The Choir tunes up with the Internationale:

Choir at Bowhill

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A small group of musicians have been gathering at the BRAG centre on Wednesday nights. Here’s a clip from a recent improv session:

Music Session 13 January

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If you’d like to join us, please come along on Wednesdays or Sundays.

Hi,

My name is George Mackie and I am part of the Music Group for this project.

I have been a professional / semi professional musician for over 35 years playing in folk bands such as Kingdom Folk Band and ceilidh bands from everywhere from Dubai to Dunfermline.

This project so far has been a different challenge which I am thoroughly enjoying feeding off ideas etc from fellow musicians, singers and Group members.

Our remit the past weeks has been to research the music that would have been around in 1926 and where the influences would come from.

Unlike today, where we are bombarded with music with I pods, Mp3 players, TV, shops, and even phones, etc , etc etc, the music in 1926 would come from a limited amount of programmes picked up on a crystal radio set, or maybe from a movie seen at the local Picture House.

Music Hall was still going; Concert parties were popular as was the local dancing with bands paying (no backing tapes). People made their own entertainment

What is similar though from now and then is the diversity of music.

If you were lucky, you had a Gramophone and could buy records.

There may be a general opinion that it would be Scottish music that would dominate and there would songs and tunes passed on from generation to generation probably more so than today, but there would also be Irish music, Popular Music picked up from the aforementioned sources, Jazz, Ragtime, Swing, Classical, Country, Music Hall songs and like today people would have their preferences.

It is surprising the amount of songs and tunes from before and around that era that you would recognise.

At our last meeting we went through a snap shot of the movie from start to finish with Robert and Peter looking at where we thought a song or tune would fit into the scene   and where the characters themselves would sing or play an instrument or be part of a band for example.

If you are interested in the music you are welcome to come and contribute, you don’t have to be able to play an instrument or sing. You may remember a song or tune that just might be the piece we are looking for.

Cheers

George

A short film clip showing what the choir has been up to:

Choir Practice Jan 04, 2010

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If this looks like fun- make sure to contact us to get involved.

In addition to the BRAG centre in Crosshill, we also held a singing practice in Bowhill.

Here’s a video from the music session:

Bowhill Singing

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