NEWS AND REVIEWS
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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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OPEN EVENING
The Viva Musica Choir invites you to our Open Evening on Tuesday 28th January 2020 at 7:15pm. This is a great opportunity to meet and sing with the choir. For further information please do not hesitate to contact 0121 550 5581 or 01562 883480
The Viva Musica Choir invites you to our Open Evening on Tuesday 28th January 2020 at 7:15pm. This is a great opportunity to meet and sing with the choir. For further information please do not hesitate to contact 0121 550 5581 or 01562 883480
1989 - 2019 Celebrating 30 Years of Beautiful Music
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Viva Musica Choir provided a concert of festive melodies for the Stourbridge Rotary Club at Himley Hall, on Friday 6th December 2019. |
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The Viva Musica Music tree at the Holy Trinity Church (Wordsley) Christmas Tree Festival - Fri 29th November to Sunday 1st December 2019. |
October 2019 “Let the People Sing” Concert
Viva Musica Choir celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Saturday 19th October at St Mary’s Church in Stourbridge. The concert, “Let the People Sing”, showcased the achievements of the Choir since it was formed in 1989. Favourite pieces voted by members of the Choir were performed, together with music from some of the many special concerts held throughout the last 30 years.
The Choir is fortunate to have many wonderful soloists, many of whom performed during the evening. Soprano Sarah Fellows and baritone Matthew Terrado performed Mozart’s duet from the Magic Flute. Matthew then joined sopranos Louise Sawalha and Laura Wright and tenor John Gripton in the choir’s performance of One Day More from Les Miserables. Soprano Elizabeth Haney and alto Jo Welch performed the solo roles in Jerome Kern’s Can’t Help Loving that Man and soprano Debbie Wright sang Les Filles de Cadiz by Delibes.
The Choir performed The Seal Lullaby by Whitacre, Parry’s I Was Glad and a medley from Fiddler on the Roof, which were voted firm favourites by the members.
The Choir also performed the Toreadors’ Chorus by Bizet in tribute to its performance of Carmen at Dudley Town Hall in 1994 and Elgar’s As Torrents in Summer, which was performed at the Choir’s first ever concert. The audience were then invited to join the Choir in singing The Beatles Let it Be and Dancing Queen by Abba.
A particular highlight of the evening was a performance by the choir’s accompanist, Andrew Biggs, of Widor’s Toccata from Symphony No. 5 on the church organ.
Throughout the concert there were readings by members of the Choir and founder members reflected on the choir’s formation.
Viva Musica Choir celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Saturday 19th October at St Mary’s Church in Stourbridge. The concert, “Let the People Sing”, showcased the achievements of the Choir since it was formed in 1989. Favourite pieces voted by members of the Choir were performed, together with music from some of the many special concerts held throughout the last 30 years.
The Choir is fortunate to have many wonderful soloists, many of whom performed during the evening. Soprano Sarah Fellows and baritone Matthew Terrado performed Mozart’s duet from the Magic Flute. Matthew then joined sopranos Louise Sawalha and Laura Wright and tenor John Gripton in the choir’s performance of One Day More from Les Miserables. Soprano Elizabeth Haney and alto Jo Welch performed the solo roles in Jerome Kern’s Can’t Help Loving that Man and soprano Debbie Wright sang Les Filles de Cadiz by Delibes.
The Choir performed The Seal Lullaby by Whitacre, Parry’s I Was Glad and a medley from Fiddler on the Roof, which were voted firm favourites by the members.
The Choir also performed the Toreadors’ Chorus by Bizet in tribute to its performance of Carmen at Dudley Town Hall in 1994 and Elgar’s As Torrents in Summer, which was performed at the Choir’s first ever concert. The audience were then invited to join the Choir in singing The Beatles Let it Be and Dancing Queen by Abba.
A particular highlight of the evening was a performance by the choir’s accompanist, Andrew Biggs, of Widor’s Toccata from Symphony No. 5 on the church organ.
Throughout the concert there were readings by members of the Choir and founder members reflected on the choir’s formation.
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Here is both Alan and Barbara from the choir, with the U3A wreath at the Stourbridge Remembrance Service on Sunday (10th November). #rememerancesunday #proud |
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On Saturday 19th October 2019 Viva Musica performed at St. Mary's Church, Oldswinford. The evening celebrated 30 years of the choir, with many pieces of the programme picked by choir members. It was great to see so many familiar, and new faces in the audience. An enjoyable evening was had by all! |
What better way to be organised than with our diary hand out cards! Have you got yours? E-mail us us or ask a member of the choir and we’ll ensure you get hold of one. 🙌🏻