These are the hands
This song, based on Michael Rosen's poem These Are The Hands, sung by the Commoners Choir celebrates the people who do the (often unrewarded) everyday jobs and services that benefit us all, especially during lockdown. Watch it here
Singing Messiah across the world
The shows must go on, we hope.......
At Royston Choral Society we’re making very tentative plans for the coming season. It is, of course, impossible to predict yet when rehearsals and concerts might be able to restart but, assuming that might be in the autumn, we’re proposing three concerts in the next 12 months. Watch the RCS website and social media for updates.
Saturday 12th December 2020
Handel Messiah (part 1)
Carols
Standon Parish Church
Saturday 20th March 2021
Bach Mass in B minor
Ashwell Parish Church
Happy Birthday Beethoven!
2020 would have been the composer’s 250th birthday. In preparation for the great day in December, there’s nothing to stop us listening and learning while in isolation.
Listening: While is self-isolation, members of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra play Ode to Joy - a piece which became the European Union’s official anthem in 1985.
What are Royston Choral Society singers up to at home?
With the current coronavirus pandemic preventing the choral society from rehearsing, and with many members being confined to their homes for many of the hours of the day, we thought we would find out what musical activities some of them are up to.......
Val Hirst sings a verse of The Owl and the Pussycat when washing her hands. She points out that there are three verses, so it’s more interesting than Happy Birthday. What songs do you wash your hands to?
Handel at Home
Will you be singing the Messiah on 31st May?
Two Royston Choral Society members Sue Pegram and Tessa Rock have signed up with the Self-Isolation Choir for Handel's Messiah at Home concert on 31 May. Sue says “What a great project to be part of, bringing choral singers together for this popular and often sung work. Who knows, I could even become note perfect in this one!” Join here.
A tale of two Bens
Anne Atkins, a writer and broadcaster living in Cambridge, shares a song – He’ll Soon Come to Call Me – that she wrote for her father and mother shortly before he died on 16 March 2020 aged 102. Her son Ben arranged the music and brought together virtually musicians and singers for the performance that the Coronavirus pandemic denied them at David Briggs’ funeral.
More suitable song titles for the current time.......
A light-hearted look at some songs suitable for our time …
Keep Your Distance - Richard Thompson
Don’t stand so close to me – The Police
I got it from Agnes - Tom Lehrer
Health and Harmony
At Royston Choral Society we enjoy the benefits of music and singing to our physical and mental health. Less is generally known about particular health benefits for specific groups within society from listening and performing. Some intriguing and accessible research sheds light on this subject. To find out more, click here