SCMF Workshops
'Training, Maintaining and Inspiring your Choir - from warm-ups to final performance' with James Lloyd Thomas
This workshop, on 4 February 2006, at Lower Beeding PC was well attended. After a welcome from our Director, James began with some entertaining vocal exercises followed by sound advice on voice production. A session on practical conducting followed and thereafter some of the participants tested their skills in training and conducting the group in a psalm and the anthems 'Locus Iste' by Bruckner and 'If ye love me' by Tallis. Skills were outlined in an accessible and informal way throughout the afternoon. After refreshments everyone reconvened for a concluding act of worship incorporating the music of the day, conducted and accompanied by individual participants. We hope that everyone who came discovered techniques they could use in their own churches or just enjoyed the opportunity of revision!
Downland Churches Pilgrimage with Victor Potter
Our workshop on Saturday 10 June 2006 took the form of a pilgrimage embracing three small historic Downland churches. Assembling at Jevington PC we began to learn Compline to Plainchant under the guidance of our Director, Victor Potter. Some walked accross country and others went by car to the picnic area at Butchers Hole near Friston where we enjoyed a picnic lunch in glorious sunshine, thence to Friston PC where a further Compline workshop took place. After this we progressed to East Dean village where we enjoyed tea on the village green, generously served from Anne and Graham Eastbury's camper van. The afternoon ended with a review of the Office and basics of the chant. We then sang Compline as a concluding act of worship at East Dean Church, led by Revd Ian Smale.
SCMF Festival Evensong with Dr Alan Thurlow
On Saturday 21 October 2006, Dr Alan Thurlow, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral, led a Festival Evensong at Eastbourne Parish Church (St Mary's, Old Town) accompanied by John Ross. After Registration at 2.00 p.m. the music for the day was rehearsed: Introit: Let thy merciful ears-Mudd; Responses-Bernard Rose; Psalm 96, Office Hymn - Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing; Canticles - Harwood in A flat; Anthem - Evening Hymn by Balfour Gardiner; Concluding Hymn - O praise ye the Lord. After a break for tea, in the beamy Old Parsonage, the afternoon concluded with Evensong at which the choirs truly rose to the occasion.Many thanks to Alan for a very rewarding afternoon.
