Online media has changed

When I made my last post here, my Facebook business page had started to take off, so I have been concentrating my efforts there. For those who like a longer read, the is the summary of my tasks & responsibilities for 2013

The bread & butter stuff
I have 10 face-to-face singing students and 1 Skype singing student
I continue to conduct The Hamilton Chorale which is growing exponentially (40% on last year's choir by the second rehearsal)

The fun stuff
The 8-80 concert for 2013 is performing in just 2 days. It is the model that I have always envisaged, where the local primary (elementary) school choir joins with the retirement village choir. They sing separately, and together, and it is magic! Of course,when people sing together, they form an emotional bond, and the buddy system which matches child to senior helps this along. Next Monday, the senior choir is going to perform  at the children's school assembly, which will be the start of a whole new relationship between village & school.

I am the musical director of the Bay Audiology Retirement Villages Association Festival of Choirs. Encouraging choirs in retirement villages to send audition DVDs by May 31st to be considered for a festival in Wellington (NewZealand) in September this year. The expressions of interest at present are a bit slow, so we will see where this goes.

I have just commenced a 6 month programme with the local  Pathways organisation. Their mission is with people with mental health situations. I am hoping to make myself redundant by the middle of the year.

I am making recordings of songs that are more modern than the song books that  are sitting in retirement villages. Sample tracks have been sent out to all of the RVA villages, and a playlist for residents to make selections from. Then the village gets a disc with : ten singalong tracks, and ten accompaniment only tracks. The songs are slower,and a little lower as well, and all lyrics are included in the package.