8 January Update

Week 1 of 6 (Half Term 1)

In this week's update, we have:

• A look at what this new year has in store

• A quick update on how COTH is funded 

• Rehearsal recap

• The benefits of being in a choir

• Date for the diary

☕ Coffee Notices

Welcome back - The weather outside might be frightful, but we wish to be your warm welcome on an otherwise miserable Thursday evening. We hope you have all had a fabulous festive season. We are looking forward to a wonderful 2026 with new songs, new members, and new experiences.

Lizzy steps in - Elena was unable to join us this week due to a delayed flight, which meant the fabulous Lizzy got a chance to stretch her conducting skills. We all appreciate how hard these women work to make each session and performance run smoothly.

Annual review - A new year requires the management team to have a review of how we're operating, primarily focusing on our finances. This helps us run seamlessly, keeps us offering refreshments, printouts, advertising etc, as well as pay for unseen fees such as insurance, data storage, web design etc. Angela's Financial Update - Our Treasurer, Angela, provided a financial update. Our incoming and outgoing expenses are currently very close. Although we have some 'contingency' money in our reserves, we try to keep this money topped up where we can and only dip into it when necessary. As well as covering the aspects of running a choir outlined above, the money that we make also helps us cover the cost of performances, so that you can take part in these with no extra charge.

Attendance - Regular attendance is a key aspect of making Choir On The Hill possible. By paying for a subscription, you not only get money off each session, but your contribution has a calculated impact on what we can offer. Please consider making use of this discount. Subs reminders go out via WhatsApp at the start of each half term. If you would like further information on how the subscription works, talk to our team. Although regular attendance is a key aspect, we also appreciate that PAYG works better for some people, and your contribution is equally valuable. We're happy to see you whenever you can make it! Thank you for donating - Thank you to everyone who has so generously donated to the cost of replacing our stolen musical equipment. The sum we need is £194.98 and we have reached £110 already. Angela will reshare the bank details next week for anyone who would still like to donate.

Volunteering - If you ever feel like you could offer an hour or more each week, our team is always looking for help. From early setup, poster drops, or cake baking, to using your skills behind the scenes - drop the team an email or talk to one of us at the start of our weekly sessions. We would love to have you on board. 

🎤 Rehearsal Recap

Warm-Up

Tongue twisters, warbling, and sliding scales are some of our favourite ways to warm up. It is vital that anyone warms their voices before practising, performing, or even giving a speech. When we don’t, it can leave our throats feeling raw, scratchy, and making it hard to reach our potential. 

Have you ever tried singing about Ping Pong balls to the William Tell Overture? Everyone at this week's rehearsal now has. There was plenty of fun to be had. We also tried ascending and descending scales once more. It was great to see just how low and how high some of us can get.

Getting us back in the swing of things, we went over some of the Autumn Term songs. 

California Dreamin' is going from strength to strength. We perform this classic in three parts. Why not make use of the music library and practice at home? Try singing against the backing track for the other parts. This helps with timings and building your own confidence with your part.

Glorious is a beautiful song which was unknown to us prior to Elena introducing it. We had four fresh volunteers for the solo lines that start the song. A massive congrats to each of them. You sounded amazing. We are so proud of you for stepping up and singing out! Also, well done to the Sops who remembered to sing the additional verse, and to those who correctly recalled the “Oh Ohs.” We appreciate that it can take a while to get the hang of things when the composition changes. The transition from three parts to two was a necessary step in being able to perform live. We may move back to the three-part version in the future, so don’t lose your notes; you may still need them.

Singing for the soul

Most people join a choir for the opportunity to sing alongside others, maybe finding some new songs, and to have the opportunity to do something they enjoy. Did you know, there are also some excellent health benefits to joining a choir? 

Physical health

• Breathing. All singers know that breath control is fundamental when singing almost every song. The work we do as a group can also impact you in everyday life, too. A singer has a capacity for deeper breathing while engaging core muscles.

• Posture. All that work on your core muscles means good posture is a must. Sit up straight, shoulders back, chin aligned. This will help your back feel less pressured, too.

• Cardiovascular. Improved breathing and posture can help your cardiovascular system and reduce blood pressure.

• Endorphins. All the feel-good factor of community can be great at releasing endorphins. 

Mental health and wellbeing;

• Stress and anxiety. Singing lowers cortisol levels and can provide a mood boost.

• Cognitive function. Memory, concentration, and brain plasticity can all be improved by regular attendance and practice with a choir.

• Emotional outlet. Each song tells a story. Some leave us buzzing and energised, whilst others can be reflective or allow us a cathartic release. Expressing emotions is key to a person’s wellbeing.

• Confidence. As Elena often tells us, “sing with confidence!” Not only in the quality of how we sing as a unit, but confidence can often be found when some of our shyest COTHers put their hand up for a solo. This was seen just this week.

Community;

• Social Bonds. We are all about the sisterhood, being an All Women Choir. Friendships blossom, families are made, love is shared. 

• Teamwork. Not only do you have to work with those in your section, but you also have to learn to sing against or alongside the other small sectionals, too. 

• Isolation. Following Lockdown, choirs were an easy way of breaking the cycle of feeling alone. Today, people still find themselves struggling to socialise for many reasons. Joining and remaining an active member of a choir can help everyone involved.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

FRIDAY 16th January – Beat the January Blues Open Mic Night @ Shirley Park Golf Club

A social event to dust off the cobwebs and spend time with our loved ones doing what we do best: singing! We are all looking forward to this opportunity to get together, relax, and bring some fun to the dull January weather. HAPs (husbands and partners) and OOCs (Offspring Of COTH) are all invited. For the full details, please check our WhatsApp communications or message the team.