The Big Sing!

A new event has been launched in Henley, which aims to get the whole of the town singing. The Henley Big Sing takes place at Henley Town Hall on Saturday 14 October.

Richard Harker, Musical Director of The Henley Big Sing said, “Many people love singing along to their favourite tunes on the radio, in the shower, or at the pub. But they never get the opportunity to find out what it’s like to sing in a large, friendly group, or to see if they can actually develop their voice. We wanted to put that right! We’ll be doing some fun warm-ups then singing three or four well-known tunes from the worlds of pop, stage and screen. If you love a good tune, then do come along. Absolutely no previous singing experience necessary.”

Dr Tim Wilson, Chair of Henley Choral Society, which is organising the event explained, “As a charity, one of our objectives is to share the joy of singing. As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2023 we thought: ‘how can we give everyone the chance to sing?’  And so The Henley Big Sing was born. The format is simple. We choose upbeat tunes from pop, stage and screen. You come along and sing your heart out under the warm and expert tuition of brilliant Musical Director, Richard Harker.  We provide the lyrics. So sign up, tell your friends and come along to the very first Henley Big Sing.”

There are two sessions. One in the morning 10.30-12.00noon for everyone aged 12 + and one in the afternoon 2.30-3.15pm for children aged 7-11.

Tim Wilson adds, “The event is free due to the generous support of Henley Town Council, our Gold Sponsors, a grant from The Gwyn Arch Foundation and the fantastic local support of JJ (Jayson Jaurigue) Founder, 8Ray Group and The Green Room in Henley.  To make it an even more beneficial event we’ll also be raising money for Riverside Counselling Service a local charity which aims to provide access to affordable counselling for our community, and The Gwyn Arch Foundation which supports the development of singing skills in young people.”

The Henley Big Sing also has the support of Henley Mayor, Sarah Miller, herself an enthusiastic musician and composer, and explorer, TV personality and local resident Ben Fogle who said “As a local resident, I am absolutely delighted to support The Henley Big Sing. It’s a great idea. Singing is very good for mental and physical health and anything that brings families and communities together is a positive. Sing your hearts out Henley!”

The event is FREE, but you must pre-register. 10.30 to 12 noon ADULTS (12+)

2.30 to 3.15pm KIDS (age 7-11) www.henleychoralsociety.org.uk