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Welcome to our Members' Autumn Newsletter
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Your Committee and I thought that we could resurrect a termly Newsletter which (pre-Covid) was sent out and save me droning on during our breaks! So somewhere in here you’ll find some useful information, some items of passing interest and a couple of pleas for assistance to help improve the wider Choir experience.
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We are always ready to receive suggestions as to how your membership of the Choir can be more valuable to you, both individually and as a group – and we undertake to consider them all. Some will have been tried before – unsuccessfully – but that doesn’t mean we will dismiss them. After all the Choir has moved on since the pandemic and an opportunity may present itself now which didn’t before.
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Joiners and Leavers
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A warm welcome to Anna Pywell who joined the Sopranos at the start of this term. We also said a fond farewell and thanks to Laura Earnshaw, who had a baby boy over the summer.
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The Choir evolves and improves through the movement of members in and out, as well as the efforts of individuals (in practising, rehearsal and performing) and, of course, the diligent efforts of our Musical Director.
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Catherine is always on the lookout for potential members (provided they reach our standard!) and has been approached by some individuals keen to join – but we will always keep our maximum number to 52 as before.
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We introduced this system to make it easier for members to indicate their availability so that Catherine knows who to expect at rehearsals and performances and, by and large, it is working well. I would ask that you don’t leave a ‘Maybe’ response for longer than absolutely necessary and, if you are a ‘No’ then it is helpful if you can add a reason, please.
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Please note that ALL information on rehearsals and performances (venue, meeting time, place, duration etc) will be communicated to you via Muzodo. This saves a plethora of e-mails and time and is proving to be much more efficient for all. If you have any difficulties accessing Muzodo then please ask either Gerry or Jean to assist.
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Media Opportunity - HELP needed please
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As you will have heard on Thursday, we are planning a ‘multi-media event’ next year which will include visual as well as audio recording, spliced together to provide a ‘showreel’ for our website and general purposes. This is an ‘upgrade’ on our CD and more in keeping with the current ways of communicating. Our CD was/is good for our purposes when it was made, but – as people storing those yet to be sold/given away will agree – it is of its time and no longer relevant! (PS most new cars don’t have a CD player – imagine!!).
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We will obviously be looking to professionals to undertake this project but, to realise this plan, we need to tap into expertise which is very likely to be in plain sight amongst our members! If you have such skills, or if you feel you are able and willing to contribute to this project team in any way, then please contact Gerry.
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Concerts
Tickets are selling steadily for our Sunday afternoon in OTLEY and we are hoping to have a full house (c90) on the day – well done to Mel, Anna, Janet and Gerry who have ensured wide distribution of the details on social media, in print media and through leafletting just about everywhere in Wharfedale and Aireborough!
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We then move on to Fountains Abbey for our now annual concert in the Cellarium. It is likely to be chilly so ‘black/dark warmth’ will be the dress order for the evening. The concert is always well attended by an appreciative audience and very enjoyable for the Choir. Please remember you will need your MUSIC LIGHTS or you will find it challenging squinting at your music! We hope that the resident bat(s) will make an appearance to add atmosphere, even though we won’t be singing ‘Phantom’!
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From one National Trust venue we move to another – at Brimham Rocks. This was cancelled last year due to the inclement weather, so we ask for clear skies and a warm breeze on 7 December! Again ‘black/dark warmth’ will be the order of the day.
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And then we’re into the FESTIVE SEASON with a ‘Pop-Up’ concert at Kirkby Overblow replacing our rehearsal on Thursday 5 December, as something of a dress rehearsal for our Christmas Concert at the United Reform Church, West Park on 14 December.
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Charity Support
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Continuing our recent practice, we have approached Horticap, whose 40th anniversary falls in 2024, to benefit from a donation from our Christmas Concert. We expect to have a good response both for ticket sales and the wonderful hamper which we will be raffling – Gerry will be requesting donations nearer the time.
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So far in 2024 we have made donations to the Boroughbridge Community Charity and Saint Michael’s Hospice. The Otley Community Larder will be the beneficiary of our concert on 20 October. Members should be aware that these donations are made after deduction of all HTC expenses and a contribution to our funds. We aim to cover expenses for all our performances, including those for the National Trust which are effective in raising our public profile and awareness of our quality.
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And we’ve started to look at venues (some suggested by you) for the 2025 programme – but Muzodo already has the dates so that you can note them in your diaries now and avoid late clashes, please!
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Social
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Now that we have new performance folders and bags with our updated logo I would like to move forward with some ‘branded’ clothing. It will not be for wearing in concerts (you will already have the updated guidelines on acceptable concert uniform) but for you to wear to rehearsals or just around your locale – every little helps in spreading awareness of our existence! The ‘front runner’ suggestions at the moment are polo shirts or hoodies, with a single logo and/or ‘Harrogate Theatre Choir’ across the back. These will not be compulsory(!) and I understand that the suggestions may not suit everyone but I would like to gauge the potential market; we would not hold stock and the price would be as close to cost as possible to encourage members to purchase them – the design is already registered with the potential supplier so there is no additional cost for that. Please let me know if you would be interested (and in which, if not both) and I will do some more research on prices.
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Your new Social Committee Member is also working on a plan to hold a CEILIDH in January – just the thing to start a New Year – more details from Allison when she has them.
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Front of House
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After a long, stressful but successful period as our Front of House Manager (as well as a tenor in our ranks) John W needs to step down from this to restore some life/work balance.
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So we are seeking a new Front of House Manager and I am therefore asking if you have a suitable candidate amongst your friends, relatives or anyone else you know (and trust!) then please let me know. It is intended to have a FOH Manager who does not sing in the Choir, as the practical challenges at concerts have proved unhelpful.
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Finally ....
Enjoy the rest of this term and our performances – I’m sure you will all rise to the occasion as usual.
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That’s long enough I think – thank you to Gerry for making this readable!
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