An Educational Journal
Feb 2015 No 54
The Performing Arts
The Carlisle U3A
Ukulele Band
In this issue
SOURCES
1 Front Cover Picture: Tony Thornton Carlisle U3A
Sources is published by: The Third Age Trust
19 East Street, Bromley BR1 1QE
Tel: 020 8466 6139 E-mail: [email protected]
Sources is copyright and circulated only to U3A members
Nothing may be reproduced without permission
3 Swanland Singers: Diane Ford Swanland U3A
4 Variety Theatre: Dennis Lee/Alma Harrison Upholland U3A
5 Jazz In The Third Age : Ray Wilson St Albans U3A
In the next issue
6 Enjoy Performing: John Busbridge N Cotswold U3A
The theme of the next issue No 55 in June 2015 will be
Health and Well-Being
For Issue No 56 in Sept 2015 the focus will be on:
Anniversaries, Celebrations and Community Links
7 Torfaen Drama: Kath Haughton: Torfaen U3A
Contributions are considered for inclusion by an editorial panel.
For No 55 please submit them not later than 24 April – via the
national office or direct to the editor at:
Gelt Mill House, Castle Carrock, Brampton CA8 9NQ
You can send them by e-mail to [email protected]
(preferred), on CD or cleanly typed suitable for scanning. Every
effort will be made to acknowledge them. Contributors are
advised to discuss their story with the editor before submission
or request a copy of our writers guidelines.
9 Play Reading: Dorothy Ford Carlisle U3A
7 Online With A Difference: Val Bannister Bridgewater U3A
8 Resource Centre News: Susan Radford
9 From Combo To Band: Roger Wyatt Evesham U3A
10 SLP Museum On The Move: Jo Walters
11 SLP Isaac Newton’s Grantham: John Down
12 SLP The Coming Of The Railways
13 Groups Coordinators: Beth Butler Chepstow U3A
How to receive Sources
14 Square Dancing: Elsa Millard Spelthorne U3A-K2
ources is published in February, June and September. Back
numbers can be viewed online and printed. Visit the Third
Age Trust website at www.u3a.org.uk. You will need Adobe
Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded free.
S
15 Swing Time In Bath: David Brunskill U3A in Bath
16 The Carmine Chorus: Lisa Dacks Llandudno Area U3A
17 Singing For Fun: Judy Sansom Northampton U3A
Feedback
18 Light-Bulb Moments: Tony Thornton Carlisle U3A
f you have any comments on topics in this issue please write
to the editorial panel, c/o U3A National Office or e-mail the
editor at: [email protected] Tel: 01228 670403
Note that the views expressed within are those of the
contributors and not those of the Third Age Trust.
I
R
egretfully I have to
inform you that I am
retiring as editor of
U3A Sources. I have been
doing the job for ten years
and Pat and I have decided
that it’s time for me to ease up
a bit.
I now run a study group in
Carlisle U3A and I just want
to concentrate on that.
However I won’t be leaving
just yet. I have the next issue
to do and I’ll be carrying on
after that until a replacement
can be found.
The Third Age Trust is now
inviting anyone who would
19 A Year In The Life: Mike Wimpress Northampton U3A
19 Drama And Theatre Handbook: David Morton Ilkley U3A
20 Drama And Theatre Handbook
like to take over to contact
National Office. They can
also contact me direct to find
out more about what’s
involved.
If required there will be
ample opportunity for me to
work with the new editor to
ensure a smooth transition.
Meanwhile it’s business as
usual as we look ahead to
Issue No 55 Health & WellBeing
which
will
be
published in June.
This covers various topics
and a previous issue included
Walking (of course!), Tennis,
Dancing, Exercising, Keep
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
In my view
Fit, Tai Chi, Croquet, Cycling,
Orienteering, even Memory
Training.
It could well be that your
group is involved with some
other activity, in which case
I’d be delighted to receive an
e-mail about it.
In this issue we feature
members who have an inate
desire to perform. Where
better to realise this than in a
U3A study group? Instead of
sitting on their talent they
2
Editor
have either joined a group or
formed one.
I’ve been running my
ukulele group for three
months and it’s a treat to see
the pleasure people get from
learning to play a musical
instrument so late in life.
I’m so proud of my group
and I’m delighted to tell you
about it on page 18 (and on
the front cover too!).
Well, if I’m going I might
as well go out with a bang.
Diane Ford : Swanland U3A
Subject Adviser for Singing and Playing
The second reason is to do with choice of repertoire. In theory
we can sing any unaccompanied vocal music written between
say, 1500 and the present day. In other words, the musical world
is our oyster. However, we are most at home singing music
post-1700 and avoiding all but the simplest 20th century styles.
We do not ‘do’ complex rhythms or harsh dissonance. The great
advantage of putting together a programme of a cappella music
is that we can go almost anywhere to give a concert.
When we do sing to accompanied music, we are fortunate to
have friends who are accomplished pianists or organists and
who are willing to play for us.
During the last few years we have sung music by Purcell,
Monteverdi, Parry, Mendelssohn, Faure, Mozart, plus folk and
traditional song arrangements, part songs and occasionally,
arrangements of songs from the shows.
We have even had two pieces composed for us: Tarantella by
Geoffrey Kinder and The Oxen by Anthony Ford.
Rehearsals are mostly fortnightly. We work hard, have a
splendid atmosphere, always some laughter, always musical
progress. A choir is such an excellent focus for sociability as
well as a musical experience.
We organise with a small committee of five. The hardest job
by far is looking after the music, books and sheet music. Just try
getting 45 of us to return copies promptly after concerts without
losing any of it.
This is a work of art for our two librarians who share this
sometimes frustrating task. Otherwise it is a question of keeping
tabs on our financial situation, fixing concert venues and dates,
organising publicity. Even a small choir generates a lot of work.
My Work As A Subject Adviser
I enjoy regular contact with all kinds of vocal and instrumental
groups from all parts of the country. During the years the letters
have disappeared in favour of email and, less often, the ’phone.
Many of the problems for music groups are just the same as
15 years ago and relate to copyright, repertoire, starting a group
and lack of accompanists. One definite change is the emergence
of ukulele groups.
I try to respond positively to all queries, but sometimes that
response is rather slow when I am busy with musical activities.
Do contact me but please be patient for the reply.
Tel: 01482 343199 [email protected]
S
wanland U3A Singers is an enthusiastic group of 44
singers plus conductor (that’s me!). Our musical
backgrounds are varied with some experienced singers
belonging to other choirs in the area. Others are newcomers to
the world of choral singing so reading the dots on the page is a
bit of a mystery.
And we have men – seven tenors and ten basses. I mention
this because those of you who contact me (with my adviser’s hat
on) lament the lack of them. We are fortunate indeed.
The choir is numerically the largest group in our U3A and we
give three or four concerts every year, mostly in and around
East Yorkshire.
Each concert includes about 15 choir items – quite a lot to
learn. We usually add some poetry and occasional instrumental
items by some of the best musicians in our area. These give
choir members a chance to sit down for a rest and give variety
to our audiences. Speakers are either members of the choir or of
the wider Swanland U3A membership.
Unless we are performing for our own U3A we charge for
admission, £5-£7.50 depending on what refreshments are
provided at the end. £5 will get you only tea/coffee and biscuits,
but for £7.50 you might get a light supper and a glass of wine.
Our last concert in North Ferriby Church was followed by
Pimms, fruit cake and Wensleydale cheese – a great success.
Some of our profit goes towards buying music – 45 copies of
everything we sing is a financial burden. At a rough estimate
our concerts work out at £50 per minute. Frightening! But we
have relentlessly built up a library of everything we sing (and
no illegal photocopies) during the 15 years of our existence. We
have also given more than £15,000 to a variety of charities.
We sing unaccompanied for two reasons. When we started out
in 1999 there were about 20 of us and our small rehearsal room
had only a poor piano, one that just about sufficed for notelearning, but inadequate for accompaniments in concerts.
While it is undoubtedly harder to cope with a cappella
singing, we were obliged from the start to manage without the
prop of keyboard accompaniment.
3
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
STARTING A VARIETY
THEATRE GROUP
T
owards the end of 2013 Dennis and his wife went to see
a variety show which was staged by Aughton &
Ormskirk, a neighbouring U3A group. They enjoyed the
experience and at the end fell into conversation with a lady who
happened to be Hon Secretary of the South West Lancashire
U3A Network. As a result of that contact and a subsequent visit
to pick the brains of the Aughton & Ormskirk Musical Theatre
Group, it was decided to set up a group.
Advertising by way of the monthly Newsletter, posters, flyers
and personal contact was undertaken and following a positive
response the Variety Theatre Group of Upholland & District
U3A came into being.
Our first meeting in November 2013 attracted 20 curious but
interested members. We agreed to meet twice a month and
present two shows per year. The venue would be St Teresa’s
Hall, Upholland where most of the U3A’s activities are held.
Further deliberations led to a decision to put on a show to
commemorate the centenary of WWI. At the time it appeared a
formidable task with no money, music, scripts, costumes, props
or scenery. Our meeting hall didn’t even have a stage so
obtaining one was a priority.
Anxious days and scratched heads followed but then bingo!
We were fortunate through the kindness of the steward of the
premises, together with the school next door, to borrow a
modular stage free of charge.
An eight-foot high structure on which to hang curtains etc.
was designed so as to enclose the stage area. Meetings with
steel stockholders ensued and tenders for materials were
submitted to the committee who kindly gave us a grant enabling
us to get on with building the framework.
In addition to the cast we identified a director, sound/lighting
technician, publicity, backstage, wardrobe, front of house,
ushers and refreshment volunteers. Tickets and posters had to be
designed, printed and sold. Then came the hard work of
rehearsals during which we had heaps of fun. The dressrehearsal proved to be an anxious time but served its purpose in
concentrating our minds.
Our maiden performance during two evenings in May 2014
was entitled Wigan at War. The show consisted of sketches
illustrating how people reacted to news of the conflict together
with music from that era. An announcer, in bow tie and dress
suit, came onstage to give details of the war’s progress.
From the initial fear and indignation of local women in The
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
Dennis Lee and Alma Harrison: Upholland & District U3A
War Begins then Home Front News, the action moved to a
demonstration of the then new, risqué, Tango dance. It was
followed by the bawdy music hall song ‘I’ll make a man of you’
tempting males to join up to gain the King’s shilling. Next an
officious army sergeant failed in his attempt to drill some
discipline into the local rookies thus providing some humour.
Act 1 concluded with the women having an evening out to
visit Wigan Hippodrome. The bill included Madame Clare
Voyant and Dame Crystal Ball’s ‘mind reading’ act; the
Barbershop Boys; a local monologue; a ukulele ensemble; and
Marie Lloyd with ‘Don’t Dilly Dally On The Way’.
The second Act commenced with a rousing rendition of
‘Mademoiselle from Armentieres’ sung by the chorus and
accompanied by the audience. The focus then moved to Nellie,
sitting alone at home, writing to her son in the trenches.
Later Nellie’s son was seen answering her letters which had
been delayed. The Barbershop Boys sang ‘Wait ‘till The Sun
Shines Nellie’ and ‘Sweet Adeline’. Humorous solo Lancashire
songs followed.
The last sketch showed homesick soldiers in the trenches at
Christmas time. The strains of ‘Stille Nacht’ coming from the
other side resulted in contact with German soldiers who invited
them to a football match in no-man’s land. This was heard but
not seen! The audience was then almost brought to tears by the
monologue ‘Show Us Thi Medals, Dad’, followed by the finale
which was a live rendition of ‘The Last Post’.
The production was a sell-out on both evenings and was well
received by the audience judging by the compliments and
comments. So what were our feelings at the post production
meeting? Overwhelming elation and relief! But guess what,
rehearsals for our next production Variety Showtime are already
underway.
It is well worth the effort, so to anyone out there who is
reading this and considering such a venture we would say GO
FOR IT – your life will never be the same again!
4
j3a
Jazz in the Third Age
Ray Wilson: St Albans U3A
J
azz in the Third Age (j3a) is a band that is inclusive for
musicians whether active, inactive, new to or returning to
jazz. The emphasis is on having fun whilst rehearsing and
improving until we’re ready to perform in public.
As a teenager I was too lazy to learn to read music and too
eager to get playing so I settled for playing bass guitar in blues
bands. When my last blues band folded in 2010 my wife said:
“Go out and find a jazz band. It’s what you want to do.”
Me? – a poor reader and ageing rocker!
Then I found a set of non-auditioning rehearsal big bands run
by band promoter Four Hills. So I joined and developed a way
to make it work. But the band declined until we were playing
with a four-piece frontline and rhythm section – uneconomical
for Four Hills.
When it finished I joined another Four Hills band playing
heritage swing at RAF Hendon. We performed there for the
2014 Battle of Britain Day. I’d liked playing more modern
arrangements in the ‘4-horn’ environment so I thought: ‘If I can
get into jazz at my age then why not other U3Agers?’ And so
grew my vision that became j3a.
Around St Albans U3A there weren’t enough jazzers for a
band, so I trawled the 17 U3As within 30 minutes driving with
little expectation of success. (I had in mind Mike Whitaker’s
image of me, a drummer and three banjo players!)
I contacted Jazz Appreciation groups, Group Coordinators
and Chairmen and after three months I’d located 17 prospects
from 8,500 U3A members. We talked about dates and objectives
and arrived at ten members from St Albans, Dacorum, SW
Herts, Potters Bar and Borehamwood and Elstree U3As.
The big plus was that we had a viable line-up with two altos,
tenor, baritone, piano accordion, two guitars, piano, bass and
drums. Some had/did play in jazz bands, some were in the Herts
Concert Band and some just played for fun with friends. But it
was a goer and we wanted to start playing in public.
We are fortunate to have as our Musical Director a retired
professional musician with teaching experience in the Herts
Schools Music Service and who leads big bands. He
selects/writes arrangements and brings teaching skills and
techniques to bear on our rehearsals.
During the first few sessions he concentrated on getting us
playing in straight ahead unison with a focus on swinging,
syncopation and improvisation, yes improvisation! Having
introduced us to modal scales he got the front line improvising
en masse (comfort in numbers) against a simple backing.
He quipped that before he came to our first rehearsal he said
to his wife: “I’m mad going to work on these grumpy old men.
I should be out doing the gardening.” His wife made the
inevitable riposte: “You’ll be in good company then.” By the
third rehearsal he admitted to looking forward to it.
So where are we now? We’re a group of ten men and one
woman, happy with each other’s company, playing jazz for
ourselves, making a pleasant noise and improving towards
performance standards.
We’re playing simple numbers (with a fusion feel) such as:
Song For My Father (Horace Silver) and Cantaloupe Island
(Herbie Hancock); a bop version of Whistle While You Work
borrowed from Kai Winding; some classic swing: Jersey
Bounce from Benny Goodman; Sidewinder from the soul jazz
era by Lee Morgan; and some contemporary College Band
pieces (Good Luck) from Roger Pemberton.
Our immediate challenges are to move to some more
demanding contemporary arrangements from a Mid-West
arranger and teacher (Jim Martin) mostly arrangements of
standards such as I Can’t get Started and Too Close For
Comfort. Then we’ll be ready to play in public.
We have our first gig pencilled in for the spring with two
other bands that our MD runs. After that we’ll be ready to play
when asked. My biggest challenge as Group Organiser is to find
a trumpeter and a trombonist. The latter are like hens’ teeth but
you’d think we could find a trumpeter in South Herts!
Finally, the keys to our success so far are: know what you
want; communicate it and keep communicating; persevere at
making connections – just announcing an idea doesn’t make it
happen. It’s hard work.
Make sure you have the skills you need in the group. Make
sure everyone feels they’ve achieved something every time
and... have fun, and performance and gigging will follow.
5
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
The Enjoyment Of Performing
Doreen and John Busbridge
North Cotswold U3A
hen our U3A
started in 1996
one of the first study
groups offered was a
Madrigal Group.
We met for the first two years or so
in our house, about ten of us singing
unaccompanied using one of the little
Stainer and Bell madrigal collections
and some later music: folk-songs and
other part songs, sacred and secular.
Our piano was in the room if
required. But there was clearly a
demand from other members to join
which meant moving to a larger
space. This was provided by our
Methodist Church ‘schoolroom’, a
much-valued U3A venue with
excellent kitchen facilities and room
for up to 30 singers.
No piano was available but we had
the use of a small electronic
keyboard to provide the starting
notes. Now we meet in our village
hall where we have an upright piano.
Our numbers are 17 sopranos, 12
altos, 10 tenors and 8 basses.
The greater part of our repertoire is
still a cappella, but we have two
pianists who can provide accompaniments and enable us to enlarge our
repertoire considerably.
We meet once a week from 10am
to noon, except for the third week in
the month, thus giving our conductor
and working committee (librarian,
treasurer, secretary, refreshment
team) some ‘breathing space’.
For various reasons we now wish
to stabilise numbers. When we
perform it can be difficult to find
sufficient space if an audience is also
to be accommodated.
Churches, village halls and so on
often
present
such practical
difficulties. Also, we feel that the
delightful social atmosphere which
has been maintained throughout our
years of growth may be jeopardised
by further expansion.
W
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
North Cotswold U3A Singers
We have a mid-rehearsal coffee
break which is a popular and
necessary feature. We also have to
consider the cost of providing music
for new members joining.
Our prime aim is not to give
performances but the occasional
external concert for charitable
causes, or internal contribution to
social occasions, provide stimulus to
improving our skills.
We don’t ask new members to
audition but expect them to consider
whether they have sufficient
experience to fit in, because the
choir’s sight-reading ability has
improved remarkably over the years.
This has worked well.
Our members pay ‘up front’ twice a
year. The annual subscription is £35,
significantly less than the rates of
nearby choral societies. This covers
hall rental and refreshments, and has
enabled us for the most part to buy
music: well known collections of part
songs and some single pieces.
These remain the property of the
choir and when members are unable
to continue for whatever reason, we
recover their copies. This gives us
flexibility in planning rehearsals and
6
frees us from the need to return
music by a certain date and, with the
demise of inter-library loans, from the
increasing cost of hiring.
We tread carefully in the matter of
copyright when it comes to photocopying, even when using the online
Choral Public Domain Library where
USA copyright rules do not
necessarily apply in UK.
During the years in our Cotswold
Link area we have met with other
U3A singing groups, hosting in
rotation an annual workshop day, and
we have also established a regular
day with a group from further away,
meeting at a venue mid-way
and convenient to both.
For these occasions we usually
invite an experienced conductor from
elsewhere to lead and rehearse us
on an agreed repertoire, offering a
modest fee or gift token.
So we like to think our group
embodies the ideals of U3A: genuine
learning, members increasing their
understanding of musical theory and
learning new repertoire, enjoyment in
practical performing, and warm
camaraderie through which lasting
friendships are made.
Torfaen Drama
Kath Haughton: Torfaen U3A
T
orfaen U3A was established in 2009 and the drama
group of ten women was formed later that year. We
meet once a month for two hours at a community hall.
This is a lively group and we adopt a light hearted approach
to our subject. Each meeting is different. Sometimes we look
at the History of Drama and we have covered the Greek,
Roman and European periods.
We explore various genres and play silly games.
We also read plays and prepare revues to entertain the U3A
membership at the Christmas monthly meeting and on other
occasions.
Only two people have experience of acting and stagecraft
so it was decided that no member of the group would be
required to memorise lines for a public performance.
We are fortunate that we have people with a variety of
skills; orators who can deliver the spoken word with gravitas;
a humorous poet; an accomplished pianist; a creative
programme designer; and a group that is willing to give most
genres a try.
To date we have performed the following:
Pantomime: U3ELLA
Three Christmas Reviews with Various Themes
Remember, Remember (Guy Fawkes)
Remembrance (Poems and songs relating to WWI)
A Tribute to Ivor Novello
A Tribute to Dylan Thomas
At our December meeting we delivered a Santa Special.
Convener Madeline Jones provides a programme for the next
review. She researches and prepares the scripts.
Information is gathered from books and Internet sites and
parts are allocated to volunteers in the group.
At the performances participants read from the scripts.
There are normally two halves: the first half explores the
theme through words and song; the second half expands the
theme or a new theme might be introduced. Community singing
is usually an integral part of the second half.
The drama group seeks to provide an 'acting' experience for
its members and an opportunity to study the origins of theatre.
It gives the general membership of Torfaen U3A a great deal of
pleasure by putting on various types of entertainment.
By responding to requests by outside groups it makes a wider
audience aware of Torfaen U3A and its function.
Online With A Difference
challenging ideas on Gawain and the Plowman. (Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight, Piers Plowman, along with a look at
politics, society, religion, and other shorter works of that time.)
A range of courses has been re-launched, run by tutors and
U3A members direct rather than through national office. When
you decide which one to join, register (free) and when there are
enough students to ensure good bouncy discussion, the (usually)
six units will be emailed to you fortnightly (less pressure than
weekly). These carry subject information and a number of clickon links for more detail on the internet – and a couple of
suggested discussion topics.
Working through the units at your own pace, you can email
your ideas to a single link for all participants, and you and
others will pick up, discuss and chat. At the end of each unit the
tutor will tidy up loose threads and off we go on the next one.
Current courses include: Fairy Tales, Just Before Victoria,
Three Viking Women, Anglo-Saxon Poetry, The Home Front
WWI, Gawain and the Plowman, and in preparation: Utopias,
and Why Wessex? There are U3A members out there just
waiting to share ideas with you. Welcome! Also most welcome
are suggestions and volunteers to provide for new courses.
Details on Steve Lee’s website:
www.steve-lee.co.uk/courseintro.aspx
or email Val at [email protected]
Val Bannister : Bridgewater U3A
ne of the positives of the interactive online courses
available for U3A members is talking with two dozen
individuals, rather than posting on to a 1,000-person
notice board. Discussing, agreeing, compromising, arguing, the
same as if meeting face-to-face.
There is the option to take part when it suits you – day, night,
weekday or weekend – and the fun of opening your email and
finding replies to your discussion points from others who share
your interests.
Your new friends ‘visit’ you at home, though no need to break
off discussion to make the coffee. Getting out is fine but
sometimes difficult due to health or transport. Sometimes the
nearest U3A can be 50 or more miles away – even necessitating
a sea-crossing from the Isles.
There are subjects of deep interest to the few. Even a large
U3A would be unlikely to produce enough interest say, in 14th
century poetry (other than Chaucer!) to run a special interest
group.
But last year more than 30 students, ranging from the Isle of
Mull, through Yorkshire, the wilds of Norfolk, the extremities
of Cornwall and the Isle of Wight, exchanged lively and
O
7
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
The latest acquisitions
from manager Susan Radford
T
he Resource Centre does not hold material on creating
performances, which is this issue’s topic of Performing
Arts. As a non-book library, we do not have plays or
printed music so our stock consists of performances by others.
We have all of the Shakespeare plays on DVD, the BBC
productions, as well as a few other contemporary Jacobean
plays: Volpone by Ben Jonson; Doctor Faustus by Christopher
Marlowe; and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster.
We also have Chamber of Demonstrations: Reconstructing
the Indoor Jacobean Playhouse and Shakespeare’s Globe – a
Day in the Life of a Theatrical Institution, as well as a few other
items on drama.
We have a stock of poetry material with CDs of poets reading
their own works or poems read by others. These span the
centuries from Beowulf to the current Poet Laureate, Carol Ann
Duffy. We have recently added DVDs: The Adventure of
English by Melvyn Bragg, the history of our language; The
Great War Poets; and a biography of Shakespeare previously
held in video format.
We have a large collection of Opera performances on DVD
and have added some new titles recently. Some are more recent
versions of titles already held and some are new titles: Aida;
Alfonso und Estrella; Cosi Fan Tutte; Eugene Onegin; Gemma
di Vergy; Il Barbiere di Siviglia; L’Italiana in Algeri; La
Cenerentola; La Fanciulla del West; La Fille du Regiment;
Manon Lescaut; Matilde di Shabran; Nabucco; The Nose;
Poliuto; and Rigoletto. We have ballet performances too and
new titles are: The Flames of Paris; The Metamorphosis; The
Nutcracker; and The Prince of the Pagodas.
We also have a DVD called Ballet Class for Beginners, which
is an introduction to the art of ballet techniques by David
Howard. The programme introduces the beginner to the
technique and vocabulary of classical ballet. This may interest
those groups that study and watch ballets, to enable them to
understand the movements and French ballet terminology.
For those who may be interested in other dances, we have
DVDs: American Country Line Dancing; Belly Dance Basics;
Social Ballroom Dancing; and Social Latin American Dancing
Salsa. We also have a collection of Jazz CDs and DVDs, as well
as some classical concerts. Please contact us for our Music List.
In other subjects we have new stock. Under Architecture, we
have been given two sets of the series of lectures by Martin
Funnell, the U3A National Subject Adviser for Architecture,
called A Cartoon History of Western Architecture.
This set of lectures on CD-Rom was previously held and
loaned out by Martin but is now available from us. The set
consists of eight CDs. We also have a few new DVDs:
Architects Herzog & De Meuron – Alchemy of Building & Tate
Modern; Frank Lloyd Wright (in English but with a German
voice over some of the film); Infinite Space – the Architecture
of John Lautner; and Magnificent Obsession – Frank Lloyd
Wright’s Buildings and Legacy in Japan.
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
Art DVD acquisitions include: George Costakis The
Collector, about the man who collected Russian avant-garde art;
Julio Gonzalez Sculptor; Goya; Russian artist Malevich; and
Grayson Perry – All in the Best Possible Taste, which looks at
Perry’s analysis of taste and the six tapestries he created from
his research.
We have also found a source of art images online which can
be downloaded for teaching purposes, and have created
PowerPoint presentations of pictures. Artists include: Bawden,
Bomberg, Corot, Crane, Van Goyen, Henry Moore, CRW
Nevinson, Sisley, Sutherland, and Van de Velde. The website is
www.vads.ac.uk which can be accessed from our catalogue.
Other new stock includes: Angkor Wat, a ten minute DVD on
the Cambodian temple site; Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace –
Hampton Court; Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?; a
series of lectures by philosophy professor Michael Sandel; Into
Eternity – Nuclear Waste; and H2Oil. Full content details of all
DVDs can be found on our online catalogue.
We produced new Subject Lists in August. These are
available on request by post or email and can be downloaded
directly from our online catalogue. Type ‘list’ in the search box
and our lists will be displayed.
As ever please note that our material is provided for
educational use in U3A groups and not for personal use or
entertainment and is only for loan, not for sale.
Susan Radford
Resource Centre Manager
The Third Age Trust
19 East Street, Bromley, Kent BR1 1QE
Tel: 020 8315 0199
[email protected]
Open Mon-Thurs 9.30am-4pm
8
Play-Reading
Dorothy Ford: Carlisle U3A (3rd from left)
T
he first meeting of the play-reading group was held on
the 19 June 2009. Five years later we still meet once a
month. During this time we have read 41 plays: Thrillers,
Detective stories, Romances, Comedies, and Farces. We have
not attempted Shakespearean tragedies yet and the oldest play
we have read so far is The Sicilian by Moliere.
We enjoy reading old favourites such as Hobson’s Choice and
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, now out of copyright and
therefore available. We have read The Linden Tree and
Dangerous Corner by JB Priestley and The Winslow Boy by
Terence Rattigan.
We have been baffled with mysteries by Ernest Dudley,
Francis Durbridge, Frank Williams, and RC Sherriff. The
riotous comedies by Ray Cooney, John Chapman, Alan
Ayckbourn and Derek Benfield among others are remembered
with pleasure, as is Tom Stoppard’s Albert’s Bridge.
Most plays are two acts in length and take two sessions to
complete. Currently we are reading It Could Be Anyone Of Us
by Alan Ayckbourn, an unusual play for which Sir Alan wrote
three endings – the cast members do not know ‘who dunnit’. We
are fortunate that the plays are photocopied and slightly
enlarged for us – kinder for older eyes.
For the past four years we have performed at the Carlisle U3A
‘Spring Fling’. We read a short amusing sketch to an audience
of 80 members who apparently enjoyed them.
We are a small group and end each play-reading with
tea/coffee/biscuits and a chat. There are no lines to learn and
everything is friendly and informal.
If there are any Carlisle U3A members who would like to join
us they would be most welcome.
Dorothy Ford: 01228 576436
From Combo To Band
Roger Wyatt : Evesham U3A
F
ollowing our public charity concert last December, a
clarinet player, our newest recruit to the Evesham U3A
Concert Band said: “I enjoyed playing in my first concert
for 35 years. Thanks for making it possible!”
About 15 years ago five of us got together to play music. We
had a couple of clarinets, a saxophone or two, a pianist and me
on trombone. A year a two later I heard about Evesham U3A
which at that time was new.
I went to the open afternoon and found there was no music
playing group. So I joined the U3A and became leader of the
Playing Music For Pleasure group.
We met in my home for the next few years and grew to about
ten players. Then we hired a Church Hall and met twice a
month. We were playing mainly for our own pleasure but
occasionally the public got to hear us at ‘fringe’ events for the
Evesham Festival of Music. We also performed once or twice a
year at our U3A Monthly Meetings.
The group grew and six months ago our U3A committee told
us that there were too many of us to perform in the Evesham
Town Hall where they meet for the monthly meetings.
We wanted to perform in public and so I invited the Poetry
Group to join us in June for a Charity Concert in support of a
local Cancer Charity (The Tracy Sollis Leukemia Trust) started
by Sue the mother of Tracy Sollis who died of Leukaemia
twenty years ago.
It was fitting that Sue played the trumpet solo before speaking
about her charity. Last summer we also played as part of the
fringe for the Winchcombe, Gloucestershire festival of Music
and Arts.
At the same time we renamed ourselves the Evesham U3A
Concert Band to reflect our size. The term ‘concert’ does not
mean that we play only concerts, but is a label to describe a
band of musicians that might play every instrument except
violins, violas and cellos. Our band has 21 players: one flute,
seven clarinets, four saxophones, three trumpets, two horns,
euphonium, trombone, keyboard and bass guitar.
We play many styles of music, ranging from music written in
the 16th century, through Mozart (just the loud bits which
everyone knows) to the 20th century.
We’ve played Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Taxi from the 1960s,
Moon River with my wife Margaret singing and accompanied
by the band, and a selection from the musical Oliver! The
newest piece was a simple but effective arrangement of Skyfall
from the James Bond movie. We believe in performing ‘simple’
music well rather than difficult music badly.
And so during the years our little combo started 15 years ago
has grown into our ‘large’ Concert Band. We hope to continue
to grow and get players to fill some of the gaps. We would like
more flutes, oboe, bassoon and percussion.
We will be holding more concerts in the future. There will be
charity concerts with the Evesham U3A Choir in March, and in
June at the Evesham Festival of Music.
Although we now call ourselves the Evesham U3A Concert
Band we continue to Play Music for Pleasure – for ourselves,
and for the enjoyment of our audiences.
9
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
A Shared Learning Project with the Bethlem
Royal Hospital Archives and Museum Service
Jo Walters
Orpington U3A
B
ethlem Royal Hospital (BRH), the original Bedlam, has
its archives and museum, telling the stories of the staff
and patients associated with the hospital during its 750year history. The museum space situated within the grounds of
BRH in Beckenham, Kent, is limited, with the majority of art,
artefacts and documents kept in storage. Plans are underway to
move to a new display area on site in 2015.
The new name: Bethlem Museum of the Mind.
Our role was to investigate and record verifiable information
about artefacts for use in the new museum space. I had no
shortage of volunteers for this project, so was able to pick a
well-balanced team – a mix of SLP veterans and first timers.
We were given a diverse list of items to research. Some
connected with BRH, others of more general interest and
unknown provenance. From this list we selected items which
interested us. There was everything from a nit comb to wrist
manacles and mostly we researched them as individuals.
During February and March 2014 we met six times in the
cosy confines of the current museum (a combination of prefab
and portacabin). A ready supply of coffee and biscuits and the
promise that we could each take away our own Bethlem Mug at
the end of the project, helped our concentration.
Our learning partnership with the BRH Archives and Museum
staff was a happy and productive experience.
At each meeting, staff members talked about their work,
sharing their knowledge and expertise. We had sessions on
patient records, freedom and constraint, advice and hints on
research and updates on the museum’s plans for the future.
During our first meeting we decided we needed a way of
collating and sharing information. After some discussion, we
settled on Internet storage site Dropbox as the solution. All
members were signed up and invited to use an SLP folder.
We subsequently created sub files into which individuals
posted their contributions as they went along. Museum staff
also had access to these. The system worked brilliantly. Work in
progress was readily available to us and it avoided the endless
copying and handing out of paper. Object Information Sheets
supplied by BRH were completed for all objects to ensure that
our research was recorded in a consistent way.
We grouped items under defined headings. Our research into
a bell, trophies, WWII helmets, a milk bottle etc. revealed some
of the hospital’s more recent history. We investigated a range of
medical equipment including ECT. Drug treatments and the
culture of tobacco use were also covered. The development of
therapies through art and psychological testing provided insight
into the ethos of care. There was more...
Some members have posted information about items on the
Bethlem Blog: Museumofthemind.org.uk
Many of the participants commented on this SLP. The
journeys of discovery were often surprising and unexpected.
Our research led us to visit other museums and collections in the
London area. We reviewed newspapers, perused hospital
committee meetings and reports and consulted online resources.
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
Peter Charles, one of our indefatigable researchers, expressed
the general experience of the group:
“One of the most fascinating things about the project was how
the objects we researched lead on to questions beyond those of
the nature and function of the object. Each one provided a
doorway into a story that tells us about the social history of the
hospital and about the people who moulded its history.”
The group thanks Jayne Cayley who skilfully compiled our
individual contributions into a PowerPoint presentation for the
final feedback session on 25 April. This was supported by a
table display of researched items and lots of cake and coffee.
We had an enjoyable morning sharing an overview of our
findings with staff from BRH, U3A visitors, friends and family.
We distributed illustrated copies of the presentation to everyone
and also to guests who were unable to come.
Did we meet our objectives? We achieved a great deal in a
limited time and the museum staff were pleased. Our research
sometimes bordered on the obsessional because we became
immersed in our quests to dig deeper into the history and
rationale of mundane objects. There is always more to discover.
The evidence, photographs, and supporting documents are
safely stored in Dropbox for use in the future by staff,
volunteers and teachers at the new Bethlem Museum of the
Mind which opens in 2015.
10
John Down
Grantham U3A
Isaac Newton’s Grantham
A Shared Learning Project
U
3A Lincolnshire Network has completed
a Shared Learning Project that took a
year to organise and 15 months to finish.
The project was to transcribed and publish The Grantham
Hall Book, the minute book of Grantham Corporation for the
period 1649 to 1662.
A prominent member of the corporation at this time was the
Apothecary William Clarke. He was landlord and loco parentis
to Isaac Newton while Newton was a pupil at the Grantham
Free Grammar School before going on to Trinity College
Cambridge. We sought to find out more about Clarke and his
influence on the teenage Newton.
This project was initiated in Grantham. Insufficient members
of Grantham U3A volunteered so the project was opened to all
U3As in Lincolnshire. A further 11 members were recruited.
Training took place in October 2013 at Lincolnshire County
Archives where the Hall Book is stored.
The relevant pages of the book were photographed by Trevor
Goodale of Grantham U3A Photography Group. Using internet
Dropbox they were made available to the team members who
could then complete their transcriptions independently.
Accuracy of transcription was important so careful checking
was essential. The original document was hand-written in ink
more than 300 years ago. Different clerks were involved even
within the same year and some hands were clearer than others.
In places ink blots obscured passages and bleed-through from
the other side of the page was a frequent problem.
Unusual words, forms of English, abbreviations, word
endings and superscripts were additional challenges for the
team, as was the problem of inconsistency.
In the original document words and names appear with
different spellings, often in the same paragraph. The use of
upper case letters is haphazard and so is the use, or lack of,
punctuation. The project team has faithfully recorded these
inconsistencies in a ‘literal’ transcription.
To ensure these inherent difficulties did not affect the
production of accurate transcriptions, we adopted the following
protocol. Each year was transcribed by one member only,
although some members transcribed more than one year.
Each transcription was checked by another team member,
then returned to the original transcriber who revised the work as
appropriate before being checked by a third team member. The
original transcriber maintained full control over changes and
where discrepancies remained unresolved the pages were sent
to an adviser for adjudication.
All work was done at home with team members nominally
spending eight hours per week on the project. Occasional team
meetings were held to maintain continuity, advertise progress
and stimulate interest.
Finally the transcriptions were ‘normalised’ and edited by
team member Dr John Manterfield to produce an edition that is
uniform in appearance and consistent in the application of
transcription rules.
The first batch of transcriptions was launched on the
Lincolnshire Archives website as part of Grantham’s Gravity
Fields Festival last September.
William Clarke’s house where Isaac Newton lodged
The remaining pages are now available on the website:
www.lincstothepast.com
Click on Exhibitions, then Places and Newton’s Grantham.
Each entry shows a complete year with the original on one side
and the transcription on the other. This feature, and other
technical support, was provided by Barbara Manterfield of
Grantham U3A.
We hope that Lincoln Record Society will publish the
transcriptions in print in due course. By publishing these
transcriptions online, together with images of the original
pages, we have shared the material with a worldwide audience
including academics, scholars and historians.
Following our success, the team has decided to continue to
research this period of Grantham’s history, using a variety of
other original sources.
11
Team Members
Joanne Bramwell, Branston : Jan and Nigel Christmas, Louth
Patience Gibb, Wellingore : Josephine Hewitt, Grantham
Dr John Manterfield, Grantham : Anna Mauro-Pearce, Grantham
Jackie Searl, Bourne : Elaine Thurgood, Bailgate and Lincoln
Dr Mandy Topp, Sleaford : Team Leader John Down
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
Eunice Clement & Gillian Pitt
I
n the summer of 2012, 12 members
of a Crawley U3A History Group
and Crawley Museum Society met
to discuss a proposal from their Chair
Gillian Pitt. (Yes, she does Chair both
groups.)
Someone had suggested setting up an
exhibition about the effect on the small
town of Crawley of the construction of
the railway between London and
Brighton in 1841.
The London, Brighton and South
Coast Railway (known as the
LB&SCR or Brighton Line) was
formed on 27 July 1846.
At its peak the railway formed a
triangle with its base along the south
coast from Portsmouth to Hastings and
its apex in London.
Gillian thought we might pool efforts
in the form of a Shared Learning
Project. Most of us had not heard of
Shared Learning Projects but had no
objections to having a go – fresh blood
and all that. At our first meeting we
were split into two groups and agreed to
meet in the autumn to identify our areas
of interest.
We were prompted by a booklet
entitled Crawley: a Victorian New Town
the outcome of a WEA class in the mid70s. The tutor who edited their booklet
wrote that:
‘There are many questions still
unanswered. What we hope is that this
booklet will provide a framework and
guidelines for future students’.
Three decades later we took up this
challenge. In October 2012 we put
forward suggestions varying from the
effects on the big country estates in
existence at that time, to the
development of housing for incoming
workers and new work opportunities.
We decided to broaden our study
geographically to include Ifield and
Three Bridges, two outlying villages in
the 1840s which became part of the post
war new town of Crawley. We also
extended our timescale to WWI.
Reports at the next meeting brought
news of new sources discovered; work
done with groups at Sussex University
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
A Shared Learning Project
Langley’s Steam Joinery Works - 1880s
Continuing Education courses; and Sale
Catalogues consulted at the Library.
Some members were frustrated and
others boldly predicted the work they
would be producing.
By January 2013 we were considering
copyright issues which would affect any
resulting publications, but we were
cheered by the news from West Sussex
Local History Librarian Martin Hayes
that images from two useful websites
were available.
Gillian had also set up a meeting at
Crawley Library with the Information
Librarian who would set out relevant
maps for us.
The issue of quoting information
sources is important where booklets or
captions are to be sold or displayed to
the public. Our 12 researchers had
different methods: some went to the
local history studies shelves, others to
the research sections in the Reference
Library. (Consulting the reference
librarians can save tedious hours of
peering at vertically printed titles.)
Some did their research on foot using
12
cameras and interviews with local
residents with leases and documents.
One unexpected source was a sheaf of
cartoons from Punch on Railway Mania
sent by a helpful county librarian.
Whatever the source, we learnt by
bitter experience to take a note on a
designated page before forgetting the
details. A pleasanter experience was
that of writing to an author via the
publisher for permission to print a
photograph
and
receiving
an
enthusiastic agreement.
Our early forecasts for completion
within a year were being adjusted and
two members had decided their plans
would not be feasible. However,
meetings in March and April and the
Library session were enjoyable. We saw
how our work was overlapping and
complementing that of the others.
Members of the group have learned a
lot on their research journey. There have
been frustrations with boundary
changes in areas used in successive
censuses which made comparisons over
time difficult.
cont...
The Case for Groups Coordinators
Beth Butler
Chepstow U3A
Are you tactful? Patient?
Are you a good listener? Interested in people?
Ingenious? A hard worker?
f so you are qualified to be the Groups Coordinator for your
U3A. Armed with the list of Subject Advisers and the lists
of what is available from the Resource Centre, you could be
the most important person on the committee.
There are still some U3As that don’t have a Groups
Coordinator. That is not just because there is no one who has the
qualities listed above. Sometimes the role is thought to be
unnecessary. Sometimes the group leaders (we know you have
different titles. Please accept this as shorthand) say they don’t
want someone ‘poking their nose into their groups’. Both these
‘reasons’ fail to recognise what are the functions of the
coordinator.
It is generally agreed that the special interest groups are the
great strength of the U3A movement. While there is no doubt
about the truth of that, the groups comprise people and people
can have problems.
It is too easily accepted that one enthusiast can lead a group
until time or fate intervenes. This is not really fair to the leader
or the group – or even to the activity being led. This provides
one part of the coordinator’s job, and it is the one which can
result in accusations of ‘interfering’.
It is also why tact is required. If either the leader or the group
is unhappy it is useful for there to be an understanding outsider
to whom they can tell their troubles, which can range from the
leader being tired, the group getting bored, or just one person
being difficult. A row within the group could destroy it. A
diplomat offering suggestions could save it.
‘Shared learning’ is the principle that drives U3A. It means
that a group leader can rely on the other members of the group
looking things up and taking a turn to lead the session.
The better this works, the easier it is for the leader to keep
I
going or to retire without the group breaking up. The ‘I can’t do
it like Fred did’ is a dangerous syndrome, to be avoided. The
coordinator, when welcoming a new leader can make this clear
and provide guidance on how to ensure it happens.
What else do the coordinators do? Well, the simplest job is to
make sure the committee knows how many groups there are and
how well they are getting on or whether new leaders should be
sought.
Then, they should also follow up requests for new groups and
try to find leaders and takers. The coordinator needs to be aware
of the suitability of venues and have suggestions for when new
ones are needed.
If some groups have waiting lists, the coordinator should be
prepared to find or guide a new leader, pointing out the
usefulness of the Subject Advisers and the Resource Centre.
There are other uses as well – not duties, uses. Knowing who
doesn’t belong to any group (and why) is important. Knowing
that all members are aware that they have a duty to do all they
can for their U3A is vital.
Parochialism is practically a vice among U3As. Even those
with network secretaries often don’t see themselves as an
essential part of the network (association, combination, link or
whatever it calls itself).
This can mean great possibilities of support are lost. If the
group coordinators within a network get to know each other, the
possibilities of broadening and strengthening groups are
multiplied.
Would-be leaders could visit successful groups; neighbouring
groups could share venues and/or leaders; competitions could
be organised; and study days could share the best from all local
groups.
If you are a group coordinator, ask your network to arrange a
meeting for all of you. It could be the start of something big.
H
owever we were interested to note the contrasting
development of Three Bridges, which became the centre
of a railway community on a busy rail junction. This yielded
rich material for our study.
Ifield remained largely agricultural and comparatively
untouched by the coming of the railway until late in our
period when a halt was opened on a branch line which led to
house building for commuters.
We thought about the work necessary to put on an
exhibition and to produce a booklet to accompany it and were
relieved to find that our Curator Helen Poole would be
overseeing this.
Regrettably, it proved impossible to produce more than nine
finished studies for compilation before 2014 but the booklet
finally produced by Helen and printed by our President Nick
Sexton is a remarkably attractive and interesting publication.
The exhibition was up for two months but had to give way
to WWI comemorations. So we shall be looking for other
venues for our completed effort: The Coming of the Railways
and their Impact on Crawley.
Level crossing at Crawley with LB&SCR engine
We hope our experience may be of some value in preparing
other U3A groups for their own Shared Learning Projects
13
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
The Spelthorne Modern American Square
Dance Group was formed in January 2011
when there was a drive by the Square
Dance Callers Club UK to get more people
into the square dance movement
F
rank Dowthwaite, as a dancer with the U3A Folk Dance
Group in Laleham, suggested that the U3A may be a good
source for new square dancers.
The reply was: “Okay, when are you going to start?” That was
not the idea he had in mind but on reflection he thought: “Why
not, I have the equipment?”
With me as partner equally as keen on American Square as
English Folk dance the decision was taken. Thus the
SU3A/SU3A-K2 Modern American Square Dance Joint Group
was started in January 2011, at that time the only square dance
club (SDC) in Surrey. Now we have another U3A group in New
Malden run by Granville and Wendy Spencer (Hogsmill Squares).
Help came from John Stannard in Poole and Susie Kelly in
Hemel Hempstead who already run successful U3A groups.
To date we have 40 members including 20 of the 2011 starters
with an annual intake of a square (eight people). There are three
squares dancing each week. Those who have completed the
course (moves laid down by the The British Association of
American Square Dance Clubs) can dance at any club in this
country or abroad.
Twenty members dance to callers Edna and John Kislingbury
who run the Cranford SDC and are the founders of the
Wokingham U3A SDC Group. They work closely with us
covering for each other when needed.
The Recycled Teenagers represented SU3A-K2 with two
squares dancing in Denby’s Vineyard at the U3A Anniversary
on 7 November 2011 where Frank and I also took part in the
Sources Feb 2015 No 54
Elsa Millard: Spelthorne U3A-K2
Folk Dance display. Other displays have been given at various
Church functions and other events: St Mary’s Church, Sunbury;
Methodist Church in Staines; the Choral Society in Ashford;
and we will be doing another barn dance at the Methodist
Church in Epping for charity.
The dancing is walking with hand or arm turns to the beat of
music of several genres.
In the early days, visiting couples with the most experience
danced with the second couple on the right, then the opposites
and finally with the least experienced couple to complete the
round. This gave everyone a demonstration of the moves to be
made. Then in turn the numbers 2, 3 & 4 lead.
Nowadays the aim of the caller is to keep everybody moving
and circulate partners. This sometimes means that the
heads/sides get different moves. Example:
Heads promenade halfway, sides right and left through. Doesay-doe partner, turn to corner, swing her and promenade. After
four times original partners will be back together.
These moves would be set to music which is still provided by
one of thousands of specially produced four-minute records.
(mostly seven equal parts of 64 beats). The tunes can be
Memory (from the show Cats), Tipperary (from WWI), Rock
and Roll (from the 60s onward). They are all in Frank’s
collection of about 800 records.
That could be more than two full days of continuous music to
exercise mind and body or 1½ to 3 hours weekly.
The ‘Recycled Teenagers’ motto on our name badges, banner
and car doors together with our mascots have to be explained in
that we take U3A qualifying members and make them feel
much younger (See SU3AK2 Groups for more information).
The opportunity to start with the SU3A-K2 Square Dancing is
during this month (February 2015). People who are listed as
interested will be welcome to join in the fun and friendship.
14
Swing Time
In Bath!
David Brunskill: U3A in Bath
O
ne aspect of life which does not pass
Bath by is culture and the arts. The
selection of Bath as a World Heritage
Site in 1979 recognised the abundance of music, theatre,
museums and historic places of interest which provide
entertainment at all levels in and around the city
But in 2011 there was a dearth in mass music making at U3A
in Bath. Apart from a lively recorder group there was no active
singing or playing ensemble despite a membership of some
2,000. I realised there were plenty of choirs and orchestras in
the city to satisfy those who enjoyed classical music, but spotted
a gap in the lighter side – Swing.
I was convinced that the U3A generation would appreciate
this music of their youth so I contacted Chairman Ron Court
with his plan. Ron’s response took all of three seconds: “Can I
join?” and the group was born.
I played keyboard and Ron played bass guitar so we put an ad
in the Newsletter. Six members turned up and the blend of
instruments was just right – they formed a rhythm section and
some frontline instruments.
The next task was to arrange some parts for the band to play.
Ron: “With our mix of instruments there were few commercial
arrangements we could use. I downloaded some midi files to
score out parts and David used his experience to write fuller
melodic parts from sheet music. Between us we soon had a
repertoire of about 12 tunes. The first session was in August
2011. By November there were 11 players, and fortnightly
sessions have continued ever since.”
Initially it was the ‘Swing Band’ and there was much
discussion about the style of music to be played. I didn’t want
to be limited to an era such as pre-war rag music or just bigband music. We were being joined by a wonderful variety of
instrumentalists: flautists, clarinetists, and violinists, so we
could play rock and latin as well as dance music.”
The definition of their music evolved as rhythmic music, and
the repertoire has gradually grown to include Beatles, American
Song Book, Queen, Glenn Miller, rock, traditional jazz, ragtime
and some pops.
A further issue was the band name. The purpose of the band
was not merely to pass the time and have fun, it was to progress.
The phase in life of most U3A members is an opportunity for
new discovery or development, not to sit back.
I wanted to incorporate as much variety and contemporary
music as possible on top of our core of swing and dance-era
numbers, not music to sleep to. I was looking to play the
unexpected, to keep some excitement, some edge.
Then through the letterbox came Third Age Matters for
January 2012, with a great cover picture of a U3A hiker
standing on one leg on a high rock, the other outstretched into
space with the caption ‘On the Edge’. He was taking on the
world! Bingo, it was serendipity, so we’re now On the Edge.
We are well supported by the U3A in Bath committee. To
show their commitment, we were invited for our first gig to play
at the 2012 Bath AGM in July, and this triggered a flurry of
extra rehearsals. All went well, and solos by Tom Doughty
(trumpet), Joyce Denyer (violin) as well as Ron Court’s vocals
were acclaimed.
On The Edge
Since then, through word of mouth and with further
advertising, band numbers have increased to 20 (five saxes, four
brass, rhythm section, clarinets, flutes, violins), and an
outstanding female vocalist Viv Jackson has joined.
There is a repertoire of 40 pieces and we have performed
several times in public, most notably at the Party in the City as
part of the 2013 Bath International Music Festival. In summer
last year we played in the Parade Gardens in central Bath, as
well as at various fetes and other functions.
U3A is essentially a day-time organisation, so we don’t seek
regular evening bookings, but a couple of public performances
in each term gives us something to practise for.
So the future looks bright, although our development is up for
discussion. I want the music quality to keep improving. This
might mean more frequent practices, or more private study.
More players might apply to join so do we accept them and
double-up parts, or move up to concert band size, or form
another band (Off the Edge?)?
Is it fair to enjoy exciting new music when we haven’t
polished up previous scores? There’s always something keeping
plans on the edge: In the band there is already some excellent
coaching of average players by the good players.
In the tradition of Bath, the emergence and survival of On the
Edge has encouraged two other performance groups to spring
up in the U3A.
The Choir, led by Sue West, pursues a generally classical style
for mixed voices, but did join the band for a rendition of When
I’m Sixty-Four (it had to be that song) at the 2013 U3A AGM.
At an altogether louder level, a six-piece 1960s rock-group
‘Palaeontology’ including Ron Court, David Hollings (guitar)
Des Wighton and Phil Ashby (sax) from On the Edge has set up
and is packing them in at local gigs for charitable causes.
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Lisa Dacks
Llandudno Area U3A
The Carmine Chorus
ales is renowned for its
choirs and a love of
singing and North Wales is
no exception.
When my partner and I arrived in
Llandudno we were hoping to join a choir. We had always
sung in choirs in Manchester. However, we could not find
a choir which suited our needs. There were a capella
choirs, choral societies, amateur operatic societies, male
voice choirs and seasonal choirs.
Having recently retired, we were looking for something
relaxing and enjoyable, but with structure and a certain
amount of challenge. Three years later we were
introduced to a group of people who sang with the
Penmaenmawr U3A singing group.
This was enjoyable but not stimulating enough.
At this time Llandudno did not have a U3A. So two years
ago, not knowing what I was letting myself in for I
contacted National Office. Soon afterwards, with excellent
support, the Llandudno Area U3A was set up.
At the inaugural meeting more than 350 people joined
and signed up for around 25 activity groups. There were
16 names on my choir list and the offer of a pianist, Sylvia,
to accompany us. I then found a venue.
I have no formal musical training. I learnt to play the
piano as a child but didn’t get far. My aim was to have a
mixed choir with balanced voices. I did not audition
anyone, although I stipulated that they had to be able to
sing in tune because the branch would also have an
informal singing group.
All this took a great deal of courage because we had no
conductor. With no previous experience, I had to take on
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this role and the choir members had to follow and accept
my gestures.
In the true spirit of the U3A, everyone supported me and
continued attending. We showcased the choir last
November and our numbers increased. We also gave
performances at our Open Day and in Care Homes.
We now have 54 on role, including 17 men, with a
regular attendance of around 40. Our ages range from the
mid-50s to the late-80s. One of our members, Beryl, has
taken over the position as conductor.
She regularly conducts another group when singing for
charity during the summer season. So her expertise is
greatly valued. We sing every Thursday morning at the
community centre.
We now have a committee which comprises me as
musical director, Chris B as membership secretary and
Chris D, who arranges performances. I meet with the
pianist regularly to decide on the repertoire.
We sing folk songs, pop songs, songs from the shows
and sometimes religious songs. We do two-part
harmonies but do not want to spoil the fun by introducing
anything too complicated.
Three months ago, the committee decided that it was
time to give ourselves a name and a ‘uniform’. We decided
to have red polo shirts so I suggested the name Carmine
Chorus. This was adopted.
We have had requests for future performances including
one to raise funds for ‘Cruse’, the bereavement service,
and the local hospice. As the choir goes from strength to
strength, with a number of experienced singers joining our
group, we look forward to another successful and fulfilling
year in 2015 for our members.
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Singing for Fun
Judy Sansom: Northampton U3A
A
definition of singing, according to
the Chambers Dictionary is: ‘The
utterance of melodious sounds in
musical succession to emit more or less
songlike sounds’.
The words ‘more or less’ are important here! On arrival at
Holy Trinity church hall, people could be heard saying: ‘I can’t
sing but I like singing’. And this was the reason for holding the
session – to accommodate those amongst us who love to sing
but who couldn’t or wouldn’t join a choir.
Let’s return to the beginning. About three years ago, a few
U3A members requested a singing group for enthusiasts who
couldn’t sing well but just enjoyed having a go. From this, a
small monthly group of seven was formed, meeting in the
piano-playing leader’s home, singing songs from the 20s and
30s and researching songwriters of the time.
We were greatly helped by the enthusiasm and huge
knowledge of our leader’s husband, a talented jazz musician.
Subsequently, more people expressed an interest but we were
limited by the size of our leader’s front room.
And so it was that we decided to hold a Sing-along, hosted by
the small group but held in a church hall. Hopefully from this,
someone would be moved to start a second group. Well it was a
success; 25 people travelled musically through England,
Ireland, Scotland and Wales, singing songs remembered from
school days. We discovered we could no longer hit the high
notes but it didn’t matter because we were singing for the sheer
fun of it. Melodious or not, we had a brilliant morning and
everyone left smiling.
From that first Sing-along, a thriving new monthly session
has grown with 50-plus members on the register. Somehow I
became the leader – a non musician with a growing library of
Evolution of a group
song books and sheet music. Our programme has developed and
we sing a mixture of traditional, popular, mostly from the 40s,
50s & 60s, silly songs and songs from the shows.
We sometimes do a small amount of low grade work on a
song to improve our rendition but NEVER anything threatening
like ‘singing on your own’. I do a little bit of research about
each song so that we can learn something on the way. My
spouting also gives time for a sit down and a chance to get
breath back between songs. To include those not able to make a
regular commitment, we also hold three “Big Sings” throughout
the year and one at Christmas.
We’ve developed in other ways too. Our two pianists are now
augmented by a guitar group, an accordion player and an upand-coming beginners ukulele group, courtesy of the brilliant
U3A. We’ve also bought a range of un-tuned percussion for the
singers to let rip on. So, do we perform? Are we part of a
Performing Arts group? In the strict sense of the word the
answer has to be no, but we perform for our own pleasure and
we are our audience and my goodness, how that audience has
grown along with our confidence.
We are all-inclusive: growlers and the tone deaf, people who
can sing and those who can’t, all are equally welcome. The most
important thing is that we have fun. We leave every session with
springs in our step and smiles on our faces. And that is the
reason for our success – the fact that the whole thing is low key
with no pressure to be up to performance standard. And success
breeds success. Not being musical is no excuse for not singing.
Minimum requirement: a pianist and heaps of enthusiasm.
P.S. Sshh! I’m planning a bit of a sing at our Members’ Day
later this year – our first performance. I think we’re ready!
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Light-Bulb Moments
Tony Thornton : Carlisle U3A
In October 2012 the Carlisle U3A
Newsletter announced the start
of a Ukulele Group. I joined.
G
roup Leader Heather did a
tremendous job of getting the
group moving along and after a
few weeks we had mastered the basics.
She also produced a fine book of 25
songs which we happily played along to.
I’d been playing the uke for several years
and was pleased to help out.
It soon became apparent that some
were learning faster than others and there
was the problem of new members joining
us. Heather wisely started a splinter
group that met 30 minutes before the
others to get these up to speed.
Sadly Heather had to leave last
November so I became the leader. From
our membership of about 20 we can
expect about 15 players to attend our
meetings twice a month and we each
contribute £2.50 for the Community
Centre room hire.
Some ukulele groups don’t have a
leader and they spend the time thrashing
about from one song to another. I decided
to increase the scope of our studies to
include the wider aspects of The Popular
Song such as how they are constructed.
This led to comparing the techniques of
the great composers: George Gershwin,
Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and the others.
Fewer songs are played but I found the
members welcomed this deeper insight
and the chance to sing and play some of
the greatest songs ever written.
Included in the room hire fee is the use
of a projector which is ideal for viewing
chord sequences on a big screen. It has
an HDMI input to receive documents and
images from a laptop or tablet.
I started by producing chord charts
with MSWord. Using tables you make a
template eight bars long. Then copy it
underneath three times for a song of 32
bars. Then put the chord names in. Use
the colon for repeat dots. I show sheet
music as an image.
The setup has a sound system that
plugs into the phone socket of the laptop
to play a music file of what’s on the
screen. I download free midi files from
the Internet then use Sonar to transpose
them into C and adjust the tempo.
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The cabinet houses the projector which
beams laptop images on to the screen
By mutual agreement we decided to
play everything in C (or Am). The
beginners approve and it also makes it
easier to recognise the common chord
sequences that appear all the time in
popular songs.
Much interest can be generated by
learning different rhythms but you need
the music to go with them. I use Wheels
for the Cha Cha; Autumn Leaves for the
Beguine; La Cumparsita for the Tango;
Sleepy Lagoon for the Modern Waltz;
Loveliest Night Of The Year for the
Bright Waltz; and a 12-bar Blues for the
Shuffle. These are all free midi files from
dozens of websites.
When I introduce a new song to the
group I first show the chord sequence on
the screen. I highlight any awkward bits
and we go over these until we are happy.
Then I play the music track and we
follow the chords through without
playing. Then we play the whole thing.
An important aspect is homework.
After the session I email the members
with the music and chord sequences for
them to work on at home.
There came the time when I had to
introduce the diminished chord. We still
struggle with it but it must be mastered.
The song She by Charles Aznavour is
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the perfect music – the second chord is
diminished. The piece also demonstrates
how composers write the same melody
line over different chords, in this case the
first three.
Then came the major seventh and what
better music than the introduction to
Begin The Beguine.
Eventually we had to explore The
Circle of Fifths to explain why Five Foot
Two is the way it is.
As you can see, our sessions are full of
light-bulb moments.
People join a ukulele group because
they have an innate affinity with music.
We enjoy the lovely popular songs we
grew up with and remember to this day.
Our members pay a great tribute to
those songs – by learning to play them.
A Year in the Life...
Mike Wimpress : Northampton U3A
At a U3A New Members welcome meeting,
the speaker was presenting the case that
anyone with ‘skills’ out of the ordinary
should share their knowledge with other
members by starting an interest group.
I idly said: “Could I start a Ukulele Group?”
“Sign here.” she said, “You’re on.”
The initial set up was easy, a briefing on Health and Safety,
instruction on the disciplinary code and the importance of not
striking a truculent member.
The ukulele workshop was advertised on our U3A web page,
and the initial sessions attracted a few would-be players.
Fortunately some had played before so it didn’t take long to get
started and pull out some cheerful songs at a reasonable
standard.
Membership grew session by session, and the demand to
bring new material for their hungry fingers was unrelenting.
The need to make everything readily available was apparent, so
it became pressing to devise a form of mass communication.
Accordingly, the next step was launching a website with the
facility to store and catalogue the songs. Never having done
such a task before it made interesting research.
To float a no-cost, easy-to-maintain website I had to suffer
some sleepless nights and early mornings wrestling with the
problem, but eventually managed to launch my site last May.
It’s not hard to find songs from other ukulele groups. There
are at least a million groups with their own sites, brimming with
song charts, arrangements, videos and instructional material.
Uke players must be the most gregarious people on the planet.
They share and share alike, (or should it be tear and share alike
because all the content is ripped off from somewhere else?).
That’s the ethic or lack of it.
By the summer, the U3A picnic loomed, and my contact in the
management thought it would be sporting if we demonstrated
our musical achievements in this prestigious showpiece event,
and we timidly accepted the challenge.
We were slightly surprised to find we were top of the bill, not
just a side stall or quiet wallpaper music for the picnic, but
centre stage and upfront with a 20-minute spot to fill.
DRAMA AND THEATRE HANDBOOK
David Morton : Ilkley & District U3A
he Third Age Trust has produced a handbook of ideas
and approaches that can be used by U3A drama and
literature groups. These include practical workshop
activities, suggestions for discussions related to practical
theatre and the study of plays (see the back cover of this
issue).
The 104-page Handbook has ideas for drama games,
improvisation activities in drama, working in practical
ways on dramatic texts and ideas for using dramatic texts
in performance. There are also suggestions of ways of
approaching play-reading in small and larger groups.
The Handbook also suggests how groups might follow
up visits to professional theatres and plays in
T
The Dirty Dozen
photo: Colin Hovland
Panic stations! it’s a daunting thing to go through half a dozen
numbers fluff free in front of an audience – a far cry from
messing about in a church hall with only ourselves as judge and
jury for a couple of hours. Anyway we were committed, and a
brave ‘dirty dozen’ practised a repertoire of songs and polished
them until they were almost recognisable.
The big day came and fortunately it was a blazing day, one of
many last summer, and the concert went well. We trouped
through the set, hoping not for an encore because we didn’t have
one. It was good, not perfect, because we fudged and fluffed,
but we got away with it and ended up smiling, perspiring and
thankful it was over. Then came a slight anti-climax as we
thought: this was fun! Maybe we could do this again sometime.
The group still enjoys the fortnightly sessions – smiles and
sounds abound. Each member extracts all the pleasure he or she
can from the simplest of musical instruments, which played
singly sounds small and timorous, but jointly the output is
uplifting and tremendous.
From the point of view of a group leader, it is most rewarding
to see the enjoyment and achievement provided by running the
group; the collaboration and encouragement to progress to more
and more ambitious songs. That impulse to initiate the group at
the new member’s meeting is certainly not regretted.
performance, using theatre/drama DVDs in U3A sessions.
Helpful suggestions are given about how to start up a
U3A Drama/Theatre Group.
There is also a section with 70 extracts of plays – from
Shakespeare to present day playwrights.
‘Drama embraces life’s highs and lows. Theatre is a
representation of those highs and lows in the world of
make-believe’.
The Handbook can be obtained at no cost in electronic
form from National Office. They can also provide a hard
copy at £5. This is recommended because readers can
get a variety of ideas quickly by flipping through pages.
The Handbook was produced in 2012 and appropriate
copyright procedures have been followed in presenting
the text extracts from the work of professional playwrights.
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