming up which I and a few other singers are intending to go to run by Beat Lehmann.

It's in the Kin Kin Hall in Kin Kin on Sunday January 23 and runs from 2 to 5 pm.

It's on Georgian harmonies and given how well you sing the couple we already know it would be rather fun to learn some more. Beat is a brilliant world music conductor and I'm intending to come away with some super hot ideas for leading our little band of musos.

Let me or Mal know if you are coming to the workshop if you like - or just turn up on the day.

Our new lunch place

2010-10-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

For anyone who can't manage to get to singing but CAN manage to come to lunch, we have a new place we are going to - it's Our Haus Cafe at 95 Riding Road, Hawthorne. Phone 3899 5285.

There is convenient parking behind the cafe and on the street.

It has very good coffee, a lovely menu, and fast service, so if you feel like joining us please do - most of the hungries arrive there at about 11.40 am.

Andrea's Farewell Party Friday October 29

2010-10-17T22:58:00.001-07:00

As you know, Andrea is leaving us in November to return to England. It's been a joy having her sing with us and we will miss her very much.

To say farewell, we are planning on gathering at her place in Bulimba after choir on Friday October 29.

Please bring a plate of lunch to share, either savoury or dessert, and a glass and something to put in said glass!

Anything cold can be stored in the fridge in the hall where we sing.

There is no need to RSVP - we can get some idea of numbers this Friday, but just know that you are all very welcome.

Dates and songs

2010-08-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

Grab a pen - here are some dates for your calendar:

A couple of these things you already know about if you are on Mal's email list for events but I thought I'd put them in to remind you -

AUGUST: Coming up at the Powerhouse is the Gypsy Jazz Festival - Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 August.
http://www.brisbanepowerhouse.org/events/view/brisbane-gypsy-jazz-festival-2010/

SEPTEMBER: Waulking The Tweed -- demonstration and workshop
When: 2 – 4pm, Sunday 26 September, 2010
Where: 30 McCord St , Gordon Park
Details:http://www.myspace.com/theshieling

NOVEMBER: Peer Sing Brisbane November 6 (at this point tentative because venue has not been booked yet. In the afternoon, same as last year.

SPOOKYMEN visit. Saturday November 13 at the Princess Theatre, November 14 somewhere in Maleny. We sing some of the main Spooky, Stephen Taberner's arrangements of songs.
http://www.spookymen.com.au/home.htm
The information about their Brisbane visit is not on their website yet, so I presume it is still being finalised. Check out youtube for some of their singing - it's just a joy.

Peer Sing Sunshine Coast; Sunday November 28 at the Coolum Civic Centre, 10.30 am to 2.30 pm. This is being organised by Yvonne from the Cool Harmonies singing group and she was inspired by the Peer Sing in Brisbane. We've been invited to participate and I'd love to do this if enough people are interested, even though it follows very quickly on from the one on Nov. 6.

DECEMBER: International Day of Disabilities is Friday December 3, and I am looking for ideas about how to give a performance opportunity for the Vision In Voice choir around this time - maybe on the 2nd, 3rd (in combo with Morningsong) or 4th December. If anyone has free time (Ha!) and would like to help out with this, please let me know.

December 4: tentative date for our Christmas Afternoon Tea and Sing. This could be on Saturday November 27 if the December date is not convenient for most.

Phew - November and December on the calendar is starting to look on the squishy side.

Leaving you with a song - this is Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone singing Thula Sizwe. Nina is the one with the very deep voice who comes in second.
http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8g5_CoRvM

Happy humming!
Jane

Can you help with hosting a choir?

2010-06-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone -
Here is an urgent request from Ian Maurer from the Brisbane Concert Choir who is in turn sending on a request from ANCA, Australian National Choral Association.

If you think you can help please contact him at the number below.

I would like to add that hosting musicians from other countries is rather fun!

From Ian:

Hi Jane,

We have an urgent request from Janet Wyvill of ANCA, the Australian National Choral Association, looking for billets for a visiting US college choir, the Mt San Antonio Chamber Choir.

The choir has won numerous awards and is well worth hearing even if you are not able to help with the billeting.

There are 40 young adults to be found homes for, in groups of 2 males or 2 females.

They are self-sufficient and will have their time fully occupied while in Brisbane so they don't have time to be entertained during the day.

The nights they need a bed for are July 11, 12 and 13 (Sunday night to Tuesday night). They fly home on Wednesday morning.

There are some more details to be found on the billeting form here:

http://www.brisbaneconcertchoir.com/Images/BilletForm.pdf

If you want to hear them or see the typical age, check out YouTube and search for Mt SAC Chamber Singers. One link is here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=60oRs6jPdSM

The college website is here: http://www.mtsac.edu/instruction/arts/music/profiles/rogers.html

Our choir has been able to host some choristers but there are still quite a few in need of somewhere to stay. All pickups and dropoffs are close to the centre of the city.

If you are able to help out, or need further information, please reply directly to Janet Wyvill on admin@anca.org.au or telephone 0410 692 844, including the Brisbane Concert Choir members who have already volunteered.

They are offering free tickets to their concert for hosting families.

Cheers,

Ian Maurer
Chairman
Brisbane Concert Choir
3369 4866
chairman@brisbaneconcertchoir.com
www.brisbaneconcertchoir.com

Sing for Joy, Sing for Fun! Bribie Island Festival

2010-06-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

The Bribie Island Arts Festival is on for a week in July, 2010. Yours truly is presenting a singing workshop on Saturday July 24 from 2 - 4 pm, followed by a short concert shared with other singing groups.

It's free to all.

Thanks to those of you last week who stayed on after singing and were roped in to be in the happy snap shown below!

Times and map here:
http://www2b.abc.net.au/EventCentral/View/Event.aspx?ci=0&p=0&e=3468828

Making Music Singing Extravaganza Free Musical Event

2010-05-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

Details of the Free Community Music event organised by John Rodriquez of Singchronicity

Saturday 22 May
11 am to 3 pm

3 Community Choirs will be singing: Freedom Train, Mixed Beans and Morningsong Plus 2 hour playshop (well, workshop!)

Venue: Ellaways Music
39-45 Compton Road
Underwood

Come along and join the fun and singing

No experience necessary

Contact John for more details: 0413 383 159

Carmina Burana - Scratch Choir

2010-05-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Carmina Burana - Carl Orff

If you are a music reader, here is a great opportunity to sing in Carmina Burana and I encourage you to experience such an exciting work. There is quite a long score, but many of you are probably familiar with the music so don't let that put you off. They also put out a rehearsal CD which will help track your part in the score.

I'm lining my ducks up in a row so that I can participate - it's a once in a lifetime chance and Debra Shearer-Dirie is a wonderful conductor.

For details and a registration form see the Brisbane Concert Choir website:
www.brisbaneconcertchoir.com

It costs $45 plus $5 postage if you want your own music and the rehearsal CD sent to you.

Cheers,
Jane

Where did the term go?

2010-03-21T16:17:00.001-07:00

Greetings everyone,

It's a bit stunning to realise that this week, March 26, is the last session for the term.

These holidays I won't be doing any special sessions for families; instead I'll be doing some Queensland exploring and talking very softly.

Term 2 resumes on April 16 and we'll be continuing our Verdi opera chorus and starting the beautiful Erev Shel Shoshanim plus 2 more fabulous African songs to get your hearts pumping.

Thanks to everyone for your hard work and patience while we put Bonse Aba together - we are nearly there and this Friday it will be a ripper!

And talking of being a ripper, last Friday's contingency of men singers, the largest we've ever had, was great - they nearly blew the women right out of the room with their singing! It was fabulous.

Dates + Park Bench Chorale for summer singing

2009-11-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

Summer break dates

Moresong: Last sing Wednesday December 2
Morningsong: Last sing Friday December 11
Vision In Voice: Last sing Thursday December 17

Park Bench Chorale
For those who will be suffering singing withdrawal symptoms over the summer break, the Park Bench Chorale will be starting up as soon as Morningsong finishes, organised by Marie McHugh, Chief Sufferer.
Marie is distributing a flier about the time (same as Morningsong) and location (grass - Morningside Park) and philosophy (fun).

2010 dates

Vision In Voice: Thursday January 28
Morningsong: Friday January 22
Moresong: to be decided

***This is an edit:please note that VIV is now Jan. 28 not the 7th as originally scheduled.

Don't forget - Vision In Voice is open to sighted singers as well. We sing a similiar kind of repertoire to Morningsong but not all songs are the same. It's free to all singers.

)))))(((((

Morningsong venue for 2010

2009-11-12T23:47:00.000-08:00

!!!!!!!

We are going back to the little old Bulimba Uniting church upstairs hall.

Reason? Acoustics.

It's been fabulous having our sessions at the Bulimba Community & Senior Cits with Meg as the manager of the centre, great parking, space, kitchen for the cuppa, etc.

But - our voices hurt. This space was cleverly designed to minimise the resonance as the number of people in the room increased. The result is not good for choirs. We have had to abandon most of our richly harmonic slow pieces in favour of fast zippy things to battle the dry acoustics.

We will be a tight fit back in the little hall, but we can make it work. We need to be aware that we can be booted out at the last minute which happened frequently last time, but I am planning alternatives for those occasions.

The cheerful part is that I can stop worrying about your voices and mine, and we can go back to some of our beautiful slow and tender pieces which resonated so beautifully in the little church hall.

Vision In Voice website and Joshua's blog

2009-10-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

Singer Eliza Leahy has put her fabulous creative powers to work again - this time creating a website for Vision In Voice. Linked to this website is Joshua's wonderful blog about his experiences singing in a choir and the formation of Vision In Voice. Check it out:
http://www.visioninvoice.com/

Caroling in the Queen St Mall

2009-10-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Morningsong and Moresong have been invited to be part of the Queen St Mall caroling festivities over Christmas starting November 27 to December 24. There is a city budget for this, and because of the structure of Morningsong (i.e. your benign dictator doesn't have a board or committee to answer to) you will be paid individually rather than the $$ going to the group. More on money towards the end.

We have been asked to perform as a large group and also form subgroups of wandering carolers to perform three 20 minute brackets of songs.

As you know, we are not generally a performing group, but I know that many of you have expressed interest in caroling which is why I'm giving this much thought and have had lengthy discussions with the Mall people.

There are a couple of downside issues to cover first:
1. This is performing outside, so if you think the acoustics of our hall are dry now, wait until your voices get totally lost in the mall to realise how frustrating it can be. On the other hand, even if you can't hear yourself or your singing colleagues, passing bank executives can. A little. Depending on the wind and rain. Have I ever mentioned how discouraging it is to perform outside? :)

2. You will have to know all the songs and words without any bits of paper and know the tunes and your harmonies inside out. If you (and I) feel totally confident that you can hold the tune and know the words, I can let you loose on the public!

3. We will probably have to learn quite a few more Christmas songs than we know now.
After discussions with the Mall, the ones we have been doing for a while which will be suitable are these:
Amen Siakadumisa and most of the African stuff we have been doing including Ma Ma Liye
anything with Alleluia in its name
All Night, All Day,
Masters in This Hall
Fum fum fum (last 2 starting soon)
Thou Poor Bird with Hey Ho nobody's home
Durme, durme and Erev Shel Shoshanim which only Moresong has started.
Jazz Gloria
Angels Heard on High
Rise Up O Flame, etc

4. We may have to have extra rehearsals for many of these songs, and rehearsals for the subgroups since I do not want to make the whole of Morningsong and Moresong rehearse if only a few people will participate. These extra rehearsals can take place in my home or yours, whatever you like. We can discuss this.

5. You may have to wear, gasp!, a costume or some kind of dedicated Christmassy clothing. The Mall owns some... they say. They just haven't located them yet.

The upside is that this is a tremendous opportunity for people who DO like to perform and wish to do caroling over Christmas. The fact that you get paid is such a bonus - I think it's rather rare of cities to treasure their choirs and actually pay their carolers.

Talking of money: we really need to discuss this. Money and choirs can break long friendships (look at the Choir of Hard Knocks and the tragedy there) so it's REALLY IMPORTANT that we are all on the same page. The city would pay me as representative of Morningsong. I will have quite a lot to do with preparation, administration, sheet music costs and printing costs (I don't have to pay extra liability insurance) . I would like a couple of singers to volunteer to be auditors and help handle the money side. We would write everything up so it's very clear, deduct some for my expenses and admin, and hand over the rest to all of you in the ratio that you participate. i.e. if you sing two brackets of carols you need to be paid more than someone who sings one bracket.
We aren't talking heaps of rubles here, but I very much want to avoid grievances by having everything transparent.

Let me know what you think, whether you are interested in forming smaller groups or just singing in a larger group or not at all. I also need to know times you have available or not available in the afternoons or weekends of those 4 Xmas weeks.

Email or phone me any time in the next few days - in order to nab the best time spots I need to get back to the Mall people before our sessions next week. It doesn't matter if it's afterwards, but the time slots will rapidly evaporate.

Cheers,
Jane

IMPORTANT EDIT : Ladies and Gentlemen: I've decided to back off being Dragon Lady about memorising carols and songs. Eliza has very kindly printed a small booklet of all the words of Christmas and vaguely-Christmassy songs.

!!!!!!!!

VISION IN VOICE CHOIR

2009-09-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

At last, we are about to launch the new choir, Vision In Voice. This has been inspired by our dynamic young tenor, Joshua Roberts, who joined us several months ago and who feels transformed by singing with us every week.

The Redland City Council Eat Well Be Active programme has given us a grant to start the new choir beginning Thursday morning, September 24 at the Capalaba Place Community Hall. The time will be 9.30 am to 11.15 am and singers are encouraged to arrive a few minutes early to get to know each other.

It is free to attend.

The choir will follow the same principles as Morningsong Choir and Moresong Choir except when it comes to performances. Vision In Voice aims to give a performance in December to celebrate 2009 International Day of Disabilities.

The Redland Council has started a publicity campaign to try and reach as many sight impaired singers as possible, but it may take a while for word to get out. If you know anyone who may like to join, please have them or their carer contact me or Joshua. They can also book directly with the Redland Council booking desk at 3829-8489 or 3829-8887 or 3829-8911.

ooo000ooo

SINGING THROUGH THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

2009-09-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

ooo000ooo

School holidays here in Queensland are from the 19 September to 5 October.

Yes, Morningsong will sing through the school holidays.
The Wednesday night group, Moresong is yet to be decided.
We will not make a point of learning any new music, unless it's an easy peasy thing with limited thinking required.

If you have children, grandchildren, or visiting friends and relatives, they are welcome to come along.

Music: Let me know of any special requests but I thought that we would revisit some of the oldies that we haven't done for a while.

Payment: For simplicity's sake payment will be by session at the discount rate of $8.50 for everyone and free for children and visitors.
For those doing work exchange at $0 - $5 we will just keep it as it is.
Normal fees will resume for Term 4 beginning Friday 9 October.

ooo000ooo

Are you singing in tune?

2009-08-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are puzzled as to why you sometimes can't hear yourselves sing, and whether you are "in tune" or not, or whether the person next to you is way out of tune, you may be interested that there are many singing leaders and choral conductors discussing this very issue.

As we talked about last week over lunch, even large professional choirs full of large professional singers sometimes have moments of self doubt over whether they are singing on the right pitch or not, and the choral music industry is abuzz with little expensive devices that singers wear in rehearsal which tells them and the directors what they are singing.

As Morningsong grows larger in numbers, this is an issue which is going to come up more often, and so we are going to start a series of fabulous warm ups to help you "tune up" and give you the confidence of knowing when you are singing the right note.

For the current discussion among directors from all over the world, click here:
Choralnet

PEER SING Saturday November 7th 2009

2009-07-30T23:21:00.000-07:00

For your calendars:

All singers with Morningsong are invited to participate in the

2009 Peer Sing!

Saturday November 7 West End State School, 24 Vulture Street, West End

1.00 - 4.00 pm (times approximate at this stage)
....followed by a drink at the West End Club 2 Vulture Street, West End

This is an annual event, but first time for Morningsong.

Community a cappella choirs run by friends and singing leaders Ann Birmingham, Jane Becktel, Helena Bond, Rosalind Borschperry, Christine Grodd and Marina Thacker are invited to get together for an afternoon of fun and joyful singing.

Draft Format:

Warm ups and rounds
Each choir sings two short rehearsed songs
Tea break
Rehearse and then perform a short song with a different choir leader
Final song by all combined choirs - 100+ singers

This is an edit: Final cost has not been decided - maximum of $5 per person.

This is also an edit: apparently there is no room for an audience. Any family members who come needs to participate as a choir member.

This event is not open to the public.

The only requirement to participate is that you know our two songs backwards,
forwards and inside out.

Playing hooky from work Friday July 31?

2009-07-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who come to sing every now and again instead doing your day job!!

Warning: Photographer is coming from the South-East Advertiser at about
10.30 am with a reporter.

Feel free to hide behind the Bass Baritone.

VAMOS A CUBA!! More about our visitors on Friday - Newcastle Peoples Chorus and Sydney Trade Unions Choir

2009-07-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

Herewith a bit of info and background on the singers who may be coming along to part or the end of our session on Friday.

The Brisbane Combined Unions Choir, the Newcastle Peoples Chorus, the Sydney Trade Unions Choir and fellow travellers from Worker's choirs around Australia will represent Australia at the International Choral Festival in CUBA in November, 2009.

The Newcastle and Sydney singers are coming to Brisbane to practise together and to have a fundraising concert. This concert "VAMOS A CUBA" will be held on the evening of July 17th at 7.30 pm at the the Brisbane Workers Community Centre, 2 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, hereafter known as the Paddo..

Entry is $15 ($10 concession) and Bar and nibbles are provided. I'm not sure what Bar means but I shall check with Marina , the singing leader of the Brisbane mob, on Friday. Fundraising will subsidise expenses and provide gifts to schools and hospitals the choirs will visit in Cuba.

It looks as if we may have to book to go to the Paddo - so if you are interested call 3395 0920 by the end of Tuesday. You can also email: patriciah10@bigpond.com or mpslivka@bigpond.net.au

On Friday, I am envisioning a burst of people coming in the middle of our session, attempting to be as quiet as lambs and not succeeding in the least, so I'd just like everyone to be aware of who they are and why you suddenly have some booming voices singing in your ears!

FAMILIES SINGING WORLD MUSIC FOR FUN!

2009-06-19T00:07:00.000-07:00

Morningsong Choir invites families, children and members of the community to sing songs and rounds on the last Friday of the school holidays.
FREE
Friday July 10
10 am - 11.30 am
Bulimba Community and Senior Citizens' Hall
Corner Barramul St and Stuart St, off Oxford St, Bulimba
Children under 14 need to be accompanied by a grownup

We are doing this by request from some of the singers in our group who have toddlers and school age children. The songs we will be doing are simple enough for them to join in - it won't be specifically kiddie-music. Children are usually thrilled to pieces to be singing in a choir singing real music with adults, but I will adjust the types of songs we sing as we go, depending on who comes.

For more info please ring Jane 3160 5757 or 0422 005 901

Small change coming up this Friday June 12

2009-06-08T02:37:00.000-07:00

Rev. Bruce has requested that we finish this Friday at 11 am instead of 11.30. He has a memorial service to give and needs the space.

So....here is what we will do. We will sing straight through without our normal cocktail hour, I mean, cuppa tea break, and then finish at 11 am and go off for an early lunch.

I will reduce the fee for everyone and post it at the door. For those who have paid in advance you will get credit or a refund, whatever you prefer.

Sorry everyone.

Jane

Biggest Morning Tea - Thank you!

2009-06-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

Mal, whom I appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer to count our donations, reported that we raised $74.60 at the Sing For Life morning tea which brings our total to $274.60. Well done and thank you everybody.

Biggestmorningtea / Cancer Council

2009-05-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

Yep - I've dobbed us all in for another fundraiser thingy! Read on for how I'm going to make it all so sweet for you.

We are registered as hosts of a morning tea on the last Friday of May during our normal tea break at 10.30 am. This means that anyone can wander in from the street and have a cup of tea and listen to us sing in a normal session, or join in if they wish.

I'm going to make two extra wonderful Carrot, Walnut & Wattleseed Cakes - one for us all to scarf down during the break, and one to raffle off for the Cancer Council.

My plan is to reverse the normal singing we do which is from easy to challenging and go straight from warmups to the more complex songs between 9.30 and 10.30 , and then do the easy, join-innable stuff after the break so that if we get any visitors they will be encouraged to sing too.

Here's the blurb on the Cancer Council site:
http://qld.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=98372

Jane

New restaurant for our post singing coffee/lunch

2009-05-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

We gave up on the usual haunt. It changed ownership and the service followed the old owner out the door...

So, we now go to Citrus across the road. They are very welcoming (well, who wouldn't be with 20+ people coming in every Friday) and gave us fabulous food, amazingly prompt service, and we can all pay separately.

Yay! It's great getting to know fellow singers and the honorary members of the choir (family and friends who join us for lunch), so do come along.

Change of location: May 1st only

2009-04-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

**Important change of location May 1, 2009 **
Due to an art show being held at the church hall we need to move our session just on that day.
We have a very welcoming home at an aged care facility:
CLEM JONES HOME
50 Brisbane St, Bulimba.
There is a large car park and street parking also available.
Directions from ferry: turn left on Coutts and walk one block. The Home is on the corner.
Go inside main doors. The main hall where we will sing is just straight ahead.
We will have a normal session but the residents are very welcome to participate. The management and staff are delighted to have us there.
PAYMENT:
The collection of money there may confuse the residents. Deb or Madeleine will check you off on a roll but please postpone payment until the following week.
TEA/COFFEE BREAK:
We will break at the same time and I believe that there may be a basic coffee shop there. However,we do not have the facilities to make our own tea.
Thank you so much everyone - I hope this is not inconvenient.
- Jane

Eliza's art on Modofly

2009-03-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

The fantastically talented Eliza Leahy, artist, wood turner and creator of Morningsong's website has had her work chosen to grace the covers of some art books published by Modofly:

http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/peacock-mask-p-eliza-leahy-p
http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/cobs-p-eliza-leahy-p
http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/jaguar-p-eliza-leahy-p
http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/mice-p-eliza-leahy-p
http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/the-emu-p-eliza-leahy-p
http://modofly.myshopify.com/products/goldfish-p-eliza-leahy-p

Congratulations, Eliza, they look beautiful.