Location
Fownhope, Herefordshire
Fownhope, Herefordshire
Folk song choirs, community singing, and sound play. Seasonal songs and singing walks.
I am a folksinger, songwriter, and also a community facilitator. I work closely with my partner & fellow musician Mark Waters, and together we have developed arrangements of local and seasonal traditional songs in 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies for singing with community choirs.
The Seasonal Community Folk Choirs are ‘short burst’ choirs of 4 weeks at a time, with a focus on seasonal and local traditional songs – as well as fun with rounds and simple warm up songs from the global folk tradition. The sessions repeat regularly through the year, and are an opportunity to sing for pleasure in a relaxed and friendly group atmosphere – singing for the love of singing – and for enjoyment of folk song and community.
Although seasoned musicians, our venture into community choirs is still relatively new. We have been running the Fownhope Community Folk Choir since February 2023, and we have also occasionally supported the Hay-on-Wye Climate Choir. We also host ‘Village Carolling’ in the local pub in the run up to Christmas – singing carols from Herefordshire and the Sheffield Carol tradition. We hold a village Wassail for Twelfth Night, and through the year Kate offers outdoor song-walks – for details of these check instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aluladown/).
We are both members of a number of musical combinations, including avant-folk duo Alula Down, and four part harmony troupe, the Bushelbag Carollers.
A series of Seasonal Community Folk Choirs through the year, with song sharing in the spring, summer, autumn and winter – including some fun with Herefordshire Carols (collected by Ella Mary Leather) and ‘Village Carols’ from the Sheffield tradition in the run up to Christmas.
These are short burst choirs of 4 weeks at a time, with a focus on seasonal and local traditional songs – as well as rounds and simple warm up songs from the global folk tradition.
This is an opportunity to sing for pleasure in a relaxed & friendly group atmosphere – singing for the love of singing – and for enjoyment of folk song and community.
All songs will be taught by ear, and no experience is necessary. All voices are welcome, there is no audition, and no-one will be asked to sing on their own. No music reading is required.
Our next seasonal Choir is March 2025 for some spring songs.
Join us on Thursdays (6th, 13th, 20th and 27th), 7pm – 8.30pm, at the Fownhope Pavilion.
Subsequent choirs this year will be in June at the earlier time of 6.30 – 8pm and in October, 7 – 8.30pm, both on Thursday evenings. In late November / December we will meet on Sunday afternoons for our Village Carols.
Email Kate for more details.
Thursdays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th March, 7 - 8.30pm.
