Author Archives: Fiona Funnell

Start of a new set of songs to learn

Choir is now happily learning the songs for the Sing for Water festival here in Southampton and in Bath in July. Unsurprisingly there are several about rivers and the sea! We have some new choir members including some male tenors; the choir now feels more balanced in terms of each of the parts and we are all getting to know each other even better – helped by last week’s Monday Club at the Blue Keys near to Archers Road.

Sing for Water West

Last night at choir everyone got very excited at the thought of singing to raise money for WaterAid in front of the Royal Crescent in Bath. There was talk of making a weekend of it and several of our hardy members are hoping to camp. Camp fire songs all round, I think!

Students from Winchester University

This week we had three students studying ‘Vocal and Choral Studies’ visit us to observe how Fiona taught us. It was good for us just before our concert to have outside observers. They said we were like professionals!! One of them, Emily, will be returning on Monday 14 March to teach us some songs as part of her assessment. It will be quite nerve wracking for her but I know we will do everything to make it as successful as possible for her. Fiona can Continue reading →

Burns Night

Our choir rehearsal this week fell on Burns Night so we couldn’t ignore the occasion. We began the evening singing some well-known Scottish songs (although no-one knew the words to ‘Donald, where’s your trewsers?’) Then, it was down to business to rehearse the current repertoire ready for the concert at the Art Gallery on 12th March. We are singing ‘I got rhythm’, ‘If I had a Hammer’ and a Russian song ‘Tebye Piom’ amongst others. After a lot of hard work with the harmonies we Continue reading →

Twelfth Night

Last night (6 Jan) we enjoyed a meal at the Aspire Restaurant at The Hub, City College, Southampton. Here students who are learning to be chefs, waiters, barristas etc practise their skills on the public. You can go for lunch or on a Wednesday evening for a very reasonable price. The food was excellent and beautifully presented. We even had a bottle of champagne to celebrate the new term! Then it was back to Fiona’s for more bubbly and discuss the new repertoire…..amongst other things. Continue reading →

What a weekend!!

Saturday 19th December saw us all glammed up in our black and bright, jewel colours to sing a free lunchtime concert to the Christmas shoppers in Southampton Art Gallery with its excellent acoustics. The mayor, Linda Norris came along as we were collecting money for her chosen charities, especially Rose Road. She loved us so much she signed us up to sing next October in the Music in the City week. It was an excellent event for Southampton in 2015 and now we will be Continue reading →

Singing in the asylum

Yesterday morning (Dec 6) saw about 22 of us heading down to ‘deepest, darkest Darset’ to the Dorset annual Choir Festival. We joined about 8 Dorset community choirs for a Big Sing where we were taught 4 Christmasy songs followed by a concert where we could showcase two of our current songs. I was lucky enough to be taught by Fiona so all was familiar. I heard several people behind me saying what a good teacher she was so I think we are very lucky as Continue reading →

Christmas here we come!

Our rehearsal this week was so uplifting. Everyone felt energised by the end of it. We learnt some new songs including the Gloucester Wassail and everyone agreed the harmonies sounded wonderful. After being fortified by Eleanor’s apple cake in the break we had some great solos in the Holly and the Ivy. The buzzing atmosphere continued with some of us at the pub after!

Sing for Water festival triumph!

Our Sing for Water Mini Festival in support of WaterAid has just passed, and what a night of fun we had! Turner Sims is such a lovely venue, particularly for a capella singing. I had the honour and opportunity to sing two of my songs with Helen Chadwick, founder of Sing for Water. Southampton Ukulele Jam, One Root Drummers, DJ Random and Delicious Sounds Choir provided  foot-stomping, toe-tapping, spine-tingling entertainment. The interval was loads of fun with stalls, raffle, mini massages, joke telling and other Continue reading →