Choir is integrated into the curriculum of years 7 - 11,, and viewed as an essential part of the pupil´s learning experience at school. Working as a team, listening, performing and evaluating performances are all skills which are learnt and developed in choir lessons. Pupils learn a wide repertoire of songs and genres, from the Renaissance period to modern pop songs, in a variety of languages including Latin, French, Hebrew, and Japanese. Lesson include developing the voice and improving singing technique. Pupils learn to sing in part harmony, a capella, and in unison. Pupils who learn an instrument at school are encouraged to accompany.
Here are some of the songs we performed at the Winter Concert 2017:
Ide Were Were is a song to the goddess Ochun, the goddess of intimacy, love, beauty, wealth and the Mother of the African sweet or fresh waters. In her form as the mother of salt waters, the goddess is known as Yemaya. Moreover, according to the Yoruba elders, Goddess Oshun is the “unseen mother present at every gathering”, because She is the Yoruba understanding of the cosmological forces of attraction, moisture, and water.
The Yoruba people are an African ethnic group that occupies southwestern Nigeria and Benin. They believe in a “pantheon of 401 gods,” which are known in the traditional Yoruba religion. In the Yoruba/Cuban pantheon of goddess and gods, the goddess is depicted as a beautiful, coquettish and charming young woman, usually with long flowing dreadlocks. She has also been illustrated as the mother of sweet things or maintainer of spiritual balance. In some ancient tales, the goddess is said to be a mermaid, with a beautiful tail of a fish. Sing along: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiu9rUp_dqM
Ave Verum Corpus, Mozart
Ave, ave verum corpus natum De Maria virgine Vere passum immolatum In cruce pro homine Cuius latus perforatum Unda fluxit et sanguine Esto nobis praegustatum In mortis examine In mortis examine
Some Nights Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck (choir) Some nights, I call it a draw Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off But I still wake up, I still see your ghost Oh Lord, I'm still not sure, what I stand for oh oh oh What do I stand for? Oh what do I stand for? (2 parts oh oh oh) Most nights, I don't know anymore (2 parts oh oh oh) Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh Sing along: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0
Little Talks (Of Monsters and Men)
Hey! Hey! Hey! I don't like walking around this old and empty house So hold my hand, I'll walk with you my dear The stairs creak as I sleep, It's keeping me awake It's the house telling you to close your eyes And some days I can't even trust myself It's killing me to see you this way 'Cause though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore Hey! Hey! Hey! There's an old voice in my head That's holding me back Well tell her that I miss our little talks Soon it will all be over, and buried with our past We used to play outside when we were young And full of life and full of love Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right. Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear 'Cause though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore Hey! Don't listen to a word I say Hey! The screams all sound the same Hey! Though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore You're gone, gone, gone away, I watched you disappear All that's left is a ghost of you Now we're torn, torn, torn apart, there's nothing we can do, Just let me go, we'll meet again soon Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around I'll see you when I fall asleep Hey! Don't listen to a word I say Hey! The screams all sound the same Hey! Though the truth may vary this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore Hey! Don't listen to a word I say Hey! The screams all sound the same Hey! Though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore Though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore Though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
Just a perfect day Drink Sangria in the park And then later When it gets dark, we go home Just a perfect day Feed animals in the zoo Then later A movie, too, and then home
Oh, it's such a perfect day I'm glad I spent it with you Oh, such a perfect day You just keep me hanging on You just keep me hanging on Just a perfect day Problems all left alone Weekenders on our own It's such fun
Just a perfect day You made me forget myself I thought I was Someone else, someone good
Oh, it's such a perfect day I'm glad I spent it with you Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on You just keep me hanging on
You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow
Last Christmas (Wham) Chorus Last Christmas, I gave you my heart But the very next day you gave it away This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special Chorus in harmony Last Christmas, I gave you my heart (ooh, gave you my heart) But the very next day you gave it away (gave it away) This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special (together) Verse 1 Once bitten and twice shy (oooooh, ooh ooh ooooooh) I keep my distance But you still catch my eye Tell me, baby Do you recognize me? Well, it's been a year It doesn't surprise me (Happy Christmas!) (whisper) I wrapped it up and sent it (together) With a note saying, "I love you," I meant it Now, I know what a fool I've been But if you kissed me now I know you'd fool me again Chorus in harmony Last Christmas, I gave you my heart (gave you my heart) But the very next day you gave it away (gave it away) This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special (together)
Chorus normal Last Christmas, I gave you my heart But the very next day you gave it away This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special (Interlude) Verse 2 A crowded room, friends with tired eyes (ooh) I'm hiding from you, and your soul of ice My god, I thought you were someone to rely on Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart A man under cover but you tore me apart (tore me apart, ooh) Now, I've found a real love you'll never fool me again
Chorus in harmony Last Christmas, I gave you my heart (gave you my heart) But the very next day you gave it away (gave it away) This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special (together)
Chorus in 2 part round: (x 2) Last Christmas, I gave you my heart But the very next day you gave it away This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special (together after This year 2nd part) Round in 3 parts (a capella)
We have now begun a new season of singing! Listen and sing along to the new songs we have begun learning:
Year 10 & 11 will be going to a Vance Joy concert at the Brixton Academy in March on our London colonias. We sang "Riptide" a couple of years ago in choir.
"Like Gold", Vance Joy Sing along: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0yo2XqufgU Verse 1: Time to let it go It won't let go of me Hanging by a thread Cutting the cord and then falling back into the Black 'cause if I don't If I wait 'til it feels right I'll be waiting my whole life Closing my eyes, remember how we were like
Chorus: Gold, when you see me Hi, if you need me Babe, that's the way it was That's the history Blue, how we used to Roar, like an open fire That´s the way it was But that´s history (oh oh…) That's the way it was But that's history x 2
Verse 2: I have a memory You're visiting me at night Climbing in my bed You were so quiet that you never woke me I love the way you could See the good in everything But, do we feel the fire? Closing my eyes, remember how we were like
Chorus Bridge 1: Started with a word Now, look at where we are Everything we've done It's there on our faces for anyone willing to Read between the lines Now, look at where we are Everything we've done It's there on our faces for anyone willing to
(oh oh ..) That's the way it was But that's history x2
Bridge 2: (optional) Well, I got a feeling Darling, it's possible 'Cause love's got no ceiling Now, that it's just so strong And I got a feeling Like everything is possible I'm trying to change (mmm)
Simultaneous: Chorus with Oh Oh… x 2
Bridge 1: Started with a word Now, look at where we are Everything we've done It's there on our faces for anyone willing to Read between the lines Now, look at where we are Everything we've done Started out with just one (oh oh…) x 2 Coda: Gold, when you see me Hi, if you need me Babe, that's the way it was But that's history
Boys: Do do do do dodo do Bah x 2 Girls: Dah........ Boys: Do... Girls: Dah...
Boys: (girls: ooh) I hear the drums echoing tonight But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation She's coming in, 12:30 flight The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation I stopped an old man along the way Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies He turned to me as if to say,
All: (girls harmony) "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you" It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had The wild dogs cry out in the night As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company I know that I must do what's right As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti I seek to cure what's deep inside,
frightened of this thing that I've become It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rain) I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rain) I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa (Ah, gonna take the time) Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
Wade in the Water Part 1: Wade in the water Wade in the water Children wade, in the water God's gonna trouble the water
Part 2: Wade in the water Wade in the water
Part 3: Wade in the water x 6 (chromatica) God´s gonna trouble the water.