The choir continues to support the liturgy during Mass and other services and Christmas carol services and Midnight Mass were very successful and well attended. We are preparing for all the Holy Week and Easter Services at the moment.
We have again had a welcome addition to the choir this year – Ellen an alto, who joined just before Christmas and did brilliantly well with all the new music she had to learn at very short notice. We still need more male singers, especially tenors, as we have lost Joe (our only tenor) who is now at University. If anyone would like to join, please come along to church on Thursday evenings at 8pm for a practice which is usually an hour to an hour and half long. You don’t need to read music, you just need to enjoy singing. It is a scientifically proven fact that singing in a choir is excellent for your health – both physical and mental wellbeing – as it makes the brain produce endorphins and you synchronise your breathing with everyone else. A workout for your voice, brain and body! Also the saying goes, “Those who sing pray twice” so it’s also brilliant for your spiritual wellbeing.
Unfortunately we have been unable to replace Mike our rehearsal pianist/organist who died last year. Barbara Salamonczyk very kindly helped us out by playing at our rehearsals before Christmas but could not carry on afterward. We are struggling along without an accompanist, and Val valiantly steps in when she is needed but she would rather sing. We still therefore desperately need a pianist/organist to help us on a Thursday evening, as no accompanist makes it very difficult to learn anything new.
We are available to sing at weddings, funerals and other events upon request.
CHOIR REPORT FOR AGM 2022
During lockdown and the height of covid restrictions we could not sing at Mass but we recorded carols/motets and hymns to sing at the Christmas services 2020 and also at the Easter services 2021. A slight relaxation of the rules meant that a cantor was allowed to sing the psalms on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday 2021. Following Easter and up until September 2021 we continued to sing the psalm at 11am Mass.
Since restarting singing at Masses after the easing of restrictions the choir has really struggled with numbers, sometimes with only 2 or 3 people singing at 11am Mass.
We have permanently lost 2 sopranos who are living in St Francis parish Maidstone, who have decided not to come back – after all its so much easier not having to come up and down Bluebell Hill twice a week. Other members are vulnerable and still feel the need to continue isolating. The good news is that we are now starting to have choir members slowly returning, but we need some new members, especially tenors – Liz is having to sing tenor at the moment.
At the moment we are working hard preparing for Lent/Holy Week and Easter. Unfortunately the organ is out of action at the moment as the company who are doing the repair are waiting for a delivery of parts to come in from China. Liz has kindly lent us her keyboard from home which is doing a sterling job.
We will be having a recruitment drive after Easter when things in the choir are not so hectic. A big thankyou to Maria who joined us last year. She has had to deal with learning a huge amount of music for Christmas and Lent/Holy Week/Easter. She is a star.
Josie Ryder