Music

Mixed Band

The group ethos is based on helping each other to learn and enjoying playing together. If you’re learning to play a musical instrument, can play or have played in the past then this is an opportunity to develop your skills through being part of a supportive group.
The music is arrangements of popular songs which can then be tailored to suit a variety of instruments and levels of ability. Pieces are sent out in advance in notation and in audio files to listen to. The band has steadily grown over the years and is a mix of quite a few different instruments.
Before enrolling, please check with Mike on 07709 263597 that your instrument can be accommodated.

U3A Ladies Choir

We warmly welcome new members to join our U3A Ladies Choir. Singing in a choir is a fantastic creative outlet and a great social activity. You get a chance to sing different kinds of music, reap the positive health benefits from singing and meet other members who share your love of music. We take part in the U3A Carol Service and other concerts through the year. We sing in 3 parts from sheet music but there is no requirement to be able to read music fluently. Each session begins with a warm up and a chance to work on technical skills before we rehearse our repertoire. We cover a wide range of musical genres including sacred, secular, pop, jazz, gospel and not forgetting our musical showstoppers! The rehearsals are relaxed and lots of fun – with our members feeling invigorated after our Friday morning sessions. New members are welcome to come along for a free “taster” rehearsal before signing up. For further information, please contact Jane Armitage on 07834 345211 or email janearmitage6@gmail.com

Mixed Choir

The Mixed Choir welcomes new members who would like to join us at our Monday morning rehearsals. We are a mixed voice choir made up of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices and we sing a variety of different styles: songs from musical theatre, sacred, gospel, traditional and more modern classics. We have performed at the annual U3A Christmas Carol Service in the Parish Church each December and have held our own concert with guest musicians in Spring.

All abilities are welcome and it is not necessary to be able to read music. We can help you decide which section of the choir would suit your voice, and we recommend that prospective new members try us out at a rehearsal before committing to choir membership.

The group fee for the choir, payable to the U3A, is £25 per 15 week term. There is also an additional charge to cover the cost of our Musical Director, which is payable directly to the choir.

Autumn session will start in early September. For details of term dates or if you would like any further information please contact Liz Cwalina on 07368 400690 or email whippetsy13@icloud.com.

Please note the session fee for this group is £25.

Acoustic Guitar for Beginners and Improvers

The aim is to provide a basic grounding in guitar technique for beginners and people who have been playing for a few months. Four basic right-hand styles will enable you to play along with some well-known popular songs. Knowledge of music is not essential. A reasonable amount of practice time in between sessions will be indispensable. If you are interested please contact the group leader on 01484 657508 before completing an enrolment form. Please note the session fee for this group is £23.

U3A Guitar Group

A friendly band of musicians who love to play live music. We now have a line up of singers, guitarists, bass, drums and harmonica. We play everything from Elvis to Eagles. We need more strong singers, so if you are a budding Aretha, Whitney or Freddie, give Ian a ring on 07860 808154 for a taster session. We are now running official U3A classes through the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms, as well as meeting informally on other weeks.

Ukulele Fun and Sing-along

The intention is to have a mixed class of ukelele players, from beginners to the more experienced. The beginners will be taught the basics by the tutor and experienced players. It will not be neccessary to read music. The emphasis will be on enjoying playing, singing and learning new songs, whilst having fun doing so. Ater all, the ukelele is a fun instrument.  It is expected that players will provide their own ukelele and music stand. Advice can be given to beginners wishing to purchase a ukekele.