newsletter > Spring 2002 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL My dear Friends I hope it isn’t too late to remind you of Christmas and New Year and hope you all had “a lovely time”. My Christmas day was spent in the wonderful company of the ‘Bean’ household. What a great gesture to invite Chris and myself when they heard we were on our own! Needless to say food was plentiful, wine was flowing and it was exciting opening presents. We were given an exquisite framed Chinese drawing saying “Music is a Fair and Glorious Gift from God”. What a lovely present! Life moves on so quickly and already the Choir has performed at several concerts and have a fairly heavy schedule ahead of them. Where would we be without our music? I have finished the April Concert but am now trying to put together another great November show. It will be called “A Night on the Town” (no! not a night on the tiles!) any ideas? Give me a ring. Sadly we lose our sponsors The Royal Bank of Scotland at the end of March. A big thank you is due to them. Our new sponsors will be Innogy – the parent company of npower. We welcome them and I feel sure we will have yet again a great two-way relationship. May I wish you all a happy and healthy 2002. Life can be very stressful and unkind at times. I know that I do not understand everything that happens – but we must try hard not to question things. Thank God for good friends and music! See you soon Kindest regards Sheila <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> CHRISTMAS SHOW AT WAVENDON It’s not always easy for me to get terribly excited about travelling to Kentwood concerts. Invariably, travelling from London, I make my own way there, and somehow it’s just not the same on your own - there’s no camaraderie and coach journeys always seem to produce a large amount of gossip on which I never catch up! However, I was feeling excited about the journey to Wavendon on 19th December last year, because it was the second year running that the choir had been asked to sing at Cleo Laine and John Dankworth’s Christmas concert, and we’d had such a good time the year before. Unfortunately, the journey turned out to be fairly fraught for me, because not only were there roadworks through the city, and an accident on the M1 which meant I was extremely late, it was also the only time I had to learn the finale number, Cole Porter’s ‘Anything Goes’ which John had arranged. I had only returned from holiday two days before, and the arrangement had arrived whilst I was away. Lydia had kindly recorded a rehearsal for me and sent a tape together with the music, but this was the first opportunity I’d had to listen to it – believe me, it’s not easy to concentrate on driving and learn a brand new piece of music at the same time! I eventually arrived over an hour and half late, to find chaos similar to the previous year – no-one seemed very sure of what was happening and when! Sheila, however, seemed calm, and as far as the choir was concerned, everything was fine. When the concert started, it was difficult to hear exactly what was going on – but from what we could hear through the loudspeaker in the dressing room, it sounded as superb as the previous year. The participants of the show were the same as the year before – all world-class musicians, who clearly excelled at their craft – and were received by the audience as enthusiastically as last year. During the interval we rehearsed one of the numbers from our spot – a particularly difficult arrangement of ‘The Coventry Carol’, again by John. Then I was horrified to discover that there was choreography to learn for the finale – not difficult, I was assured (essentially step, kick, step, kick), but for someone whose coordination is not the best in the world (rather an understatement!), and who had only just learnt the notes, it was more than a bit worrying! The show started again, and very soon we were on. We sang three numbers, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘The Coventry Carol’ and ‘Sing, Sing / It Don’t Mean a Thing…’. We went down a storm, and as always with these sorts of things, it was all over too soon. It was back to the dressing room to wait for the finale. I needn’t of worried about the finale, by the time we got on, and all the soloists were on – the song was over – and with everything happening at once, if I did step off on the wrong foot, I’m sure no-one would have noticed! Suddenly, we were filing off (after Sheila’s favourite raffle spot) and soon I was back on my own, hurtling down the M1. I was fortunate to do all four nights, and each was as good as the last. Friday produced the same smattering of celebrities in the audience as we saw last year – but celebrities or not, the audiences loved the show and every evening had a real ‘family’ feel to it. All in all, four great evenings, and I’m looking forward to be invited back this Christmas. Robert Harman <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> AMAZING There are many ways in which people get their first introduction to Kentwood’s music. The most usual is probably by recommendation but many are taken to concerts by friends or relatives (sometimes rather reluctantly!) to discover that all choirs are not the same and that Kentwood really is different. Sometimes the sound of the Choir in a shopping mall gives a good excuse to take a break from the Christmas shopping. On other occasions, the support of a concert in aid of a favourite charity results in the future support of the Choir as well. However, the following true story must surely be the most unusual recruitment of a “fan” ever! Sheila recently took a telephone call from a gentleman who introduced himself as a Mr Dixon from a small town called Willington in County Durham. He said that Sheila wouldn’t know him but asked if she was the “Kentwood Choir lady”. When she said she was, the following story unfolded. Mr Dixon explained that he worked for a local firm of undertakers in Durham and, as part of his job, was a pallbearer at funerals. A week or so previously, he and his colleagues had carried a coffin into the crematorium to the accompaniment of what Mr Dixon described as the most beautiful recording of “The Lord’s Prayer” he had ever heard. He was so moved by the music that, with coffin still on shoulder, he decided to find out more about it. It was, in fact, Kentwood’s recording of “The Lord’s Prayer” originally from our “One Voice” vinyl LP and subsequently re-issued for general release by Hallmark Recordings as part of a compilation CD entitled “Favourite Hymns”. After the service, Mr Dixon made enquiries and wrote to the recording company who put him in touch with Sheila. He has now purchased copies of our “Flying High” and “I am a Small Part of the World” CDs which I understand he and his family thoroughly enjoy. Chris Harrod <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> A NOTE FROM PAT HOCKING – A LONGSTANDING PATRON I would like to take this opportunity of wishing the Kentwood Choir, Sheila and Chris a happy and successful 2002. KENTWOOD CHOIR. To some people its “Oh yes, must book for the Kentwood Annual Concert, the November Show, the Cracker and that’s it! As a mum of one of the choir, I would like to say thank you to the many choir members and patrons who have become my friends. Amongst many things that they have invited me to join in with are: A most enjoyable cruise on the P&O Arcadia, (on which Sheila sang a requested solo and was then recognised wherever she went – “saw you sing last night” – “brilliant” etc, etc), A holiday in St Ives – great fun and good company, Several parties over the Christmas period which included a surprise party with Mary and Peter (two more patrons) – wow what a party. This folks was all because of the wonderful KENTWOOD CHOIR. Maybe I’m sat with one too many brandies in my hand as I reflect yet another year without my husband Alan. All I’m trying to say is “God bless my daughter Jane and her beloved KENTWOOD CHOIR. I love you all and thank you Sheila. PS: Maybe you should have a ‘Friends of Kentwood’ without becoming patrons. You have so many friends. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>     A LETTER FROM THE MANAGER OF SWINDON’S NEW BOY BAND ‘ESTEEM’ Dear Sheila I thought I’d drop you a quick line to thank you for all of the time and effort you have put into the boys’ development over the last eight months. Seeing them perform to the level that they have now reached has more than justified my belief in them and much of the credit must fall on your shoulders. I know from speaking to the boys individually, that Sunday night was the highlight of their young careers. It’s moments like that, that make you stick with it even when things are not proceeding as quickly as you would like. It’s a long hard road that we travel and I’m sure that with your continuous support we will reach and surpass every goal we set. Once again many thanks. Let’s get together for a Christmas drink and perhaps discuss what is needed to help the boys develop into the crowd pleasing phenomenon known as ‘Esteem’. Yours sincerely Paul <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> FEELING GOOD! “Feeling Good” was how the people in Evesham went away from the local Arts Centre Theatre in February after a concert so generously given by the Kentwood Choir. Kentwood first came to Evesham in February 1998 to give a fund raising concert for the first phase of the re-development of the Methodist Church premises, and the Choir made such an impact that subsequent visits were requested. Now the re-development is entering the second phase to re-design the worship area of the Church to make it more welcoming and user friendly for the whole community. Work for this will begin in July and hopefully finish by Christmas, but we still need to raise approximately £150,000 so you can imagine how delighted we were that just over £1,400 was made at the concert – what an enjoyable way to raise money! During the concert, you apologised Sheila, for not keeping to the printed programme but what did it matter when there was something to suit everyone – even ‘Happy Birthday’ in the style of Mozart and, of course, being Methodists we all enjoyed joining in the singing of ‘Cwm Rhondda’ and ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus’! It was good too that you brought along the two junior soloists. As the organiser of the evening, I would like to say a very big thank you to you Sheila, the Musicians and the Choir from all at Evesham Methodist Church. I received many comments after the concert about what a wonderful evening it had been and what a professional show you had given, but perhaps the one which sums up them all was “they leave you feeling good”! Thank you again and we do hope you will give us a concert in the not too distant future in our re-developed church because after all you have helped in no small way to our achieving our plans for a more welcoming church. God bless you and keep making music. Brenda Powney