After my last article about the choir, people have said to me that they used to sing in the church or school choir and have thought about taking it up again, but it is daunting after a long break. I know exactly what they mean. I sang with choirs in my youth and it was always my ambition to sing ‘The Messiah’.  The choirs I sang with had members of all abilities, so we learned short pieces, one bar at a time until we knew them by heart. I could read music but could not sight read. Thirty years later I plucked up the courage to join Ryedale Choral  to sing the ‘Millennium Messiah’. It was terrifying and I almost left after the first rehearsal because it seemed too huge, but experienced singers gave me gentle support, and I stuck it out.  I wasn’t perfect at the performance, but Oh Boy was I proud of myself! If I could do it so can you!

            Two years running Ryedale Choral has rehearsed for Christmas concerts, which had to be cancelled because of the weather. This autumn we are doing a Christmas concert, with a programme featuring some of the carols and songs we worked so hard to master and didn’t perform. A carol concert is a very good time to pluck up the courage to take the plunge and come and sing with us. There is a membership fee and a small fee to cover the hire of the music, but we usually allow newcomers to try us out and make up their minds before we ask them to pay anything. We rehearse on Friday evenings in two terms from September to May/June in the Church Rooms, Potter Hill, Pickering. The first full rehearsal is at 7.15 to start singing at 7.30 on Friday, 30th September (though the annual general meeting and a small rehearsal will take place on 23rd  September).

            We are a friendly crowd and always make new members welcome, but we will make a special effort if we know newcomers are likely to be nervous - and there is a break for tea and biscuits (30p last season) when we socialise and you can make new friends.  Why not turn up and give us a try, or encourage a friend or family member to join?

 Mary Cowton.