Born on the anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s death, Whitley Women’s Community Choir was always going to have something of a ‘Wonderland’ feel about it. Both events occurred on January 14th – the choir formed in 2009 and Carroll’s death in 1898.
Happy coincidence, you might think?
But, in a world where coincidence is brushed aside as an every day occurrence, Whitley Women’s Community Choir simply couldn’t ignore one other fact. A fact so amazing that they had to get out the calculator.
By sheer chance, plumb in the middle of 2014, the North Tyneside based choir will also have been singing together for exactly 2014 days.
The coincidences are starting to stack up.
Having sung at many prestigious locations, including Alnwick Garden, Seaton Delaval Hall and The Sage, Gateshead, the choir, led by Gilly Love, and who have entertained all over the North East, couldn’t believe the statistic and so have prepared an uplifting repertoire to help celebrate their ‘2014 Days of Song.’
First up is an international event. Invited by Eurokoor, a hugely successful choir based in The Netherlands who perform all over Europe, Whitley Women are off to Amsterdam and Leiden. ‘Adventures in The Netherlands’, you could say. On 28th March, they are to sing with Eurokoor in a specially commissioned event in Leiden, followed by an outdoor sing at the celebrated Keukenhof Flower Gardens in Lisse, South East of Amsterdam.
Music Leader, Gilly, said, “Keukenhof is the most beautiful spring garden in the world, with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, filling over 32 hectares with spectacular colour and fragrance. It is the perfect place to fill the air with beautiful springtime music.”
Upon their return, Whitley Women go immediately into rehearsals for a spring-time concert on home turf. This time they will perform on April 11th at St Andrew’s Church in Monkseaton, where a full house is expected for their ‘Happy Together’ production, where you can expect to hear a fusion of classic and contemporary music, including a special ‘2014 Days of Song’ series of medlies from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. Many of the songs will be familiar, including ‘Make You Feel My Love’, ‘I’ll Be There’, ‘Ashgrove’ and ‘Only You’. Not only will there be music and entertainment, but a generous raffle and the chance for a sing-along with a subsidised glass of wine.
If that doesn’t have you grinning like a Cheshire Cat, then later in the year, the choir are pulling together a summer spectacular to continue their ‘2014 Days of Song.’ They are in the process of mounting a photo exhibition and a ‘Song Stories’ event which will celebrate their time together and the ‘Wonderland’ nature of singing together.
The choir is always happy to welcome new members – and there are no auditions. Meetings are twice a week and all women are welcome regardless of age or experience.
Tickets for the ‘Happy Together’ event on April 11th are available by contacting the website, or please telephone Meg on 07542 524345
Words: Lesley Anne Collins
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