I love this time of year, as summer slides into autumn. The gardens are gently
fading with late summer flowers glowing like jewels, leaves are beginning to turn as trees claim their time of seasonal glory. Fields have yielded up their harvest, whilst the hedgerows and orchards have ripe pickings for jams and jellies, chutneys and cider. It is a nostalgic time as well. The last over of the summer cricket matches have been bowled and the eight week Proms season has ended. We look back and hold fast to fond memories of the summer days, but so we also look forward to the new beginnings that the autumn brings.
The youngest generation has, or is about to, take the next steps on their learning journeys. Pre-school, nursery, primary or secondary school, university or the working world. We have several family members embarking on these “next steps” – we wish them, and everyone else, much happiness and success in their new adventures. The cricket season may be over but the Rugby World Cup is upon us, and the anthem at the top will be heard time and time again as we switch on to watch, cheer, applaud, and hopefully not commiserate. Add to this the various national anthems that will be proudly played and sung too, and then we have a small feast of musical experiences!
Which brings me very nicely to Heyford Singers and music. Our autumn rehearsal season began on 6th September with an Open Evening. We had expected one or two new members, we had hoped for maybe a few more, but we were absolutely thrilled to welcome thirteen new singers! Mary had prepared a lovely mixture of songs for the first evening, two warm up tunes, a medley of songs from Oliver, “Feeling Groovy” by Simon and Garfunkel, and then two songs to be included in the forthcoming Christmas concert. It was lovely evening, warm and welcoming, relaxed and fun, made especially so by sharing it with new friends. And what is more they all claimed to have thoroughly enjoyed their initial session and have continued to come!
So we look forward with excitement and anticipation. I have tried to avoid much
mention of winter’s great festival as that will follow in good time, but for your diaries the Heyford Singers’ Christmas concert is Friday 13th and Saturday 14th December and plans are being made for a village “Carols on the Green” for Friday 20th December. Further details of both events will follow in due course.
But for now, the sun is shining, the sky is cloudless and the garden beckons!
Jill Langrish
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If you would like to find out more, visit the Heyford Singers page or our website:
alternatively come along to one of our rehearsals in Nether Heyford Village Hall.
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The Nether Heyford Prattler 