Summer School 2008 - You have put on Christ

[docmattc]

Having just left Worth Abbey after this year's Summer School, I'd like to say a big thank you to all involved in making it such a great event this year.

[lesley wright]

Having had a good night's sleep in a bed that I don't have to jump into, I'm delighted to second Doc's thanks. it really was a splendid week. Well done all.
And our 360 mile journey home was totally uneventful, thanks be to God!
Lesley xx

[SOP]

Had to laugh at Lesley's comment about the bed!

A good job was done by all although it was lovely not to have to keep consulting a timetable on Saturday.

Very well done to the team and many thanks.

[Peter]

But talking of eating into holidays, etc., is there a need for some form of SSG eventing that would be accessible (SP?) to people who are not teachers and who have family commitments? Like weekends I guess.

Why not come to the Composers' Group? You don't have to bring a composition and it's always useful to have other people there who are prepared to help play, sing or just comment on the pieces that are presented. The next meeting is on 18th October at Bamber Bridge, near Preston, so for you, Oops, it is at least on the right side of Watford Gap if not the Pennines.

And, to get back on topic, thanks to the Team for another very enjoyable Summer School!

[oopsorganist]

oo Peter

I bet that is a really bad idea on your part! For me anyway, but others might be interested.

I would personally prefer summer school although that crypt can be kind of scary. It was the way the football bounced off the coffins, pillars and what have you.

But I have others in my music group ..... littlies mainly, and a singing monk too, but I can't make him go to SS no matter how much I nag him. And he likes football! The diocesan organ training is not a right lot of use in these circumstances.

But a little bit of googling reveals a little bit of action in other Dioceses but not a media for sharing such. My bet is that there are needs. Quite specific. Young people. And parish musicians, the less gifted ones, like me. (And some people want to chant too, lest I forget).

We have a website and forum here. It should be a good start? All this media on choirs too, should be a jumping off point somewhere. Sing Up funding is out there too, quite a lot of it, and other organisations too, shall I find the details or am I miles of topic. Send for a bear.

[musicus]

We have a website and forum here. It should be a good start? All this media on choirs too, should be a jumping off point somewhere. Sing Up funding is out there too, quite a lot of it, and other organisations too, shall I find the details or am I miles of topic. Send for a bear.

Oops: by all means investigate whether Sing Up [the government's national scheme to encourage singing in primary schools] can help in any way, and let us know on a new thread. I myself am looking into Sing Up's Vocal Force initiative, which looks promising.

More when I return from my holiday...

[oopsorganist]

Well Sing Up can help ......

google it. Look up the Leeds Diocesan Music Website, not the Diocesan one, the music one, for how Leeds have tapped into funding for their choirs. (We got a little for our poor little mites, refugees and asylum seekers, behaviourally challenged..... in chronically disadvantaged area nearby). Bear paws catching fire here.

Then there is MusicLeader which is geographical and there are jobs and ways of funding community projects and such like stuffy. I think there is something else, but I forget what just now...... I would guess projects for inclusion and social justice and community cohesion would be the way to go.... what about all these Polish migrants and Black African peoples with their wonderful music that surely is inclusion and diversity and music makes the people come together. Hows about a multi cultural church music day in an area? But to organise it how? What leadership?

Publicity
is apparently an issue. I just wonder when I blitz the church notice board, if there will ever be an end to the endless poo of flyers and posters about this and that. In our parish we use this instead of wall paper and leave it to mature for a few centuries. This guarantees that no one will ever read it. A classic of disinformation. I would guess that if you really wanted to adopt a child/ become a nun/ volunteer for the crusades/ learn Irish dancing you would not go to the church for such information. I am totally off thread on hobby horse now entirely in my own neighbourhood. Our sister parish bought a digital and has concerts. Not been to this recent session but went last one and there were 12 people there. Some top performers but no audience. Any training is sent to schools but we are not all RC schools. Issues are not just for SSG but are symptomatic of summat.

A Diocesan website is probably the best place for links. Is SSG linked by the various Dioceseseses (or whatever is the plural). It should be. Click and into here. YOu get that kind of information on Cof E sites but not on RC.

Anyone read the Catholic Herald. Not me.

Royal College of Church Music ... has no events on its events diary. Proabably has national membership though. As does SSG.

So that would leave grapevine, tom toms and carrier pigeons.

We have got a Gospel choir .... some connection to last year S. School and the idea was flagged up and around for 6 months before getting going via the Extended Schools Cluster Co ordinator. It has been very successful but too much really as is going into recievership via local Education Music Service..... choir maintained in disadvantaged area but not to be Gospel Choir no more. (Otherwise and also, might be going to develop into a local music centre based in school). Probably all happening as a result of SSG Summer School... pat yourselves on back here. Nothing to stop projects in Catholic schools, we are part of diversity and inclusion after all as a minority faith group!

A marvellous choir leader in Roy Johnson of Leeds ..... professional Gospel singer and would be a wonderful workshop leader for a day of Gospel singing. He can make Kumbya sound cool.

I have forgotten what I was talking about. I will shut up now. I 'm supposed to be up a ladder painting a ceiling.

[Peter]

But talking of eating into holidays, etc., is there a need for some form of SSG eventing that would be accessible (SP?) to people who are not teachers and who have family commitments? Like weekends I guess. Or days.

Why not come to the Composers' Group?

oo Peter
I bet that is a really bad idea on your part! For me anyway, but others might be interested.

If you don't like that idea, oops, then you could consider a Church Singing Workshop for parish choirs at the Ammerdown Conference and Retreat Centre in Somerset (http://www.ammerdown.org). It's "aimed at parish organists and choir directors, priests, parish choir members and others interested in improving liturgical music, and open to all but primarily aimed at parishes within the dioceses of Clifton, Birmingham, Plymouth and Cardiff." A bit far away from Sheffield, I know and as it's on 18th October it clashes with my first suggestion of coming to Composers' Group.

On the other hand, if you are after a weekend course, they also have an annual Weekend for Parish Musicians there, led by David Ogden and usually in February, which runs from Friday evening to after lunch on Sunday. Young (and indeed very young!) people are welcome there and though the atmosphere is very informal, emphasising enjoying what we are doing, we get a lot done, usually culminating in playing and singing the music we have learned at Mass in the chapel.

Have we gone way off topic? Does this need to be a new thread?

[oopsorganist]

Have we gone way off topic?
I hope so!
Thanks for that info Peter.

[musicus]

Have we gone way off topic?

Yes, we have. Please confine any further posts to the topic (or start a new one)