The Music Well put on its first ever intergenerational concert last Sunday, July 2 at Rye Creative Centre. The concert hall was packed with parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and supporters of the Music Well.
18 children from the children’s singing group, led by Mariam Ham, were able to join the 20 strong group of adult singers, led by Alison Withey-Harrison. Alena Slack accompanied with great skill on the grand piano.
It was the first time that the two groups had met to sing as one and they used the hour-long rehearsal time before the concert to perfect the songs they sang together. What a range of songs there was! The children sang school favourites of Down in the Jungle and The Grand Old Duke of York, and the adults sang a rowdy What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor & the beautiful, lyrical Follow the Heron Home.
When the two groups joined together the hall erupted in a swell of appreciation, the rendition of Do-Re-Mi was the very first song that was sung. Indeed, the groups did start at the very beginning. The skill of the groups’ leaders was clear to see as the singers performed their sections of the songs with great skill.
A few eyes were dabbed when the solo voice of Molly sang the opening verse and chorus of You Raise Me Up then joined in a repeated verse by all the children with the adults, and then the whole audience reaching a crescendo that raised the roof with the final chorus.
The Music Well is very lucky to have the renowned Nick Ingman – composer, arranger & conductor -working with its singing groups. The children captured the audience with their stomping and clapping accompanying the opening bars of Queen’s We Will Rock You, which provided a surprising intro to the beautiful ballad by Keane, Somewhere Only We Know, book-casing the song with another couple of refrains of We will Rock You at the end.
The penultimate song, also arranged by Nick Ingman, was Thank You For The Music. It was not only the Music Well singing groups who agreed with the sentiment but all who were lucky enough to be in the audience.
Before everyone devoured the excellent spread of cakes laid on by members of the singing group, and Nick’s wife Terri, the concert ended with the first ever public performance of the Music Well’s anthem Singing.
The day had started with Nick being interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex about the composition, which was then played on air before Nick explained the process of writing and recording the song. He first recorded the brass players of Cranbrook Town Band in a recording studio in St Leonards, and the next day recorded the children and then the adults’ group. The result, ‘Singing – The Music Well Anthem’, is free to download on YouTube and copies of the CD can be purchased from The Music Well.
The proud family members in the audience demanded an encore and the obvious choice was a repeat performance of Singing.
Congratulations to all that took part and everyone who came to support but special thanks go to the hard work of Alison, Marian and Nick.
I am sure that a lot of readers will be disappointed that they missed such a special occasion, but don’t worry the two groups will be singing together again on Saturday, July 15, from noon – 4pm, in the secret garden of Little Orchard House, 3 West Street, Rye. The open garden is in aid of the Music Well CIC. Entry will be only £3 and there will be food and drink to buy and lots of fantastic music to listen to – and you can all join in with the drumming circle too. But more importantly you will have a chance of hearing the talented children and adults sing together in perfect harmony.
Image Credits: Kt Bruce .