2010
Dec 10Well it's official: the coldest winter for over 100 years! However the cold and icy weather didn't prevent us from our singing commitments this month - a month
that is always extremely busy with Christmas events.
Two highlighted events were performances at the Anglican Cathedral
for Radio Merseyside's Carol Concert and at St George's Hall, performing
for ''The Penny Readings'
Oct to Nov 10
For most of October we focused on intensive rehearsals for LABBS convention, singing two competition songs: Come Fly With Me and
When I Fall In Love. We were fortunate to have had Madeline Jeory,
of Just Midnight choral group and one time member of Mersey Harmony,
as our singing coach. We were certainly put through our paces to great effect
for, on the day of the competition, we surpassed our previous scores and placements over recent years within LABBS ranking division.
The whole Llandudno week-end, with its theme of witches and Halloween,
was enjoyed by all. Click here to look at some of our photos.
To purchase official photos of Mersey Harmony's Convention performance please check this pdf file for further details.
November continued with enthusiasm and renewed confidence.
Rehearsals now focused on the forthcoming sing-outs, especially busy
at this time of year. One such event came our way through the BBC Choral Ambition that we took part in this year: we'll be singing at the Anglican
Cathedral for the Christmas Day recording of Radio Merseyside's Carol Concert.
Please check our events calendar for more information.
July to Sep 10
We continued on with our coaching sessions and our showcase singing event occurred early September at the Bluecoat Chambers. For our crowning event
we performed at the Metropolitan Crypt on the 15th September.
Please click here for more details.
Kath Good, LABBS chairman, came along to our Liverpool rehearsal
venue to present 30 year membership awards to two of our members:
Thelma and Vee. Click on image for a larger view.
As well as our on going commitment to the BBC Choral Ambition we began rehearsing our songs for LABBS Convention in October.
May to Jun 10
Volcanic Ash! Well the day our Norwegians friends were due to fly into Liverpool
that volcano came to life! They had no choice but to cancel their visit.
Everyone was disappointed, of course, but there's always another time.
Our coaching sessions are going very well with Saphena, a dynamic coach
who has given us new techniques for singing performance.
Tom Gentry's flying visit to one of our rehearsals gave us his personal technical approach to traditional barbershop singing and he even livened us up with a
spot of jiving with one or two of our ladies!
Apl 10
In late Autumn of last year [2009] we were contacted by a Norwegian singing
group who wanted to link up with a Liverpool choir while on their proposed
holiday visit to Liverpool in the following Spring.
Our other Norwegian singing group of friends, headed by Anthony Cook,
whom we visited in 2008, were also planning to visit Liverpool at the same time. However this visit is now postponed for another time in the near future.
Meanwhile emails were flying back and forth with Lena's group and
arrangements to meet up slowly took shape over the ensuing months.
Our plan is to hold a 'hot pot supper' and a group singing and social event
on the 16th of this month, which I'm sure will forge new friendships and
further links with that wonderful country, Norway.
Feb to March 10
Mersey Harmony has been awarded grant funding by the BBC Choral Ambition
as part of their Performing Arts Fund.
We decided that the funding will go towards extra coaching, choreography
and various in house training. So plans are now underway for coaching sessions with Sense of Sound, a well known Liverpool a cappella choir, who reached the grand final of Radio 3’s Choir of the Year competition in 2006; we are also
looking forward to a taste of barbershop coaching, American style with Tom Gentry. Towards the end of the summer we hope to put on a public show
in Liverpool's city centre.
We had competition successes this year at the Liverpool Performing Arts Festival and the Wirral Music Festival in March.
Jan 10
January was bitterly cold, with long lasting heavy snow and icy conditions,
which meant having to cancel our first rehearsal after the Christmas break.
However our committee braved the weather conditions to meet up one
evening to make plans for the year ahead.