Homeward bound: Fascinating Rhythm are moving back to the Greenfield Centre
Fascinating Rhythm members are delighted to be returning to Thursday night rehearsals at The Greenfield Centre in Winterbourne after spending the summer at Yate Town Football Club.
Since lockdown restrictions were lifted in July, allowing singing groups to meet and rehearse in outdoor spaces, the covered stand at Yate Town FC became Fascinating Rhythm’s temporary home. Now, with autumn approaching and the imminent start of a new football season, it’s time for the chorus to return to rehearsing indoors.
“For over a year, we stayed in touch on Zoom, but it just wasn’t possible to run normal rehearsals online. We are very grateful to Yate Town FC for their support and hospitality this summer. Being able to meet in the outdoor stand has given us the chance to reconnect as a chorus,” reflects Musical Director Jo.
Whilst outdoor rehearsals have been a welcome first step towards normality, singing outside has presented a unique set of challenges for the choir. With the weather turning cooler and evenings drawing in, the ladies of Fascinating Rhythm are looking forward to moving back indoors.
Fascinating Rhythm’s Chair, Iris laughs, “One night, a mouse was running about the stand, between people’s feet! On another occasion, it poured with rain all evening, and poor Jo got completely soaked through. We’ve also had to contend with background noises, like a circus and a lawnmower, which was quite distracting and made it hard to hear ourselves sing.”
Since the first lockdown was implemented last year, the choir’s Health & Safety Team have been working with The Greenfield Centre to prepare for a safe return to indoor singing.
“We have read the latest UK Government guidance and carried out a risk assessment to ensure a safe return to indoor rehearsals”, explains Fascinating Rhythm’s vice-Chair, Amy. “We’ll be social-distancing and wearing specially-adapted face masks for singers during rehearsals. To be extra careful, we’re also encouraging regular use of lateral flow tests and asking members to stay at home if they feel unwell in any way. And we’ll still be on Zoom and recording our live rehearsals for those ladies who aren’t able to be there in person.”
“To be back inside, where we know we can create and enjoy our true Fascinating Rhythm sound is going to be an absolute joy, for sure”, enthuses Jo. “A choir’s rehearsal space is like a home; the memories created in that space are priceless. It is where we feel safe, where we step outside of our comfort zone, where we form lifelong friendships, where we discover our ‘best selves’ – it is where we make our own kind of music. We are indebted to Greenfield for waiting for our return, so we may indeed ‘come home.”