Parkside, Burnthill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2HX
Tel: +44(0)1889 801929
Mob: +44(0)7866 770360

E-mail: ece@paulspicer.com
Website: www.englishchoralexperience.co.uk

NEWSLETTER No.6

March 2021

Dear All

At last we have something positive to report after all these long months of inactivity. The ABBEY DORE week (18-24 July) is here and open for bookings. At this point we have no idea whether or not restrictions will be fully or even partially lifted for singers but we are fully intending to go ahead and if we have to have a socially-distanced course we will have to limit the numbers. This will be difficult and people will have to understand that, just because a booking has been received earlier than some others, the balance of the choir has to be a priority with a sensible SATB balance. Because of distancing between singers we also need confident singers who are not reliant on their neighbours! This is part of the reason why we are not charging a deposit or even asking for prior payment for music this year so we don’t have to make refunds if that becomes necessary. But let’s hope for a full and exciting week. It will truly be a celebration for all of us.

ORFORD 18/19 September 2021: We are very hopeful of being able to proceed with this UPPER VOICES weekend and booking for this will open soon. I have 21 bookings held over from last year and if you are unsure if you are one of these please e-mail me.

WINCHESTER 20/21 November 2021: This is the Schütz and Telemann Camerata weekend postponed from last year. I have a lot of bookings for this held over and I will be mailing those who have booked soon to see if you want/are able to come.

The Bach Family Camerata weekend at Winchester postponed from last year will take place on 7 and 8 May 2022. Again, I have a lot of bookings held over and we will be in touch before long to find out the status of those bookings so we know how many new places we might be able to offer.

All this is good news but we are, of course, still in the hands of the Government and will have to hope that the current gradual easing of restrictions together with the remarkable roll out of the vaccination programme will mean that we can restart our courses and begin making music together again.

All good wishes