On October 5th we're thrilled to be hosting a HARMONY WORKSHOP here in Wirksworth led by the multi-talented choir leader Graham Pratt
RYV News and Events 2024
HARMONY WORKSHOP
Saturday 5th October 10am-4pm- Wirksworth Town Hall
We are thrilled to be hosting this Harmony singing workshop with the acclaimed Graham Pratt who plays guitar, keyboard and English concertina. Songwriting has always been a key activity for him. Some of his songs like The Minstrel, The Black Fox and We Live We Love have been taken up by other singers and on occasion absorbed into the tradition.
With his wife, Eileen, he made several recordings. Early ones include The Magic Pear Tree (Folktrax), Clear Air Of The Day (Cottage), To Friend And Foe (Dingles) and Hieroglyphics (Plant Life). Their first CD, Borders Of The Ocean, was released in 1997. A compilation album (Early Birds - from original vinyl recordings) came out in 1999 and, in 2007, the most recent album, The Greek King`s Daughter.
The two most recent choir albums are No Easy Trade and Let The Rain Come. Recordings are online via this link Sheffield Folk Chorale Bandcamp Music .
Tickets are now available from TicketSource by using links in QR code or logo OR if you open the poster you can also use the links from there... we look forward to a fun day with some good singing tips and new material.
There will be two refreshments breaks - mid am and pm - and a lunch break with time to eat your own picnics or snacks from nearby shops in town.
Wirksworth Car Parks are shown on this map
This performance was a free event as part of the 2024 Wirksworth Festival and we enjoyed performing some of our favourite songs in the splendid acoustics of St Mary's Church, to a delightful audience who much to our surprise and delight gave us generous applause throughout and stayed for the full set!! (mind you, it was raining a little on and off...!)
Let Music be in all our Hearts - our free drop in gig at the festival
Lester Simpson, the RYV Musical Director, writes and arranges much of our music portfolio and led this *colourful performance (you may notice we are *not in our customary black attire as Lester decided we should go for a more casual look at this festival gig! )
Photos courtesy of Phil Richards
Saturday June 22nd, at The Barley Mow, Kirk Ireton
We were delighted to be invited to sing at The Barley Mow music and dance event, following on from the Wirksworth Community Choir and the Morris Dancers. The weather was glorious and we performed in the lovely old walled garden with the fragrant perfume of mock orange and roses wafting cross in the balmy evening air. Our audience included one very keen and well behaved dog who barked appreciatively after every number except for "Harbour", so we assumed that particular canine was not a sea-faring fan! The pub put on a super spread of delicious sandwiches and we all had a thoroughly splendid time thank you ...
Hang in there, the video below should load eventually...
Saturday June 15th - The Big Sing
We hosted another of our popular massed singing events for all keen singers -
from beginners to the more experienced - and had over 110 voices singing in harmony, raising the rafters in the town hall, making such a joyous sound.
Lester Simpson leading the room in 'Harbour '
Click here for the audio recording of our harmonies
Zee Muziq setting the bar high!
Click on the icon to download the full flyer
MORE DATES for your RYV 2024 Diary
September 7th or 8th tbc - we are singing at the Wirksworth Festival Visit web link here
Saturday October 5th - hosting another popular Singing Workshop at Wirksworth Town Hall- leader yet TBC.
Saturday 14th December - "Hark Hark" our RYV Winter Concert at 7.30 pm in St Mary's Church Wirksworth, and as usual, donations from proceeds will go to local charities.
MAY 4th - Farmer's Market
The market was buzzing Saturday May 4th and we squeezed in to perform in good weather to the aromas of the coffee stall next-door and all the lovely produce whetting our appetites to go and buy after our gig was over....and we even received little ripples of applause from kind onlookers who stopped by to listen.
JANUARY 2024 - We were fortunate to have our delightful visiting leader Lynn Dean come along for us in January while Lester took his hard earned vacation down under. We are indebted to her for her patience with us trying to sound like a choir again after the long break, and her invaluable advice to forget about singing from the diaphragm but to aim lower! So, we shall ever be mindful to clench our buttocks to improve our singing in future!!!