Over 2 days Scott will work on pieces from his song cycle Songs of Life and Liberty, as well as introducing traditional Gospel songs.
Participants will also have the chance to work with Michael, as he will be joining the group on Sunday.  These workshops are more suitable for experienced singers or those who have sung with Scott before.

Participants in the workshop will be provided with a seat at the Celebration Concert, and will also perform on stage in the prestigious Hall 1 at The Sage Gateshead

It’s not too late to book.  Email info@20000voices.org or phone 01670 852445 for more information and a booking form

with Michael Harper
Saturday 3 March, 10.00am – 4.00pm
Trinity Church, High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4AG
Fees: £35/£32 concessions

Uplifting Gospel is a one-day workshop suitable for all singers. No experience of Gospel singing is needed – just come and be inspired by one of our most popular & charismatic leaders.  Michael will be accompanied by Abe Hampton on keys. 

Michael will introduce a mixture of traditional songs and spirituals together with more modern pieces.  Participants in the workshop will be invited to perform at the concert on Sunday 4 March, 8 pm at the Sage Gateshead.

For more information and a booking form please email info@20000voices.org or phone 01670 852445

Tickets, price £10,  for the Celebration Concert on Sunday 4 March are available from The Sage Gateshead 0191 443 4661 or online www.thesagegateshead.org (search by date)

What’s similar?
- Led by Peter Brown and Anne Suggate
- Same time and place: Fridays 3.45 – 5.00 pm at The Duchess’s High School, Bailiffgate Site
- No auditions
- Great mixture of songs: round the world, rounds, ballads, popular, shows, folk and “comical” songs

Alnwick Boys Choir – Spring 2012
Rehearsals: Fridays 24 February to 30 March
Performance in Embleton on Friday 30 March
Fees: £20 for the course

For more information contact 01670 852445 or email info@20000voices.org

This sudden climb was due partly to the Local Giving Christmas Matched Funding Scheme in December, and partly due to a generous donation in memory of  Ruth Lade Bottomley ‘who loved music and sharing her love of it with family and friends’. 

We have also recently heard that there will be another Local Giving matched funding scheme starting on 1st March.  We are waiting to hear the details of the scheme – but we hope you will help us take advantage of this opportunity when it comes.

Silver Singers groups are open to anyone aged over 50. New members are always welcome and no experience is needed – just come along and see what singing can do for you! 

Singing is good for your physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.  Exercise your lungs and core muscles, make your brain work and improve your memory,  make new friends and have fun laughing and singing together.

Seaton Sluice – Tuesdays, 10.30–12.00, with Jane Harland
Morpeth – Tuesdays, 10.30 – 12.00, with Bridie Jackson
Ashington – Tuesdays, 1.15 – 2.45, with Jane Harland
Alnwick – Fridays, 1.15 – 2.45,  with Anne Suggate
Fee: £3.00 per session

All groups meet from the week commencing 9 January.  There are no rehearsals in half-term – week commencing 13 February.  Spring term finishes week commencing 26 March.

Enjoy a coffee, while the  Alnwick Silver Singers entertain you with their programme of songs for everyone.
We plan to start a new, regular Silver Singers in Wooler, and you will be able to find out more about a six week taster course – details below. 

Silver Wooler Taster Course
With Veronica Gilbert
Thursdays, 10.30 – 12.00
23 February; 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 March
The Cheviot Centre, Wooler
Fee: £3 per session

Veronica Gilbert will lead six sessions to introduce you to the fun of singing. Everyone is welcome – no previous experience is necessary, and you don’t need to read music.  Regular singing is proven to be good for your well-being – and singing in a group  is a healthy, sociable and inexpensive pastime.
We hope to start a regular Silver Singers in Wooler from April 2012.

2012 marks an amazing 10 years of the 20,000 Voices Gospel singing project. It’s hard to believe that it’s all that time since the first group of 60 singers met in Ashington for a workshop with Scott Stroman. Since then our singers have had the opportunity to work with some truly inspiring leaders, & perform with nationally & internationally renowned musicians in venues across the north east.

The enthusiasm of our singers has been amazing, and we couldn’t let this anniversary go by without a big celebration – we hope you will all want to join in!  As well as being our celebration, we are thrilled that the weekend is part of Music Nation, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad for 2012.

Some of our singers have gone on to sing regularly with The North East Gospel choir, which formed from this project. We are delighted that the choir & their leader, Sharon Durant, will be joining in the celebrations. They will be working with Michael Harper, and performing in the finale concert.
The weekend will include a workshop for Silver Singers, plus a choice of workshops with Michael Harper or Scott Stroman. The weekend will culminate in a concert at The Sage Gateshead with performances by Michael & Scott, the North East Gospel Choir, and workshop participants.

We are just finalising some details for the various activities, and they will gradually be posted on our projects’ page.  Meanwhile the basic schedule is:

Fri 2 March, 1.00 – 3.00 pm, Gospel Workshop for Silver Singers
Sat 3 March, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm, Uplifting Gospel – Michael Harper
Sat 3 March, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm, Songs of Life and Liberty –  Scott Stroman
Sun 4 March, 10.30 am – 1.00 pm, Songs of Life and Liberty
Sun 4 March, 2.00 – 4.00 pm, NE Gospel Choir work with Michael Harper
Sun 4 March, 5.00 – 7.00 pm, Rehearsal for Concert
Sun 4 March, 8.00 – 9.15 pm, Concert – finale  

For more information or a booking form please contact info@20000voices.org or phone 01670 852445

Wednesday evenings: Feb 22, 29; March 7, 14, 21, 28,
7.45 – 9.30pm

Lesbury Village Hall, near Alnwick

Course Fee: £35/£30 concessions

20,000 Voices has encouraged hundreds of people to sing through this popular Find Your Voice course for shy and inexperienced singers. Sessions are very informal, supportive, and great fun. So if you’ve always wanted to sing but have never had the opportunity, if you’ve been told you can’t sing or if you just want to improve your confidence singing in a group – come along and we’ll help you to ‘find your voice’

For more information or a booking form please email info@20000voices.org or phone 01670 852445

with Sandra Kerr

Wednesday 1 February, 7.30 – 9.30pm
Bell View Resource Centre, Belford

We are very sorry, but the Belford session has been postponed due to Sandra’s other commitments.  We will arrange another date in due course.

Wednesday 28 March, 7.30 – 9.30pm
Recital Room, Armstrong Building, Newcastle University

Fee: £10 / £9 concession per session

These Scaling the Heights workshops are part of a continuing series, which are being repeated around the region. Come & explore ways of improving your vocal technique in a friendly & supportive group. Learn about areas such as range, projection, breath control & tonal variety, as well as ways of developing confidence in your performance.