Square Pegs Arts Music Programme - Square Pegs Singers Concert 2020
What a year for the Square Pegs Singers: 9 separate vocal workshops and a huge concert staged at the magnificent Colyer Fergusson Hall at the Gulbenkian in Canterbury!
Our theme for the year was ‘Music From the Movies’ and our music leader Paul arranged each of the tracks from a variety of movies spanning a number of genres in 3-part Harmony.
The structure of the workshops followed the same formula each time, with introductory circle time, a couple of quick games to get relaxed and a proper vocal warm up to ready ourselves for the session. We’d then learn the song in stages, building it up and working on the various parts and harmonies before doing a small showing/performance at the end of the session for our families and friends who had come to pick us up.
Discussions between the pegs, volunteers, Paul and the parents, and feedback from each monthly workshop helped enhance the experience for the following session and it was fabulous to watch the confidence and musical skills of everyone grow with each song learned.
As the year progressed, we got more adventurous with our song choices and added to our repertoire, all the time preparing for the big concert.
As well as the ensemble pieces, we were also given the opportunity to perform solo songs in the concert if we wanted to. 8 of us took this on and this helped develop our confidence even further. We were allowed to choose our own song (as long as it featured in a movie) and prepare it at home before practicing it with Paul.
In the end our programme of songs looked like this:
I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing
Dianne Warren
From Armageddon (1998)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen
From Shrek (2001)
Performed by Jessica
Imagine
John Lennon
From Imagine (1988)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison
From Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Performed by Harry
Love is All Around
Reg Presley
From Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
Elton John
From The Lion King (1994)
Performed by Rosie
Only You
Vince Clarke
From Behaving Badly (2014)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
SOS
Bjorn Ulvaeus/ Benny Anderson / Stig Anderson
From Mamma Mia (2008)
Performed by Emma
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Yip Harburg
From the Wizard of OZ (1939)
Performed by Noor
My Heart Will Go On
James Horner/Will Jennings
From Titanic (1997)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
Here Comes the Sun
George Harrison
From the Bee Movie (2007)
Performed by Paul Too
Everything I do I do it For You
Bryan Adams
From Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (1991)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
On My Own
Alain Boubil / Claude Schonberg
From Les Miserables (2013)
Performed by Faith
Perfect Day
Lou Reed
From Trainspotting (1996)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
I Wanna Be Like you
Richard Sherman / Robert Sherman
From The Jungle Book (1967)
Performed by Alex
This Is Me
Justin Paul/ Benj Pasek
From The Greatest Showman (2017)
Performed by Square Pegs Singers
It’s fair to say that everyone was quite nervous, but also very excited, and the concert was a great success. All of the songs, both the ensemble and the solos, sounded great and went without any hitches. We were all so proud of what we had achieved and we were honoured to perform in such a great venue.
Post-concert feedback from both participants and the audience was 100% positive on all areas. Every respondent said that they’d come again and recommend future concerts to others.
We can’t wait to start the process again this year and prepare for the next concert!
Thanks to The University of Kent and everyone at the Gulbenkian Theatre for providing us with regular rehearsal spaces and a spectacular venue and lovely technician for our performance, Tim Leek for taking some amazing photos, Our project funders; Youth Music, Beth James, our Square Pegs Arts Artistic Director, for her support and guidance, and to all of our amazing volunteers who give up so much of their time to make this happen
