Every couple of years the chorus is delighted to help organise a concert at Emmanuel Church Loughborough. More details appear below. These concerts usually sell out [...]]]> The show featured below was a great success. Almost sold out to an enthusiastic audience, several hundred pounds were raised for the Rainbows Hospice.

Every couple of years the chorus is delighted to help organise a concert at Emmanuel Church Loughborough. More details appear below. These concerts usually sell out so you are advised to buy your tickets as soon as possible!

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A MUSICAL MISCELLANY

of

Jazz, Harmonies and Songs From The Shows

in support of Rainbows Hospice

Saturday 24 April 2010 at 7.30pm

Emmanuel Church, Forest Road, Loughborough

Compere – BBC Radio Leicester Presenter

DAVE ANDREWS

featuring

The Loughborough Endowed Schools

“BIG BAND”

Shepshed’s Youth Musical Theatre

“ACT ONE”

National Championships Semi-Finalist Quartet

“RETRO”

Fine Vocal Harmonies From

“THE GRAND CENTRAL CHORUS”

Our show was a great success, raising £500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Over 6,000 men and women in the UK sing barbershop as a hobby. Not in quartets as is often thought, but in larger choruses numbering typically 25-50 singers who love to sing a cappella, or unaccompanied for those [...]]]> Barbershop Awareness Week has now finished.

Our show was a great success, raising £500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Over 6,000 men and women in the UK sing barbershop as a hobby. Not in quartets as is often thought, but in larger choruses numbering typically 25-50 singers who love to sing a cappella, or unaccompanied for those who aren’t familiar with musical terms.

National Barbershop Awareness Week takes place during the week beginning 12 September to celebrate the fact that so many men and women sing barbershop in the UK, and to publicise this entertaining singing style.

Locally in the East Midlands we celebrate with:

A star-studded concert on Saturday 12 September

Celebrate The Sound

A cappella at its best

Gem Connection – Long Eaton’s very own ladies barbershop chorus

Grand Central Chorus – the East Midlands men’s barbershop chorus

Monkey Magic – undeniably one of the UK’s top male quartets

The Jazz Firm – four amazing ladies from “up north”

and others

at

West Park Leisure Centre

Wilsthorpe Rd, Long Eaton

Derbyshire, NG10 4AA

Tickets £8

0115 945 9031 0r 01773 749 737

email brian216@metronet.co.uk

or from members of Grand Central or Gem Connection

]]> http://grandcentralchorus.com/barbershop-awareness-week/feed/ 0 http://grandcentralchorus.com/barbeshop-singing/ http://grandcentralchorus.com/barbeshop-singing/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 07:31:44 +0000 admin http://grandcentralchorus.com/?p=81 While most male barbershop choruses are single-mindedly preparing for the annual convention in Llandudno in a few weeks time, a small team at Grand Central Chorus are also busy with plans for our Learn to Sing Barbershop Course.

On Wednesday 3 June, ten days after convention, we start a course for those new to barbershop singing, [...]]]> While most male barbershop choruses are single-mindedly preparing for the annual convention in Llandudno in a few weeks time, a small team at Grand Central Chorus are also busy with plans for our Learn to Sing Barbershop Course.

On Wednesday 3 June, ten days after convention, we start a course for those new to barbershop singing, who can come along on six consecutive Wednesday nights to learn the basics in a friendly group environment.

For full details, there is a page dedicated to the course elsewhere on this site, so if you live in the East Midlands and are thinking of getting started in this great singing hobby, “read all about it” and register to come along.

Who else can we be talking about but our very own Len Matthews, whose contribution to barbershop was recognised at a recent presentation by Grand Central Chorus. The Chairman, Derek Dodman, presented him with a certificate of Honorary Life Membership, and embroidered jacket, in appreciation of his years of dedicated service to [...]]]> (Posted by Brian Sargent)

Who else can we be talking about but our very own Len Matthews, whose contribution to barbershop was recognised at a recent presentation by Grand Central Chorus. The Chairman, Derek Dodman, presented him with a certificate of Honorary Life Membership, and embroidered jacket, in appreciation of his years of dedicated service to the cause of barbershop, and me. Although he and the chorus didn’t know about me!

Len first came into my view in the early eighties in a Police Training School lecture hall. I was there expecting to be bored by the stodgy details of the latest legislation. Ha! It was entertainment all the way and we couldn’t wait to get back from tea break!

Fast forward twenty years and I went to watch next doors’ lad playing trumpet with the East Midlands Youth Orchestra. Much to my surprise, out walks Len, older, greyer, but definitely Len and he delivered the same routine he’d …. no I lie! He entertained us with his usual wit. After the interval it was Grand Central Chorus’s turn with Len doing his legendary introductions. I spoke to him after the show and got invited to the ‘Afterglow’. That was me stuck on Barbershop.

His other talent of writing and performing pantomime had led him to Barbershop, when the Ugly Sister, knowing Len had been a chorister all his life, invited him along to a rehearsal. Immediately hooked, he joined the lead section in 1993, going on to win gold at convention in 1996, 2001 and 2003, at Sligo in 2001, and silver in the European competition of 2001. It was during this period that he wrote a musical skit on ‘Robin Hood’ which took America by storm at the International Convention and wowed the Europeans in Holland, before becoming a regular part of chorus performances.

In 1995 several of the chorus went off for a drink before a concert and, inevitably, they were late back for the show. Such was the start to Len’s compering career. At the venue, an anxious director was wondering how to calm a mutinous audience. But Len was in the wings, stepped out and saved the show delivering one of his routines. He was an overnight sensation and became a permanent feature at shows for the chorus. Such was his popularity that he went on to present many headline shows at convention.

And it doesn’t end there. Some four years ago he published a book of jokes ‘Laugh with Len’ in aid of Christies Hospital, Manchester, making them £1500.

Although now seriously considering “retirement” from the spotlight, we look forward to many more years of friendship and thank Len for his contribution over the years.

The weekend of the 3-5 October saw about 25 singers plus their wives and partners visit Sligo for the Irish Barbershop Convention where we were placed 4th in [...]]]> As we get to the end of October, members of Grand Central can look back on a month where we couldn’t have fitted more in if we tried.

The weekend of the 3-5 October saw about 25 singers plus their wives and partners visit Sligo for the Irish Barbershop Convention where we were placed 4th in a highly talented field. We were all thrilled when Retro, won the bronze medal in the quartet event – all four members being singers with Grand Central. We enjoyed the hospitality (and the Guinness), got wet more than once when it poured on Saturday, and enjoyed the sunshine (and the Guinness) on the seafront on Sunday lunchtime.

The following weekend was the Quartet Prelims with various chorus members involved with their respective quartets.

One week later, 18 October, and it was time for Harmony Junction – the Loughborough Show. Crossroads topped the bill and it was easy to see and hear why this talented quartet won the silver medal at the International Convention in Nashville in the summer.  And it just got better…

On Sunday 19 October, following the Saturday show, the chorus had a full day rehearsal coached by Crossroads. Jim Henry took the lead role and  we all experienced the teaching skills of this highly talented barbershop educator.

One week later, and a small chorus took to the streets of Long Eaton on Saturday morning to sing and publicise our upcoming Open Evening. The cold wind blew and it tried to rain, but a “good time was had by all” especially when we retired to one of the local pubs to warm up.

And finally we had our open evening when we welcomed several visitors to our regular Wednesday night rehearsal. New faces, and familiar faces who we hadn’t seen for a while, joined us on the risers to learn a tag or two, and we sang some repertoire to entertain our visitors.

If despite all this activity you still haven’t seen us sing, why don’t you watch a video?

(Hopefully there will be a few photos of the above events before too long)