Click on the middle of the window to see the whole sequence, or click the three lines at the top of the window to choose from the list.
Summer sing-along videos
Click on the middle of the window to see the whole sequence, or click the three lines at the top of the window to choose from the list.
Our first virtual concert
Click on the middle of the window to see the whole sequence, or click the three lines at the top of the window to choose from the list.
We found different ways of recording ourselves. For a start, we all had to record ourselves completely separately, except for one or two married couples. None of us have professional equipment, or experience of using it. A lot of this has been done with phones and tablets, and edited on a home computer.
Lynne singing Ivor Novello's I Can Give You the Starlight with a recording of Michael playing the piano in Tooting.
Bruce (pictured in the magenta wig) assembled audio tracks and videos from lots of us to make videos like this.
Giles, Libby and Lynne doing it the easy (ish) way - all singing and playing at the same time, in the same place.
All through the summer of 2020, and again in December we were able to take small groups to visit some residential homes and sheltered accommodation, to sing outdoors. In late February 2021, we started up again, first with a very small number standing well apart and using microphones, while the rest of the group kept practising in groups of 6 in each other's gardens. As soon as we were able, we started taking a larger number of singers, with less electrical equipment. We're all double-jabbed and take Covid tests on the morning of a performance, so we are confident about standing closer to each other, though we still keep a good distance from the audience. Since September 2021, we have been delighted to be invited back indoors at many care homes and day centres - taking all the precautions possible.
We can visit homes within a few miles of London SW19. If you would like to find out more, please contact Libby: songsonwheels@gmail.com
Keeping in practise
We have kept learning new material. At first, we could only meet online, where we could all hear the pianist, but no other singers. Once it was permitted to meet in small groups outdoors, we began practising in our gardens - we were very lucky with the weather in the summer of 2020. The spring of 2021 wasn't so kind! Here is one of the groups trying out some new songs for the first time with all four voice parts together.
Here's how we felt about singing in the time of Covid
These short videos were taken at our 2018 concert, and in one of our old-style rehearsals.