2009
Karen writes:
2009 was an interesting and challenging year. With Frances doing alternate weeks, Voicebeat members were able to fill in and take rehearsals. It meant we had more say in what the group choose to sing.
The downside was fewer gigs than in previous years. However we led some singing workshops at the Interfaith Youth Conference "From Conflict to Co-Operation" held on 15 March in Edinburgh. These went very well, and the delegates enjoyed and learned the pieces very quickly. We did another workshop for the Scottish Interfaith Council in St Mungo's Museum of Religion in June. Another event on the same day was to support the Soup Song Swally for Govanhill Baths.
Summer 2009 saw us without a full time leader and an uncertain future, but the group re-convened in October with the help of some able guest conductors and we had a really stimulating term, with lots of new members and new songs, true to Voicebeat traditions, in many languages and from many lands. Again, singers have been able to contribute songs, ideas and practical help, to enable the group to continue.
The highlight of the term was the invitation to participate in "Folk Carols in the Pub" hosted by Muldoon's Picnic at the Hetherington Research Club in Glasgow University. We enjoyed the experience of Christmas of 200 years ago, when carol singing was not church based and refined. We learned some new pieces of our own for the occasion, and spent a very enjoyable evening with mugs of mulled wine all round. True to tradition, the pub gathering went on until 11pm, but folk were free to come and go. The atmosphere was marvellous, and we are looking forward to being invited back in 2010.
Next year we will definitely be up for some carol busking, and hope to get an opportunity to participate in Winterfest. We are also on the look out for some other opportunities for small gigs.
2009 was an interesting and challenging year. With Frances doing alternate weeks, Voicebeat members were able to fill in and take rehearsals. It meant we had more say in what the group choose to sing.
The downside was fewer gigs than in previous years. However we led some singing workshops at the Interfaith Youth Conference "From Conflict to Co-Operation" held on 15 March in Edinburgh. These went very well, and the delegates enjoyed and learned the pieces very quickly. We did another workshop for the Scottish Interfaith Council in St Mungo's Museum of Religion in June. Another event on the same day was to support the Soup Song Swally for Govanhill Baths.
Summer 2009 saw us without a full time leader and an uncertain future, but the group re-convened in October with the help of some able guest conductors and we had a really stimulating term, with lots of new members and new songs, true to Voicebeat traditions, in many languages and from many lands. Again, singers have been able to contribute songs, ideas and practical help, to enable the group to continue.
The highlight of the term was the invitation to participate in "Folk Carols in the Pub" hosted by Muldoon's Picnic at the Hetherington Research Club in Glasgow University. We enjoyed the experience of Christmas of 200 years ago, when carol singing was not church based and refined. We learned some new pieces of our own for the occasion, and spent a very enjoyable evening with mugs of mulled wine all round. True to tradition, the pub gathering went on until 11pm, but folk were free to come and go. The atmosphere was marvellous, and we are looking forward to being invited back in 2010.
Next year we will definitely be up for some carol busking, and hope to get an opportunity to participate in Winterfest. We are also on the look out for some other opportunities for small gigs.
