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

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

NEWSLETTER No.12

Dear Friends

I thought it was time for an update on ECE activities and taking the opportunity of giving you course dates for the next couple of years.

The first and most important point to raise is the change of date for Winchester from 6/7 May to 28/29 October 2023. This is because the original dates clashed with the Coronation and, having taken a poll of course members, there were too many who wanted to watch the proceedings to ignore. I have heard from most of those who had booked up for May and almost everyone can change the date. If there are still some who have not been in touch I’d be grateful for a brief e-mail of confirmation of the transfer to the October weekend.

The wonderful week we hold in France after Easter each year is taking place between 12 and 19 April 2023. All the details are up on the website. I’m afraid that we can’t take any more altos but we would welcome more sopranos as well as one or two more tenors and basses. Please do think of joining us. Chateau Rieutort is a beautiful place, makes its own excellent wine, and we have our outstanding caterers, Ken and Alison Miller looking after us and providing us with all meals during the day as well as refreshments at break times. It is in a lovely part of the south of France not far from Montpellier.

In May 2023, instead of our removed Winchester weekend we have decided to do something different and run a Come and Sing day at the fine Coton Centre in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

This will take place on Saturday 20 May between 1030 and about 5pm. Full details will be published on the website early in the new year. The work we will be singing is George Dyson’s colourful and popular Canterbury Pilgrims – a wonderful reflection in music of Chaucer’s famous characters. Do put the date in your dairies.

The annual week at Abbey Dore will take place between 16 and 22 July (23rd for the Consort singers). This is fully planned and will be live on the website in early January. After the enormous success of this year’s course we are hoping for great things in 2023!

The upper voices weekend in Orford will take place on 16 and 17 September in the beautiful church of St. Bartholomew. This is always an incredibly special weekend and a highlight of the year. We also enjoy the delicious catering from Michelle of The Mixing Bowl.

In 2024, we go to France 3-10 April (a new venue yet to be determined), to St. George’s Cullercoats, on the beautiful seafront, just north of Newcastle-on-Tyne on 10-12 May, to Abbey Dore between 21 and 27 July, and to Winchester on 26/27 October. Orford has yet to be finalised but will probably be 14/15 September.

I am working hard on lovely varied programmes of music for us all to enjoy. Do keep an eye out on the website. Mailings will come round to the mailing list when a course goes live and ready for booking. Please do also advertise the courses to friends and acquaintances who are good singers and who might be interested in joining us.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and that 2023 will be a year with some more hope in so many ways than 2022. At least we have music to enjoy and feed our souls!

With warmest good wishes