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Prostate Cancer Male Singing Group

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User
Posted 19 May 2023 at 11:57

Hi All,


I have been thinking about what I could do to help raise awareness of Prostate Cancer and the importance of testing, to give back something useful from my personal experiences.


As someone who really enjoys a good sing-along, whether in a choir, at a karaoke evening or just at home for my own pleasure, I thought "what about pulling together a singing group of men affected by this disease?" Who knows, perhaps we could get media coverage if we were good enough and then use the attention to promote our message!


I am based in Guildford, Surrey and rehearsals would certainly be easier face to face. But also these things can also be done via Zoom I think if you believe Instagram reels and tictok! I am not a piano player or an accomplished musician, so we would need a musical director (to help with rehearsals, song selection etc) and then go to it and see how we go. I am thinking of songs particularly suited to male voice groups, songs like "The Wellerman" and "Bones in the Ocean" which are both sea shanties, perhaps "Do you hear the people sing" from Les Miserables and others.


Anyone interested in getting involved? I have a Baritone or Bass voice, but we would need one person who can sing "into their boots" for the bottom "Bass Man" parts, and one or two tenors and perhaps another Baritone for sure. I am ideally thinking a group of perhaps 5 - 8 voices in total, unless this proves too popular and we decide to go "Welsh Male Voice Choir" in size!!


I did message Gareth Malone to see if he might be interested in getting involved, but no response so far lol.


Let me know if you might be interested, they do say that singing is good for promoting healing and positivity!! All Gleeson scales and T-classifications accepted if you can sing in tune! Reading music ability useful, but not essential :-)


Feel free to comment here, but don't post contact details. PM me instead!


Cheers,


David


p.s. Moderators please move to correct place if this is not where it should be!! :-)


 

User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 01:20
During the Pandemic didn't somebody organise a group singing together using Zoom or whatever as I seem to remember was shown on TV.? Members here are widely dispersed, so it might be difficult to get a group to meet in person . I like the idea of forming a group to raise awareness and also to exercise the lungs. As a chorister years ago, I can confirm the latter is beneficial. So I wish you success in this endeavour.
Barry
User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 06:15

Hi David,


I've always enjoyed singing. Although I can't read music but I can follow the sheet notes. I once had a spell with Barber Shop singing and have just recently finished in a show called 'Betty Blue Eyes' which was on at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham. 


I am not very good at Zoom as I don't understand how it all works, but I would be willing to give it a try. Good news is I live about 25 miles from Guildford so the odd, get together isn't out of the question. Please keep me updated to how the choir is developing.


All the best


Martin

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 15:57

Cheers for the encouragement Michael, will have a go with PC UK and see if they can help in some way. Will keep you posted! David

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 16:00

Thx Martin. And then there were two! Will keep you up to speed with the recruitment drive and as you say, we are not so far away from each other (especially if meeting half way). And no worries about reading music, half the time I just use it to know if my voice should be going up of down!! :-) Cheers, David

User
Posted 09 Jun 2023 at 09:18

Just a quick update on this project. I am asking my local vicar Nick from Christchurch in Guildford to circulate a request to all the other vicars and priests in town, asking them to put out the word in their service notices, or to mention it if they have congregation members who are living with PC. We will see if I can find a few more that way! I am also getting involved as a leader of the new Prostate Project support group being set up in Guildford. The previous one disbanded during the pandemic. All this and a Chemo regime until September lol

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User
Posted 19 May 2023 at 21:11
Sounds brilliant! I wish we lived nearer so that I could send John along
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 19 May 2023 at 23:06

I misread that as a male sling group...

User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 01:20
During the Pandemic didn't somebody organise a group singing together using Zoom or whatever as I seem to remember was shown on TV.? Members here are widely dispersed, so it might be difficult to get a group to meet in person . I like the idea of forming a group to raise awareness and also to exercise the lungs. As a chorister years ago, I can confirm the latter is beneficial. So I wish you success in this endeavour.
Barry
User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 02:31

Hi David I can’t sing for the life of me but what a lovely idea and I wish you well with it.  Maybe it is something PCa Uk could help you with?  Maybe worth dropping them a wee email? 


Brilliant idea. Good for you. 


Michael 

User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 06:15

Hi David,


I've always enjoyed singing. Although I can't read music but I can follow the sheet notes. I once had a spell with Barber Shop singing and have just recently finished in a show called 'Betty Blue Eyes' which was on at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham. 


I am not very good at Zoom as I don't understand how it all works, but I would be willing to give it a try. Good news is I live about 25 miles from Guildford so the odd, get together isn't out of the question. Please keep me updated to how the choir is developing.


All the best


Martin

User
Posted 20 May 2023 at 11:17

I tried zoom for live music during the pandemic it doesn't work well. There is a delay of nearly half a second so it is hopelessly out of time. When you see videos of a group singing in a zoom meeting, each part is recorded to a 'click track' and then the whole lot edited together afterwards.


Just letting people know now, rather than see you all getting frustrated and thinking "this must be possible, I've seen it on TV".


I have seen apps other than zoom, aimed at musicians, but I can't see how they can overcome this delay (latency) which is inherent in the internet.

Dave

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 15:55

Lol Andy, that might be more appropriate! 😆

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 15:57

Cheers for the encouragement Michael, will have a go with PC UK and see if they can help in some way. Will keep you posted! David

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 16:00

Thx Martin. And then there were two! Will keep you up to speed with the recruitment drive and as you say, we are not so far away from each other (especially if meeting half way). And no worries about reading music, half the time I just use it to know if my voice should be going up of down!! :-) Cheers, David

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 16:05

Thanks Dave, I guessed that might be the case having watched my Dad's church congregation trying to sign hymns online during the pandemic. Was worse than you can imagine! :-)  We might end up having to recruit relatively local to Guildford, but there might be a creative solution out there!! P.S you just made it to "Technical Consultant" status in my head!! :-)

User
Posted 22 May 2023 at 18:40

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
During the Pandemic didn't somebody organise a group singing together using Zoom or whatever as I seem to remember was shownon TV.?


Linda in the Facebook group did this, if it's what I'm thinking of, although I'm not aware it made it on to TV.

User
Posted 23 May 2023 at 02:51

A church choir has been mentioned and it occurs to me that there must be the occasional chorister living with PCa. So might be worth contacting a few Vicars to ascertain whether any of their affected choir members might be interested in joining a non church music choir.


You never know who you might land. Reminds me of the video of Rolando Villazon, surely the most funny and flamboyant of tenors, also one of my favorites. He was tasked with anomalously joining a German choir land had a bit of fun leading up to a .Flashmob. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNhTSpsIiaA


 

Edited by member 23 May 2023 at 03:01  | Reason: to highlight link

Barry
User
Posted 09 Jun 2023 at 09:18

Just a quick update on this project. I am asking my local vicar Nick from Christchurch in Guildford to circulate a request to all the other vicars and priests in town, asking them to put out the word in their service notices, or to mention it if they have congregation members who are living with PC. We will see if I can find a few more that way! I am also getting involved as a leader of the new Prostate Project support group being set up in Guildford. The previous one disbanded during the pandemic. All this and a Chemo regime until September lol

 
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