Sun-soaked singing weekend at Sharpham (September 2016)

On Friday afternoon, September 16^th 2016, around 20 members of the choir arrived at Sharpham House for a weekend of singing and socialising. We struck lucky with the weather, for the whole weekend was bathed in fabulous late summer sunshine, allowing us to enjoy every meal outside on the house’s south-facing terrace. It could have been the South of France.

The food was simply delicious – vegetarian fare, freshly-prepared and locally-sourced. Several of us enjoyed the outdoor solar-heated pool in the walled garden before breakfast, and of course, there was plenty of singing.

Friday evening was an opportunity for some fun and entertaining after-dinner solo spots, with Ian’s Jake Thackray (“On again! on again!”) and Marion’s rendition of “Let’s do it!”, in tribute to Victoria Wood, stealing the show.

We rehearsed items from our summer programme (in particular the Lauridsen “Chansons des Roses”) in the glorious first-floor sitting room, singing in the round whilst enjoying panoramic views of the River Dart. Andrew Daldorph skillfully put together a short programme for an informal concert in the wonderful acoustic of Sharpham’s oval staircase on the Saturday evening, whilst on Sunday morning we all walked across the estate and through the fields to sing morning Eucharist in Ashprington.

Our thanks to Abby for organising such a fabulous weekend, to Joanna for looking after us so well at Sharpham, and to Andrew for guiding us through all the thoroughly enjoyable music-making.