On Tuesday I spent my first day in Hulland Ward - with a group of pupils from the Primary School in the morning and with older people at the luncheon club in the afternoon.
The morning was very productive - and we are on our way to a song celebrating the special places in the school. It already has words and melody for a tune and one verse written - and lots of ideas.
A short session with some lovely ladies at the Lunch club at the Village Hall before they got to grips with some sewing and rag rugging. We have a chorus already - made up of the names of local villages they all hail from. I think they surprised themselves and we laughed a lot.
Friday 27 April 2007
recording at marston
Recording in Marston a week ago. It was a long and sometimes difficult slog but we did it and our Marston song, after editing and producing will be put onto CD. Everyone stuck with it well - it is hard to realise how much focus recording and multitracking takes. Not to mention self discipline so that coughs, rustles and crisp eating don't creep in! Well done Marston!Here's the song:
Madness in Marston
My neighbours chickens escaping from the garden
Friesan Holsteins go beserk like the youth club
Mr Sweeney mows his lawn at midnight
My dad on his bike wobbles home from the pub
The flower power car drives off to Longford
The ghost in the boiler at the Primary School.
Spoken:
1. Wacky car, wacky car, boxing day race
2. Paint post office bright pink with green spots
Postscript 18th May: now worked on, added drum and bass and about to be sent off to the participants!
longford foray
First session in Longford with the Youth Club which is held at the Primary School. It is run by Ginty Leedham who has devoted herself to providing a place for young people to meet and be active for many a year. The young people found themselves exploring memories of their time at the school and the specialness of the playground - the site of many a game including playing at weddings! We had a short session as a great quiz had been prepared by two of the lads. We only have one more session so next time we will have to do some very instant songmaking straight onto computer software. I really enjoyed my time there - everyone was very welcoming.
Wednesday 4 April 2007
relaxing in doveridge and a song for sudbury
Yesterday, the last session with the men at Derby Road in Doveridge. We held it in a lovely little wooden garden building and kept things fairly quiet today. We set up a little improvisation session involving chime bars in a pentatonic scale, some hanging chimes and an auto harp. One man really took to the auto harp and was playing it like a pro by the end of the session. Another man is a whizz at conducting us all. This has the making of a lovely relaxation piece. The home is keen to do more.
The afternoon was my second session with the Senior Citizens Club in Sudbury. Today was their AGM so we had a short session but a productive one. I'd started them off with a chorus and a tune, 2 verses with no tune yet and more verses to write. The group liked the chorus, made some adjustments and made up a new verse and more music.
We discussed meeting up with the children from the school to swap our songs. Then time for tea and biscuits. Had a lovely chat with Rose from the WI who was concerned we weren't just nostalgic and wanted very much to celebrate the village as it is now. So we will! She gave me more ideas. Pat was keen to have a go at adding other verses. I am sending them the music and words so far and Peter will perhaps add his keyboard.
Talked with Fred about future contacts with the school - his family have been here for many hundreds of years and I know the children would love him.
Here is their song so far, involving the correct local pronunciation of Dove to rhyme with rove:
Chorus:
Sudbury, Sudbury down by the Dove,
A ribbon of houses, a quiet winding road.
Wherever we've wandered, wherever we've roved,
It's peace back in Sudbury down by the Dove.
1. Us in our cottages, Lord Vernon his Hall,
Red brick, tall chimneys and green painted doors.
For hundreds of years we lived side by side,
Safe now from traffic, our village, our pride.
2. Bill Reed with his pony and float have passed by,
Bread bought from Bakewells, and pigs in their sty,
Love on the hay cart, a kiss by Bog's Hole,
Cows drank in the river where we took our stroll.
3. Now there's young Ratcliffe and his muck for the field
Making more grass for a much better yield,
Still Sudbury cricketers in whites on the Green
And National Trust visitors a sight to be seen!
The afternoon was my second session with the Senior Citizens Club in Sudbury. Today was their AGM so we had a short session but a productive one. I'd started them off with a chorus and a tune, 2 verses with no tune yet and more verses to write. The group liked the chorus, made some adjustments and made up a new verse and more music.
We discussed meeting up with the children from the school to swap our songs. Then time for tea and biscuits. Had a lovely chat with Rose from the WI who was concerned we weren't just nostalgic and wanted very much to celebrate the village as it is now. So we will! She gave me more ideas. Pat was keen to have a go at adding other verses. I am sending them the music and words so far and Peter will perhaps add his keyboard.
Talked with Fred about future contacts with the school - his family have been here for many hundreds of years and I know the children would love him.
Here is their song so far, involving the correct local pronunciation of Dove to rhyme with rove:
Chorus:
Sudbury, Sudbury down by the Dove,
A ribbon of houses, a quiet winding road.
Wherever we've wandered, wherever we've roved,
It's peace back in Sudbury down by the Dove.
1. Us in our cottages, Lord Vernon his Hall,
Red brick, tall chimneys and green painted doors.
For hundreds of years we lived side by side,
Safe now from traffic, our village, our pride.
2. Bill Reed with his pony and float have passed by,
Bread bought from Bakewells, and pigs in their sty,
Love on the hay cart, a kiss by Bog's Hole,
Cows drank in the river where we took our stroll.
3. Now there's young Ratcliffe and his muck for the field
Making more grass for a much better yield,
Still Sudbury cricketers in whites on the Green
And National Trust visitors a sight to be seen!
easter excitement
Back to Marston Montgomery last Thursday and Friday.
Thursday evening and the second session with the Youth Club. Due to the new light evenings everyone wanted a roust-about outside first so we had quite a short session before a very messy game involving eggs! My group of six did some good work on the rhythm for the song. It's going to be really hard to record it next session due to the shortage of time and noise seeping through from next door. I think I may have to record some samples and put something together outside the session. We'll see.
Ellie from the club also made a lovely poem about her home village of Rocester after I encouraged her to cut up and collage her ideas:
Non Stop Rocester
Creaking hills,
blossoming trees,
honking flowers,
humming bees,
bouncing grass,
rolling lake,
stupid squirrels,
all awake.
In my room,
off time clock,
next door's dog
will never stop.
Laughing goose,
cackling sheep,
greasy children
all asleep.
Friday morning saw the last session with the lovely under 5's group. Preparations were in full swing for an Easter egg hunt so we did a slightly longer music session first and recorded our new song. Everyone still loves The Jungle Samba and today those puppets really danced! I got stuck into the playdough. And get well soon Dawn!
Friday afternoon off to Doveridge for the second session with the men at Derby Road residential home. Bit of an all over the place session today but we all have our off days! Everyone was a bit too wound up I think and the music was a bit too exciting. Will try something much calmer next time. Staff all very supportive and I love it here.
Thursday evening and the second session with the Youth Club. Due to the new light evenings everyone wanted a roust-about outside first so we had quite a short session before a very messy game involving eggs! My group of six did some good work on the rhythm for the song. It's going to be really hard to record it next session due to the shortage of time and noise seeping through from next door. I think I may have to record some samples and put something together outside the session. We'll see.
Ellie from the club also made a lovely poem about her home village of Rocester after I encouraged her to cut up and collage her ideas:
Non Stop Rocester
Creaking hills,
blossoming trees,
honking flowers,
humming bees,
bouncing grass,
rolling lake,
stupid squirrels,
all awake.
In my room,
off time clock,
next door's dog
will never stop.
Laughing goose,
cackling sheep,
greasy children
all asleep.
Friday morning saw the last session with the lovely under 5's group. Preparations were in full swing for an Easter egg hunt so we did a slightly longer music session first and recorded our new song. Everyone still loves The Jungle Samba and today those puppets really danced! I got stuck into the playdough. And get well soon Dawn!
Friday afternoon off to Doveridge for the second session with the men at Derby Road residential home. Bit of an all over the place session today but we all have our off days! Everyone was a bit too wound up I think and the music was a bit too exciting. Will try something much calmer next time. Staff all very supportive and I love it here.
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