Our Winter Concert was a big success, with a hugely appreciative audience and the largest number of new members  singing in the group that we’ve had for a long time!

We round off the year with an informal concert of carols and Christmas songs, traditional and more contemporary, which will take place in St. John’s Church, Pevensey Road, one of the two local churches with the same name that we enjoy performing in.  For many years the group sang Christmas songs and carols from the Minstrel’s Gallery at the Conquest Hospital, but since lockdown this wonderful offering of music to greet people as they entered the hospital reception area, has permanently ceased – which is disappointing on many levels. We, as a group, enjoyed entertaining people as they came through the main door. We like to think it brought warmth and comfort to hospital visitors, but it also brought joy to members of the group to perform there. So, with the loss of that, we have created our own concert where we hope people will come and join in some of the more traditional songs.

After a long warm autumn, winter has definitely arrived.  Our winter programme leans towards the seasons of life. With a late autumn that only recently transformed the leaves to their fullest glory, our songs include the atmospheric Autumn Leaves, along with favourites such as Ain’t Misbehavin’, a rousing South Pacific medley and Flanders and Swann’s ever-relevant, tongue-in-cheek take on the British workman: The Gas Man Cometh, plus other rousing songs . Please do come and join us on 5th December where our guest performer will be classical guitarist Steve Gordon, whose pieces include a Villa Lobos prelude. There will be the usual after-concert tea and (mostly) homemade cakes.

There’s just a nod to Christmas in this concert, as we will be singing Christmas songs in St John’s Church on 19th December. More about that later.

This year is positively flying by and here we are in July with temperatures that feel more autumnal than summery. But, in true British spirit we are delighted to be joining with St John The Evangelist Church again to offer a summer concert of delightful songs.

The theme is partly summer and partly sea. We always enjoy a good variety of repertoire – songs that challenge us and others that bring a light touch to the concert, alongside heartfelt songs. For this concert we have a couple of guest performers joining us: a budding young opera singer and a children’s choir who will add a lively touch to our group of songs  from The Sound of Music plus an operatic favourite . Fun is guaranteed, along with tea and cake and good company.

Do please join us and spread the word.

WE ARE BACK!! Dec, 2021

We are delighted to be producing our first concert in front of a live audience on December 6th, 2021 It is also our delayed tenth anniversary celebration! Hard to believe how the years have sped by. Do come and join us!

We started back in September, wondering how many of the group would turn up. The long break had sadly taken its toll and a few beloved members were no longer with us. However, the church hall doors opened at 2.30 and a group of thirteen keen “songsters” made a beeline for their seats and, despite the new freshly-painted hall, glossy floor and a clock that works, everything was back in place for our first session.  We certainly made “most jubilant song” as the poem below puts it so beautifully.   

O to make the most jubilant song!
O for the dropping of raindrops in a song!
O for the sunshine and motion of waves in a song!
Walt Whitman from ‘A Song of Joys.’

Here we are in autumn 2021, enjoying a brief Indian summer at the end of a long break from group activities. We long to get back to sharing our love of singing in front of an enthusiastic audience.

What we do is twofold: we improve our own health through the joyous act of singing together, exercising our lungs and voices, as well as aiming to give pleasure to those who come and listen to our outpourings! We hope to see you soon!

WANDRIN’ STAR  

Our concert on Monday 4th November was very successful – a fitting tribute to Allan Barfield who was co-founder of the group. Despite gusty wet weather we had a huge turn out and raised £350! This photo is of some of the group after the concert, with Jenny Barfield in the front row. Thanks to everyone who helped and Karen McInally for entertaining us with a rhyme and a song about ladies of a certain age (!) and the appreciative audience who donated so generously to Parkinson’s UK – Bexhill, Hastings and Rother branch.

After the Concert

Harmonising Drink To Me Only: Steve, Bryan, Ged and Stuart

The ParkinSongsters summer concert in St John’s Church, Hollington yesterday was really well-received. It never fails to amaze me how many people come to listen to us – especially on a sunny Monday afternoon!..But come they did and equally showed their deep appreciation. it was particularly rewarding to see how much the new members in the group enjoyed themselves sharing songs with the audience. Our young and talented guest singer, Maya Godlonton-White, granddaughter of Julie White one of our longest standing members,  made a great impression with her two songs by Vivaldi and Mozart, singing with a sweet and true voice. We are grateful to St John’s Church for hosting us in their lovely intimate church.Proceeds from donations, which exceeded £300, were shared between Parkinson’s UK local branch and St John’s building fund. It was a rewarding afternoon and marked the beginning of our summer break. More adventures to follow in the Autumn… 

“I got more out of doing yesterday’s concert than I did out of singing in the Dream of Gerontius with Janet Baker as the Angel! ” Helen who sings with our group..

Soloist Maya Godlonton-White with Jane Metcalfe, Duncan Reid and Julie White  

A snippet of our concert from our Crooners Medley: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps! 

Songs include two medleys, the first, The Pirates of Penzance – with all the best loved tunes from this popular Gilbert and Sullivan Opera, and a Crooners Medley which says it all and includes great favourites of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and others ending of course with I Did it My Way, which fits the spirit of our group!

We will be joined this year by a young guest singer, Maya Godlonton-White, who is the granddaughter of one of our members. Maya will treat us to two songs of her own choice. 

Once again The ParkinSongsters had an amazing turnout for this year’s Spring Concert! It was a lovely day and Spring was definitely in the air. The group has a regular “fan-club” of people who support us and there are always new people who find their way to our concerts. The audience was so appreciate and enthusiastic – even when invited to join in the warm-up session, which they dutifully did with gusto!

Allan Barfield

Allan and his wife, Jenny

Just before the concert we learnt of the death of founder member Allan Barfield. Allan was the founder of The ParkinSongsters in 2010. Set up initially as a Voice exercise class for people with Parkinson’s in Bexhill, Hastings and Rother, it quickly evolved from singing a few songs in group sessions to performing in churches, church halls, care-homes, strawberry tea parties, carols in the Conquest, Flash mob in Morrisons and other venues, to raise awareness of Parkinson’s and to share the group’s joy of singing with others.

December the 11th at 11am we sang from the minstrels gallery in the lobby at the Conquest Hospital, Hastings, as we have done every year for the past 5 years. It’s a particularly lovely thing to do. The group enjoy it and people coming in and out of the Hospital turn their heads wondering where the sound of heavenly voices is coming from, then smile and stand for a few moments to listen.

Here we are preparing to sing, dressed for the occasion! Richard, who organises all the magnificent musical events at the Conquest, collects money for Parkinson’s UK local branch as well as enjoying  the singing!

Our concert was a triumph from all sides. Lots of people came to hear us, the group were in great form – singing with energy and commitment and tea and cake was praised almost (but not quite!) as much as the group’s performance!  There were so many special moments, with members of the group singing solos and reading WW1 poems.   

 Julie and Bryan were particularly touching in Silver Threads Among the Gold!  Our guest soloist, Gary Marriott,  charmed us all with two English songs from the Edwardian and Victorian eras.

Although we are a smaller group at present, many people remarked on the strength and clarity of the voices. That, of course, is the group  ethos – to help improve breathing, voice and general well-being. Somebody who has never heard us before said the performance was touching, raunchy and humourous in equal measure!

Below is a little film a member of the audience made giving a flavour of the concert

The audience gamely joined in with vocal warm-ups and WW1 choruses. A job very well done! 

Well done to all members of The Parkinsongsters and guest singers for persevering in the heat to give of their best!  One could feel the enjoyment of the audience, who joined in with Oom Pah Pah with relish! This was the first concert in which Ged and Betty took part and they clearly loved every minute of it. We may not be up to the standards of more formal choirs, but we do aim to have fun, whilst stretching ourselves for health and wellbeing. It was great to see Clive Harre, Vice President of Parkinson’s UK – Clacton-on -Sea Branch, who travelled all the way from Clacton just to hear the group sing live! He told us he wasn’t disappointed..

Clive with the group after the concert

Ged and Julie were sweetly moving with their Silver Threads Among the Gold duet which they sang with deep sincerity! Bernard  and Bryan sang solos, funny and moving in turn. And much gratitude for the committed and well characterised performance of guest contralto, Karen McInally, who sang two fanciful Edwardian songs about fairies and the Kashmir, that fitted in perfectly with our summery theme. So, despite the extreme heat, a perfect evening! And lastly we are grateful to St John’s church Hollington for hosting us…