LATEST NEWS
Worldsong Christmas Concert, Hearsall Baptist Church
In what has become something of a local festive tradition, Worldsong returned to the Hearsall Baptist Church for the seventh year running to perform their Christmas Concert. Combining many old favourite traditional Christmas songs from around the world with some new and exciting numbers that the choir has just got to grips with - including a Nigerian song entitled 'Betilehemu'.
This year we were joined on stage by the wonderful Jarman, an outstanding african drummer who lives locally. Jarman had only met the choir for the first time during our rehearsal that very afternoon, and had never heard us sing before. Despite that he soon blended in, and his 'wicked' drumming brought new life to a few of our more up-tempo songs.
The concert went down very well and we received the first stading ovation that I can remember.
Merry Making
Members of WorldSong sang at the Hertbert Art Gallery and Museum's Merry Making event in the centre of Coventry on Saturday 28th November 2009
Although it was only a short performance with a handful of songs from around the world - some festive, some not! - a good crowd formed to listen and to join in with some familiar carols and some easy-to-learn African songs.
Play the Streets
WorldSong were involved in the Celebrating Coventry: Play the Streets festival on Saturday 25th July 2009. After a quick warm-up and run-through of a few songs in the old cathedral ruins, which soon drew a crowd of onlookers, we were ready to open the proceedings on a gloriously warm Saturday afternoon near the Godiva statue in Coventry city centre.
Undaunted by the lack of amplification and the thunder of passing buses, the choir (or at least the 20 or so that could make it on a Saturday lunchtime) delivered an up-tempo set at full volume; including songs from Africa, Bulgaria, America and even one old english song. Most of the crowd of shoppers who gathered to watch and listen couldn't help but tap their feet, and one or two uninhibited children went for the full dance-along!
PHEW! A FLURRY OF CONCERTS FOR WORLDSONG - JUNE 2009
Worldsong got a taste of how life on tour must be for the likes of Take That, having been asked to perform four concerts in 10 days!
Worldsong's mini-tour started on Friday 19th June with an evening of local musical talent in aid of the church roof fund at St Nicholas' Church in Frankton, Warwickshire. Although the church was only large enough to accomodate half the choir (and still leave room for the audience) we still managed to almost raise the newly refurbished roof with a rousing mix of new songs and many from our long-term repertoire. A magical evening was had by all and over £500 was raised.
Hot on the heels of this performance was an appearance (again for a subset of the choir) in Leamington Spa on Sunday 21st June at the Newbold Common Arms world music event to help in raising money for Bo, Sierra Leone (Leamington's twinned town). It was short set but, accompanied by a marvellous African drummer, it didn't take us long to get the crowd rocking.
Then came perhaps our largest (although shortest) performance to date, singing in Coventry Cathedral to over 500 delegates from Rotary International on Monday 22nd June. Despite the late hour (we didn't get on stage until 9.50pm) and the 'challenging' acoustics of the cathedral, we gave a rousing performance and our own inimitable Una May got everyone on their feet and dancing. Sadly, it was all wrapped up by 10.15pm and went by in such a blur that it's now hard to even remember what songs we sung!
The choir then had a few days to regroup and to polish up some new songs for a full choir concert at St Margaret's Church, Walsgrave Road, Coventry in the evening of Saturday 27th June. The lovely acoustic meant that St Maragarets' resounded to two hours of vintage Worldsong, combining songs we have loved singing for many years and many we had just put the finishing touches to in that morning's rehearsal. Our musical director, Una May, was well chuffed with the sound of the choir and felt that we have "never sounded better".
This brief glimpse of life as a touring musician prompted more than one choir member to conclude they would happily give up their day job for a life on the road!
WORLDSONG RETURN TO THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL IN LONDON
Following last year's highly successful visit to the Royal Festival Hall to celebrate the re-opening of the venue, WorldSong returned on 20 July to perform as part of the South Bank's Sunday Choral series. We were joined by our sister choir Woven Chords to make a choir of over 70 singers who performed for over an hour in the Clore Ballroom.
We sang a range of songs from our joint repertoire, then WorldSong sang a couple on their own, then Woven Chords. There was a large audience spread around the ballroom, lounging in chairs with a suitable Sunday afternoon feel, but we soon had them up on their feet joining in with several songs including a bit of choreography! The performance was very well received and we had lots of gushing compliments at the end. Next stop the Albert Hall??!!
WORLDSONG FEATURE IN BBC RADIO 4 DOCUMENTARY
Singer songwriter Joan Armatrading has picked a Coventry choir to feature on a BBC Radio 4 series on outstanding choirs. The acclaimed singer-songwriter came to Coventry earlier this month to eavesdrop on one of WorldSong's weekly rehearsals. She talked to members about what makes their music-making unique, and listened to their special stories about how the choir has helped to change their lives.
The series, Joan Armatrading's favourite choirs, features five exceptional choirs from around the country, picking up on the wave of new interest in choirs and choral music. The choirs chosen demonstrate different styles of music, each with a distinct sound.
WorldSong's wide-ranging repertoire draws on harmony singing traditions from around the world — usually sung in the language of the country of origin. Formed in 1997 by Chris Rowbury, the 60-strong choir has performed extensively in Coventry and throughout the region. Chris said that "the choir's main guiding principle is that everyone can sing and nobody should be excluded from music. WorldSong plays a very important part in the lives of its members, and everyone is really excited that our music and our personal stories will be heard by a national radio audience."
WorldSong has recently been taken over by Una May Olomolaiye, who has worked throughout the UK as a vocalist, composer and vocal director, and whose influences include Gospel, jazz and traditional African music. Una May said: "There are more than 25,000 choirs in the UK, so we were thrilled to hear that WorldSong was one of just five choirs that Joan Armatrading had chosen to visit for this series."
Joan Armatrading is credited with being the first black female singer songwriter to gain prominence on the British music scene. She has been touring and recording for more than 25 years. Her classic songs — Love and Affection, Drop the Pilot, and Me Myself and I — have earned her Grammy nominations. She has also accumulated 18 gold records and 10 platinum records in her career, as well as critical acclaim.
WorldSong's story will feature as part of the BBC Radio 4 series, Joan Armatrading's favourite choirs which will be broadcast 19 - 23 May at 3.45pm each weekday. Our piece will be broadcast on Tuesday 20th May.
