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The new book is out by myself and the fantabulous Alison Burns.  The book is mostly acapella songs, but there are chord symbols and several optional piano accompaniments too. One of the wonderful features of the book is the audio. When you buy the book you get a cd with 156 tracks of every individual part. Also you can audition all the songs www.oup.co.uk/companion/cvw as FULL PERFORMANCES of them sung by myself, Sheena Masson, Nickomo and Andrew McCrorie-Shand

Here is a full performance version of Time after Time it is gorgeous!IMG_5749

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Stop Press…. I am running 2 more  courses for Sound Connections on how to run a community choir….1st May and 19th June…pass it on to anyone you know who might be tempted to dust off  or learn some new skills

Course Title: Leading a Choir –  Tuesday 1st May or Tuesday 19th June

Training Leader: Gitika Partington

Description: This course will look at core skills involved in leading and directing choirs. It is intended for anyone who leads any form of community singing, whether it be in primary and secondary schools, youth, adult and cross-generational singing groups and choirs. The day will explore physical and vocal warm up activities, developing skills in directing and conducting and tips on effective song teaching without the use of written music.

Audience: All teachers and vocal leaders

Venue: ISTD2 Dance Studios, 346 Old Street, London EC1V 9NQ

Cost: £75 + booking fee to include refreshments and lunch

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Oh I do like this cartoon one of my tenors GA sent me. He drew it after last month’s singing adventure by the sea in  Wales  organised by the marvellous Roxane Smith.  We were a mixed bag of singers from  all parts of Wales, Lancaster, Exmoor, London and other exotic places.

It was billed as a weekend of ‘pop,’ led by ‘yours truly’. A very small handful of people seemed a bit shocked that we were singing pop and not gregorian chants…strange – possibly not read the small print. Some great new friendships were made…some were not…ha ha. That’s me in the middle, waving my arms about, trying to be in charge, drawn to a ‘T’… with my regulation check shirt on…( note to all arm wavers, check and tartan are good patterns to wear – disguising  buckets of sweat in their multitude of colours and stripes. ) GA has possibly gone for a  little exaggeration in the ‘swooning’ of the sopranos over the basses, but there was a little going on, one particular bass  nearly got kidnapped and taken to Lancaster.

SONG OF THE DAY   Viva La Vida -Coldplay

We learned and  sung this in 4 part acapella during the weekend. For some reason a couple of men, closer to the age of Coldplay, took a dislike to this song. When I went back to London and I told a bunch of kids of about 8 and 9 olds from an inner city school that some people did not like this song, they were disgusted! How could anyone dislike ‘Viva La Vida!’? Ah!!!!

So 2 versions today. The original( 99 million hits on youtube!!) and the other by PS22, a bunch of fantastic inner city kids   in New York ( nearly 3 million hits)…well worth watching both as it gives you a focus on the song…..which is, in my humble opinion a great piece of writing.