Gallery from Groby Sings Through the Seasons.
The new season is announced as Groby Sings At the Movies. This season will end with a performance weekend. Details are on the 'Next Concert' page.
The choir restarted on March 1st. Please note we sing on Wednesdays in school term time.
Singers are welcome to join in with this season at whatever point they wish to and don't need to come every single week. Performance is optional.
Who conducts the choir?
The new Musical Director is Simon Lubkowski.
Please visit https://youtu.be/9ATB5cgCl14 to view Simon's introduction to the choir.
Guidelines For This Season
Health: You are requested to NOT ATTEND if you are feeling unwell at all or have any symptoms of any illness. This is out of respect for the health of your fellow singers, volunteers, musical director and yourself. Many of our singers are vulnerable to infection.
Venue and travel: The Groby Club, Leicester Rd, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DJ There is limited parking. Please consider walking. Do not park at the Library or Village Hall. Beware of parking restrictions in the local roads.
Adult arrival times: 1.15pm for the afternoon and 7.15pm for the evening. Please do not arrive early.
Rehearsal times: 1.30 to 3.00pm and 7.30 to 9.00pm.
Registration: All attendees will need to register as they enter the rehearsal room.
Children aged 7 and above are welcome to arrive from 3.15pm. They will be signed in in the rehearsal room. Parents and carers are welcome to stay in the rehearsal room or to leave their child when they have been fully registered.
Donations: It will cost about £2 per adult and £1.50 per child per week for us to run Groby Sings. There will be the opportunity for you to make a donation on arrival. You are welcome to attend without making a donation - we are a registered charity open to all to attend regardless of payments received. There are options for Gift Aiding a lump sum donation for the season - please ask for details.
Words Booklets: These are provided free of charge and may be used for the duration of the season but must be returned in June.
Seating and Numbers: Chairs will be set out by volunteers in advance. Please do not move them other than to sit closer to friends or family if you wish. We can accommodate everyone who wishes to sing.
Breaks and refreshments: There will be a short cake break of about 15 minutes in the middle of each rehearsal to allow for purchase of drinks and toilet use. And to give time for chat!
The urn will be set up for tea and coffee.
Cake is supplied thanks to kind offers by our singers.
You can buy drinks and food items from the bar.
You may bring a bottle of water from home for your own use.
There is a ‘creche area’ where young children are welcome to play or nap at our afternoon rehearsals in the care of their accompanying responsible adult. They are also welcome in the evenings.
Groby Sings Management Team
From our first Musical Director
Singing in a community choir like Groby Sings is life transforming and it has been a gift to have been able to stand in front of you all and conduct you every week.
Groby Sings became a hit, such a glorious success, not because of any one of us but because of ALL OF US, everyone who turned up week in, week out and sang our hearts out. Because of all YOU wonderful people listening to your rehearsal CD's and driving your families mad and dressing up in your crazy costumes and arranging all the bears in your house to sing to when we couldn't gather to sing together.
Thank you so much for letting me be part of that. It has been so very special.
My prayer is that Groby Sings will continue long into the future.
That what we started 7 years ago will grow from strength to strength, continuing to touch people’s lives who need some hope and joy. But for that to happen, all you amazing people have got to hold tight until this pandemic is over and Groby Sings resumes. Then you've got to come back so you can finish off what was started last February and perform Groby Sings On The Road and many many more concerts after that.
As I skip off into the sunset of retirement, I need to have something to look forward to and returning to hear Groby Sings perform songs from Calamity Jane is top of my list.
Keep singing everyone. Keep laughing. Most importantly….you know what’s coming…keep eating that delicious cake!
Helen Hayes
Last Performance: We gathered to sing as a single choir to perform to family, friends and neighbours at Ratby Parish Church on November 27th.
Groby Sings Through the Seasons
A concert was held on November 27th.
Cliff says:
'I thought the concert was a huge success.
Although we’ve performed in Ratby Church before, it was a very different situation on Sunday. Last season’s concert was very informal, and was done in ‘rehearsal mode’, with the choir sitting in the ‘pews’ and with only a handful of listeners. Sunday was the first time since before covid that the choir was on stage, singing to a large audience.
The sound the choir made was brilliant. Although I was sitting to one side, I could hear every part clearly. There were some very tricky songs, and there were lots of things that could have gone wrong - for example, the pause before the final ‘… you’ in Fly Me to the Moon. But, from where I was sitting, everything was sung perfectly.
Best of all was the performance aspect of the singing. Everyone had their eyes glued on Simon, and they were clearly putting everything into their singing and enjoying it. It was a joy to watch. I’m sure it would have inspired some of the audience to think ‘Whatever they’re taking, I’d like some of that’! Let’s hope they join us next season.
The only downside was not being able to see all the singers, especially the ones at the back. (But at least we could hear them.) Perhaps we can work on that if and when we perform there again.
'Well done to everyone concerned - to the singers and the helpers'
Other comments received:
'You all sounded awesome! The sound was amazing and the second half was particularly good when everyone really started enjoying themselves’
'It felt really good to welcome the audience members back to a Groby Sings concert and then hearing their lovely comments on the way out.'
'It was a brilliant concert on Sunday. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. I was still buzzing the next day.
Your organisational skills are second to none. Well done to you and everyone involved.'
'I felt the rehearsal & performance went really well. The acoustics in the church were amazing ! Audience were responsive & seemed to enjoy the performance, a friend said how good it was. Also everyone was in good voice at the party _ lovely atmosphere ! All of the above confirmed after listening to the CD.'
We acknowledge with gratitude the support received this season from the following sponsors:
Classic Cuts in their 30th Year of Business
Rambling Rector
The Free Women
The Dancing Duet
Basso
Bunty
Ms Glad-To-Be-Back
Nearly Famous Five Ladies
The Singing Beauties
A Nature-Inspired Singer
Happy Face and the Geeky Scientist
Anonymous Benefactors
Desford Dames
who have jointly funded the production of our words booklets.
We are also indebted to the Rector, Wardens and congregation at St Philip and St James, Ratby Church for welcoming us to perform in their building.
Registered Charity 1180490