Lots more photos in the photo gallery above.
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singing. Show all posts
Saturday, 23 November 2013
Pop Up Proms at Corton House, Norwich, 22.11.13
I was delighted to bring The Pop Up Proms Project to Corton House in Norwich last night.
About forty residents attended, including some of the more able residents from the sheltered housing part of the complex.
Here's a video of one resident joining in with the well-known Gilbert & Sullivan number 'A Policeman's Lot is Not A Happy One'...ably assisted by Proms volunteer performer, Gus.
Lots more photos in the photo gallery above.
Lots more photos in the photo gallery above.
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Spreading a Little Happiness
Some brief reflections on yesterday's Pop Up Proms concert at Brooklands Care Home in Drayton.
Just one picture for now.
But a picture tells a thousand words, and we've got some fantastic photos of last night's audience having a whale of a time at our very first Pop Up Proms concert. When I have the relevant permissions I'll set up a photo gallery.
But until then, I will attempt to illustrate the concert myself.
It went very well indeed. About thirty residents attended, which was, apparently, an excellent turnout. Some residents' family members also came, and of course, the staff and carers popped in and out as well. Brooklands staff helped decorate the room with red, white and blue bunting and flags- it looked a proper Proms treat.
We were in the residents' lounge, a largish, low-ceilinged room, with comfy chairs and sofas arranged in a circle around the edge - and a huge pillar in the centre. We worked around it!
As we waited to begin our show, Christina set to work capturing those all important reminiscences from some of our elderly audience.
After a short introduction from me, Martyn kicked off the show with 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning'. Any fears we may have had about people not joining in with the singing were instantly allayed. EVERYONE joined in! It was brilliant.
They continued to join in (in some cases even when we didn't ask!) throughout the whole show. All the performers did wonderfully. Highlights for us all were the lady who danced to every song and the lady who loved the Matt Munroe medley. And how could we ever forget Joanie's rendition of Big Spender - sung from the laps of various surprised and delighted elderly gentlemen?!
The timings went according to plan and the last 15 minutes, set aside for our special 'Proms Finale', arrived in a flash. Armed with lyrics sheets to sing from and Union Jack flags to wave, our audience enthusiastically participated throughout 'Land of Hope and Glory' and 'Jerusalem', and our final number, 'Rule Britannia'!
Christina managed to capture some more recordings as we tidied our things away. The staff were thrilled with the hour's entertainment and commented on what an extremely positive experience the visit from the Pop Up Proms Project had been for all concerned.
All in all, a good evening's work. And home by 8.30!
Just one picture for now.
But a picture tells a thousand words, and we've got some fantastic photos of last night's audience having a whale of a time at our very first Pop Up Proms concert. When I have the relevant permissions I'll set up a photo gallery.
But until then, I will attempt to illustrate the concert myself.
It went very well indeed. About thirty residents attended, which was, apparently, an excellent turnout. Some residents' family members also came, and of course, the staff and carers popped in and out as well. Brooklands staff helped decorate the room with red, white and blue bunting and flags- it looked a proper Proms treat.
We were in the residents' lounge, a largish, low-ceilinged room, with comfy chairs and sofas arranged in a circle around the edge - and a huge pillar in the centre. We worked around it!
As we waited to begin our show, Christina set to work capturing those all important reminiscences from some of our elderly audience.
After a short introduction from me, Martyn kicked off the show with 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning'. Any fears we may have had about people not joining in with the singing were instantly allayed. EVERYONE joined in! It was brilliant.
They continued to join in (in some cases even when we didn't ask!) throughout the whole show. All the performers did wonderfully. Highlights for us all were the lady who danced to every song and the lady who loved the Matt Munroe medley. And how could we ever forget Joanie's rendition of Big Spender - sung from the laps of various surprised and delighted elderly gentlemen?!
The timings went according to plan and the last 15 minutes, set aside for our special 'Proms Finale', arrived in a flash. Armed with lyrics sheets to sing from and Union Jack flags to wave, our audience enthusiastically participated throughout 'Land of Hope and Glory' and 'Jerusalem', and our final number, 'Rule Britannia'!
Christina managed to capture some more recordings as we tidied our things away. The staff were thrilled with the hour's entertainment and commented on what an extremely positive experience the visit from the Pop Up Proms Project had been for all concerned.
All in all, a good evening's work. And home by 8.30!
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
What is The Pop-Up Proms Project?
The Pop Up Proms Project is something I've been thinking of doing for ages. Initially, I'll run it from September 2013 to the end of August 2014.
I've got together a group of performers who are all happy to offer their time and talent completely free, to go out to residential care homes and day-centres for the elderly people of Norfolk and have a good sing.
It's not designed as a performance where we sing and the audience applauds at the end. The whole point is for the audience to join in. For example,
You know the brilliant joiny-inny bit at the end of the Last Night Of The Proms? That.
Fans at a football match lustily serenading their team? That.
Finding yourself enjoyably warbling along to Songs Of Praise on the telly? That.
That is the spirit of what we're trying to do with Pop Up Proms. All of that joy and exuberance that a shared experience of music creates, that's what we want to create for our audiences.
So our aims are simple:
I'll be using this blog as a notice board and information centre for performers and bookers alike, so do please come back for updates!
I've got together a group of performers who are all happy to offer their time and talent completely free, to go out to residential care homes and day-centres for the elderly people of Norfolk and have a good sing.
It's not designed as a performance where we sing and the audience applauds at the end. The whole point is for the audience to join in. For example,
You know the brilliant joiny-inny bit at the end of the Last Night Of The Proms? That.
Fans at a football match lustily serenading their team? That.
Finding yourself enjoyably warbling along to Songs Of Praise on the telly? That.
That is the spirit of what we're trying to do with Pop Up Proms. All of that joy and exuberance that a shared experience of music creates, that's what we want to create for our audiences.
So our aims are simple:
- To provide free entertainment for the older ladies and gents in our county.
- To provide the elderly with an opportunity for participation in uplifting singing in a relaxed and familiar environment.
- To give opportunities for extra social interaction.
- To give opportunities for personal reminiscences and sharing memories
I'll be using this blog as a notice board and information centre for performers and bookers alike, so do please come back for updates!
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