NEWS AND REVIEWS
Donation to Mary Stevens Hospice - January 2021
Fiona Walley has been taking beautiful photographs from her daily walks with her dog Willow and sharing them on the Choir’s What’s App group.
Barbara French has used a selection of the photographs to produce a calendar for 2021. Inspirational words have also been chosen for each month. Choir members bought the calendars and profits from the sales to be donated to Mary Stevens Hospice. Barbara will be passing the donation of £90 to the hospice during January.
Fiona Walley has been taking beautiful photographs from her daily walks with her dog Willow and sharing them on the Choir’s What’s App group.
Barbara French has used a selection of the photographs to produce a calendar for 2021. Inspirational words have also been chosen for each month. Choir members bought the calendars and profits from the sales to be donated to Mary Stevens Hospice. Barbara will be passing the donation of £90 to the hospice during January.
Viva Musica Choir - 2021
Viva Musica Choir continues to remain positive during the challenging times we are all facing. Sadly all the Choir’s concerts in 2020 were cancelled and the concert programme for Spring / Summer 2021 is also no longer able to take place. The Choir is hoping that we will be able to sing together later this year with the roll out of the vaccinations now taking place.
The Choir’s Zoom warm up sessions will be starting again in January in place of Tuesday night rehearsals at Ham Dingle School. These sessions ensure choir members exercise their vocal muscles, continue to enjoy singing and keep spirits lifted. It is a great way to see fellow choir members even though we can no longer meet in person.
In December, the Choir held a Christmas Party on Zoom. Members dressed in Christmas Jumpers or party outfits, sang carols, enjoyed readings and solos.
The monthly Zoom quizzes will also be resuming - these have been lots of fun with a theme set and members wearing funny hats and outfits and enjoying a cocktail or two! Jo Welch continues to put together a fabulous Newsletter, with information, quizzes, recipes and poems.
The Team Viva What’s App group is going from strength to strength, with new members continuing to join the group. This has been a great source of support to the members and also provides lots of laughs too. Fiona Walley continues to start each morning with inspirational words, photo’s and music from her daily walk. This is an incredible achievement since March, and I know the members find this an uplifting way to start each morning during these difficult days.
The Choir has also had 2 virtual concerts for members to watch at home. Matt Terrado and Gabz Walley have worked really hard on the technical side putting the concerts together. The programmes have included solos, readings and the choir singing together virtually.
Going forward we are hoping to have a second Zoom Afternoon tea, another virtual concert for members to enjoy and a new book club is due to begin.
Thank you to all those members who are keeping the Choir morale lifted.
Viva Musica Choir continues to remain positive during the challenging times we are all facing. Sadly all the Choir’s concerts in 2020 were cancelled and the concert programme for Spring / Summer 2021 is also no longer able to take place. The Choir is hoping that we will be able to sing together later this year with the roll out of the vaccinations now taking place.
The Choir’s Zoom warm up sessions will be starting again in January in place of Tuesday night rehearsals at Ham Dingle School. These sessions ensure choir members exercise their vocal muscles, continue to enjoy singing and keep spirits lifted. It is a great way to see fellow choir members even though we can no longer meet in person.
In December, the Choir held a Christmas Party on Zoom. Members dressed in Christmas Jumpers or party outfits, sang carols, enjoyed readings and solos.
The monthly Zoom quizzes will also be resuming - these have been lots of fun with a theme set and members wearing funny hats and outfits and enjoying a cocktail or two! Jo Welch continues to put together a fabulous Newsletter, with information, quizzes, recipes and poems.
The Team Viva What’s App group is going from strength to strength, with new members continuing to join the group. This has been a great source of support to the members and also provides lots of laughs too. Fiona Walley continues to start each morning with inspirational words, photo’s and music from her daily walk. This is an incredible achievement since March, and I know the members find this an uplifting way to start each morning during these difficult days.
The Choir has also had 2 virtual concerts for members to watch at home. Matt Terrado and Gabz Walley have worked really hard on the technical side putting the concerts together. The programmes have included solos, readings and the choir singing together virtually.
Going forward we are hoping to have a second Zoom Afternoon tea, another virtual concert for members to enjoy and a new book club is due to begin.
Thank you to all those members who are keeping the Choir morale lifted.
Viva Musica Choir - Spring / Summer 2020
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Viva Musica Choir members have continued to keep singing and have remained in touch with each other. Members are missing the weekly rehearsals and the friends they have made in the Choir. Sadly, like so many events this year, the Choir has had to cancel or postpone concerts, rehearsals and planned social events.
Many members have been affected by the coronavirus and have lost family members and friends to this dreadful virus. The Choir membership includes key workers and school staff looking after key workers’ children, plus many members self-isolated during the period of lockdown.
So that members stay up to date and continue singing a number of initiatives have been introduced.
A monthly Newsletter is sent to members which includes news, quizzes, poems, birthday messages and a programme of music for our next concert.
Instead of weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays at Ham Dingle School we now have a Zoom Session. Musical Director, Rosemary Phillips has been hosting warm up sessions to include vocal exercises and pieces of music for us to sing along to. This is a great way to see each other and keeps our voices working and match fit. Guest appearances by spouses, children, dogs and cats add to the fun of these sessions! Zoom is also being used for a monthly quiz. Gaby Whalley is doing a great job on the technical front.
Our pianist, Andrew Biggs, has done a wonderful job of recording his accompaniment to a range of songs for us to practise at home.
Joanne Welch has set up a What’s App group for the Choir, now known as Team Viva. This has been a great success and is a very busy source of communication. The members share support, recipes, photo’s, jokes and quizzes. Each morning Fiona Whalley has been sending photo’s from her early walk with her beloved dog. Fiona shares her thoughts each morning, these include lyrics from hymns or popular songs to lift spirits for the day ahead.
During the VE Day celebrations photos were shared of picnics, memories from family members' war experience and photos of loved ones during the Second World War.
Members phone each other regularly and there have been door step drop offs for special birthday treats, food and tomato plants! Jo Welch has also posted seeds to grow your own vegetables and flowers. As lockdown has eased, some members have met for a socially distanced walk or garden visit.
This period of lockdown has shown the wonderful support members receive from each other. Everyone enjoys singing and performing together, but we are so much more to each other and we have really appreciated the efforts of choir members keeping our spirits lifted.
The Choir is looking forward to returning to rehearsals and getting ready for a concert to reflect on the impact of the pandemic and to celebrate being back together and singing when it is safe to do so.
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Viva Musica Choir members have continued to keep singing and have remained in touch with each other. Members are missing the weekly rehearsals and the friends they have made in the Choir. Sadly, like so many events this year, the Choir has had to cancel or postpone concerts, rehearsals and planned social events.
Many members have been affected by the coronavirus and have lost family members and friends to this dreadful virus. The Choir membership includes key workers and school staff looking after key workers’ children, plus many members self-isolated during the period of lockdown.
So that members stay up to date and continue singing a number of initiatives have been introduced.
A monthly Newsletter is sent to members which includes news, quizzes, poems, birthday messages and a programme of music for our next concert.
Instead of weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays at Ham Dingle School we now have a Zoom Session. Musical Director, Rosemary Phillips has been hosting warm up sessions to include vocal exercises and pieces of music for us to sing along to. This is a great way to see each other and keeps our voices working and match fit. Guest appearances by spouses, children, dogs and cats add to the fun of these sessions! Zoom is also being used for a monthly quiz. Gaby Whalley is doing a great job on the technical front.
Our pianist, Andrew Biggs, has done a wonderful job of recording his accompaniment to a range of songs for us to practise at home.
Joanne Welch has set up a What’s App group for the Choir, now known as Team Viva. This has been a great success and is a very busy source of communication. The members share support, recipes, photo’s, jokes and quizzes. Each morning Fiona Whalley has been sending photo’s from her early walk with her beloved dog. Fiona shares her thoughts each morning, these include lyrics from hymns or popular songs to lift spirits for the day ahead.
During the VE Day celebrations photos were shared of picnics, memories from family members' war experience and photos of loved ones during the Second World War.
Members phone each other regularly and there have been door step drop offs for special birthday treats, food and tomato plants! Jo Welch has also posted seeds to grow your own vegetables and flowers. As lockdown has eased, some members have met for a socially distanced walk or garden visit.
This period of lockdown has shown the wonderful support members receive from each other. Everyone enjoys singing and performing together, but we are so much more to each other and we have really appreciated the efforts of choir members keeping our spirits lifted.
The Choir is looking forward to returning to rehearsals and getting ready for a concert to reflect on the impact of the pandemic and to celebrate being back together and singing when it is safe to do so.
16th May 2020 - So this evening we should have been having our Spring Concert in Stourbridge and the choir would now be gathering for the pre-concert rehearsal. It is so unfortunate that this has not been able to go ahead, and the choir will miss it, but the safety of the choir and its audience is paramount. So we thought we'd re-share a video for those of you who are missing our sound, with one of the choir's favourite pieces: https://bit.ly/2yTr9An
The choir can't wait for the day they can all be together again making music. Until then enjoy!
The choir can't wait for the day they can all be together again making music. Until then enjoy!
May 2020 - Please note although we have a diary of concerts for the remainder of the year these are now under review due to the ongoing result of the Covid-19 outbreak. If any of these concerts are confirmed to go ahead the 'Diary' page of this website will be updated accordingly.
March 2020
Choir Members please ensure you check your e-mails - Following the Government's announcement today relating to Covid-9 the committee have taken the decision to cancel all rehearsals for the foreseeable future and our scheduled May concert will be postponed. Please take care and we hope that it won't be too long before we can resume rehearsals. Stay safe and well everyone!
Choir Members please ensure you check your e-mails - Following the Government's announcement today relating to Covid-9 the committee have taken the decision to cancel all rehearsals for the foreseeable future and our scheduled May concert will be postponed. Please take care and we hope that it won't be too long before we can resume rehearsals. Stay safe and well everyone!
‼️REVISED DATE‼️ - The Staffordshire Band and Guests (Viva Musica and Voices in Harmony) concert due to have taken place on 25th April 2020 has been postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The revised date is Friday 6th November 2020. All tickets will be honoured and if you can no longer attend on the revised date, refunds will be available from the point of purchase.
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February 2020 The Viva Musica Choir is pleased to announce it's charities for 2020 are Acorns Children's Hospice and Mary Stevens Hospice. |
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