Singtastic™

Armadadrama Act 1

I count myself very lucky to have been invited to take photographs of the TYKES as they prepare for their Armadadrama performances on the beach, near the pier (yes, on the beach) this weekend.

The TYKES, aged 7 to 17 are directed by Leigh Toney.
Armadadrama composer David Haines is the Musical Director.

Enjoy, with me, our first peep behind the scenes.

Sue Blake

ARMADADRAMA ~ Act 1

Scene 1 ~ The Nightmare
Luis tells of his nightmare vision, amongst the galley slave corpses

 

Scene 2 ~ At the Spanish Court
King Philip outlines his plan

 

Scene 3 ~ At the English Court
Queen Elizabeth outlines her plan

 

Scene 4 ~ En Route for Cadiz
Drake and his men prepare to carry out their orders

 

Scene 5 ~ Cadiz
Life in Cadiz will never be the same again

 

Scene 6 ~ On the High Seas
English sailor-pirate fun and games on the return voyage

 

Scene 7 ~ El Esconal
King Philip is not amused

End of Act 1

 

Some Lighter Moments

Sue, how many more are you going to take?!

We're rehearsing till when?!

I just love being thrown overboard!

Finally...happy feet!

  
 

 

 

Armadadrama on Teignmouth Beach

Thanks to BBC funding, David Haines' children's opera Armadadrama is to be performed by award-winning youth theatre group TYKES directed by Leigh Toney.
Armadadrama was written in 1988 to mark the four hundredth anniversary of the Spanish Armada. It looks at the events of 1588 from both the Spanish and English sides. It's a witty, ironic and ultimately moving look at the fanatical religious battle between Philip of Spain and Elizabeth of England - a battle (like most wars) in which it's the common man and woman, the people with no choices, that turn out to be the losers, whichever side they're on.

"This may be a children's opera, but I pull no punches when it comes to commenting on the way in which those at the top - both then and now - see their fighting forces as mere pawns in a power game rather than the thinking, feeling people they really are."  David Haines

Saturday 13th August 9pm
Sunday 14th August 9pm
Saturday 3rd September 7-30pm

Musical Director ~ David Haines

Performance on Teignmouth beach, near the pier.
(Or in the Carlton Theatre if the weather is too bad)

Sue Blake

Photo ~ Sue Blake

November Performance of Many Voices in Ivybridge

David Haines' latest Science Oratorio Many Voices is to be performed in Ivybridge by Ivybridge Community Choir, plus members of Teignmouth Community Choir and pupils from several Ivybridge schools.

Many Voices, premiered at the 2011 Teignmouth Science Festival, is a collection of catchy songs inspired by the vast subject of Communication. The majority of the songs were written in collaboration with West Country schoolchildren and David's two community choirs. The November performance will feature new songs written in collaboration with the participating schools.

The first new song, about code-breaker Alan Turing, was written on 19th July by Year 5 pupils from Manor Primary School in Ivybridge. The pupils researched the subject and David helped them to create a song which he then arranged in three parts for inclusion in the Oratorio.

Performance at Ivybridge Community College on Thursday 3rd November 7pm
Musical Director ~ David Haines

Sue Blake

Photo ~ Sue Blake

Singtastic Recording of Just Like You at Teignmouth

On Sunday 24th July over fifty enthusiastic singers aged 5 to 70+ gathered at the crack of dawn to record Just Like You, an anthem written by David Haines for 2012.

“Just Like You celebrates the inspiration that sporting endeavour can bring to all of our lives.  Its message is to admire the superhuman feats of top athletes, but also to remember that us mere mortals can translate what they do into more modest efforts of our own, whatever our age or ability." David Haines.

The edited video will be ready by the end of August and the aim is to share it on the internet as widely as possible. Sheet music and practice tracks will be available free of charge from Singtastic.

Performers ~ Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs, members of TYKES and Bishopsteignton Primary School
Recording took place upstairs at Take 2 by kind permission of Russell Hailstone
Musical Director ~ David Haines
Audio Recording ~ Mike Gluyas and Christian Newman
Video Recording ~ Matt Ryman

Sue Blake

Photo ~ Sheila Townsend

Jam, Jerusalem plus Stargazing and Queen Bee at Charity Garden Party

A garden party held on 17th July at the home of Teignmouth Community Choir member Willi Armes raised almost £600 for Rowcroft Hospice. The event was in memory of Willi's friend Pam and choir member Stephen who both died recently at Rowcroft.

Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs sang while party-goers enjoyed their cream teas. They sang Stephen’s favourite song, Stargazing, by Musical Director David Haines, plus 'Jerusalem' to celebrate Pam’s membership of the WI. David's song Queen Bee was sung in memory of Joyce Brandon, Ivybridge choir's founder member who died on 1st June aged 78. Queen Bee was Joyce's favourite song and she kept her copy of the song at the back of her folder...just in case! Many choir members will remember Joyce whenever they sing Queen Bee, especially those who sang it at her funeral.


Sue Blake

Photo ~ Jonathan Webster

First concert in Teignmouth's new Teign Heritage Centre

Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs are delighted to provide the first concert at the new Teign Heritage Centre on Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May at 7pm. The combined choir, directed by David Haines, will be performing in the first floor Teign Room, a community space worthy of the 21st century.

The Teign Heritage Centre is home to the Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum, which is delighted to re-open in the transformed 18th century building with its new state-of-the-art annexe.

Lots more information about the Teign Heritage Centre and the activities planned for the opening week is available on the new website teignheritage.org.uk

For information about the Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs visit communitychoir.co.uk

Sue Blake

Member of the Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs
and
Education Team Leader, Teign Heritage Centre

Bonjour, Hello!

 

Two community choir concerts are fast approaching and the first item is to be Bonjour, Hello...an amusing song written by our musical director David Haines.

Amusing did I say?

No, for a slightly dyslexic monoglot* with a particularly traumatic past linguistic experience as a teenager involving Quiche Lorraine, (let’s not go there today) it promised to be an absolute nightmare!
I just about coped with the song at rehearsal by singing la to anything I wasn’t sure about.
What to do?
I decided to ask fellow choir member Christine for help as:
a) she’s kind
b) was a teacher
c) knows French

I saw Christine this afternoon. I’d have loved to be in her class, she’s so patient.

I now have the information I need, (if Christine is to be trusted of course)
...a word by word translation and a syllable by syllable pronunciation guide.

If I put in time and effort I’ll be word perfect, if not, I’ll substitute a confident la in the tricky bits and still enjoy singing the song.

At least I don’t need to be embarrassed by the French kissing...
the lyrics, on closer examination, clearly talk of French-style kissing(!)

Christine told me all about her French-style kissing experiences as a 20 year old French assistant. I was especially interested to hear about the young man from Brussels who insisted on kissing her 5 times on each cheek! Christine thought this rather excessive, but when challenged, he smilingly replied, “Well, that’s what we do in Brussels!”

*monoglot = someone who speaks just one language
A rather UGLY word don’t you think?

Sue Blake

Details of the Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choir forthcoming concerts are available at communitychoir.co.uk
Bonjour Hello is available from David Haines at david@singtastic.com
 

Bee mystery solved

 

The question, sparked off by the science-inspired songs of David Haines, is now solved. I believe that the star of my photograph is none other than a queen or worker Buff-tailed bumblebee  Bombus terrestis.

The quest for my bee's identity occupied a delicious few hours. As a child of the 50s I looked in my books first...old habits die hard!  I quickly decided that my bee was a bumblebee, but which one? There weren't many bumblebees in my book, the closest match was definitely the White-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lucorum, with its 'bright yellow bands' whose 'queens spend a lot of times at flowers in spring, being especially fond of sallow (pale yellow) blossom'.

I moved online. There's so much more information there isn't there?

I used a 3 step identification key on the Natural History Museum website to reach the conclusion that my bee was probably the Buff-tailed bumblebee  Bombus terrestis

It's quite difficult trying to take a photograph and measure a bee online with just one pair of hands!

Once I started on my journey of discovery I found it very difficult to stop, I was having such a good time.

When we next sing David Haines' song Queen Bee in a concert I'm going to use my photo on the publicity material! Queen Bee is currently available on the Singtastic website...it's a great song.

I didn't dare wonder what the bush with the 'sallow blossom' was called. Later that week though I described it to my friend Mavis and she thought it was probably Mahonia. I've just Googled and...
I think she's right!

Sue Blake

 

Science-inspired songwriting secret revealed

David Haines at work

David writes songs about science because he finds science so exciting, awe-inspiring and wondrous that he wants to sing about it and share his enthusiasm and sense of wonder with anyone he can make listen.

His songs are not intended to be educative but to inspire interest, curiosity and wonder at the 'magic' of science. Any facts and learning derived from his songs are incidental to the inspiration to find out more.

They are not intended to be a lesson but a starting point for the desire to know and learn, a prompt to ask questions, to want to look further.

For David real science is much more exciting and amazing than any science fiction, magic or illusion and he wants everyone to get the same buzz that he does and the best way he knows to do that is to write songs - beautiful melodic, swirling, uplifting songs that stay in your mind.

 

Sheila Townsend ~ David's sister, colleague and biggest fan!

 

The photo is of David working with pupils and staff at Exminster Community Primary School on the Many Voices song Mobile Mad which celebrates the fast-moving history of the mobile phone.

Obtain Mobile Mad by contacting Sue Blake at sue@singtastic.com  There are lots of David's science-inspired songs available on the Singtastic website. 

 

 

Science-inspired songs fuel curiosity

I've always been curious person, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and I also love to sing.

The science-inspired songs written by David Haines both fuel my curiosity and satisfy my need to sing, on a day-to-day basis.   What joy!

 

Why did I take this photo the other day on the way to the Teignmouth Co-op? 

Well, the bee attracted my attention and it reminded me of two of David's songs ~ Many Voices newbie Honey Bee and the classic Queen Bee.

What kind of bee is it?  What's the difference between bees, wasps and hornets?  How many other kinds of yellow and black insects are there?  Are they insects?  What's the definition of an insect?

I'm off to satisfy my curiosity this rainy Sunday afternoon...

 

Queen Bee is available on the Singtastic website. Email me at sue@singtastic.com for details of how to obtain Honey Bee  

 

Sue Blake                                                                                                                                 Singtastic and enthusiastic member of Teignmouth and Ivybridge Community Choirs.