Announcing ‘Together’, our original song, embracing internet latency in world first!
Eleanor Pullen • April 28, 2020
Our choir members around the world are reversing roles with their husbands and partners and joining the frontline in the battle against Covid-19. “Over half of our choir are frontline workers at our nearby Hospital and we also have two teachers” said one choir member, Kate, whilst adding “One of our members is working a long day on the Coronavirus Isolation Ward today - our thoughts are with her. In a strange way, this is a bit of role reversal. For once, the wives and girlfriends are out on the frontline whilst many husbands and partners are juggling life at home.” Our 75 Military Wives Choirs from the UK to Naples and the Falkland Islands are continuing their music-making through weekly virtual rehearsals, all whilst maintaining key worker roles.
To enable our choirs to truly sing together, we are innovating with the creation of an original song titled ‘Together’, written for us by our Artistic Director, Hilary Davan Wetton, also a renowned conductor.
Our Chair of Trustees, Maggie Pedder, said that “Our choirs have started using video conferencing software such as Zoom to host our regular weekly rehearsals. What we were finding was that the sound delay meant we had to mute everyone, which stopped us from hearing each other’s voices and feeling that sense of community which comes from singing together. We wondered if there was a way to embrace the latency rather than fight it, and that’s where Hilary Davan Wetton came in”.
Hilary Davan Wetton has composed the song ‘Together’ in an exciting world first, using classical compositional techniques and lyrics from choir members to create a song which accommodates the internet delay. The piece employs interlocking note patterns where exact pulse is replaced by a generalised forward movement. As our choir member Giselle said, “Even though we can’t all be together, we have never felt more stronger, together".
We’re thrilled to announce that the sheet music for ‘Together’ by Hilary Davan Wetton is available to purchase to perform with your choirs! Find out more information here https://www.militarywiveschoirs.org/buy-the-sheet-music-for-military-wives-choirs-together-by-hilary-davan-wetton.
Military Wives Choirs Bids Farewell to Hilary Davan Wetton and Appoints Joanna Tomlinson as the new Artistic Director
A Royal Performance to Remember
We are delighted to have received a letter of thanks from The King, expressing his appreciation for our new single, ‘November Sunday’, a song presented as an early birthday gift to celebrate His Majesty’s forthcoming birthday on 14th November. In the letter, The King said: “I am writing to express my warmest possible gratitude for your very kind early birthday present, in the form of your new single, ‘November Sunday’. While those of us of a certain age may feel the need for any such birthday celebrations is in inverse proportion to our advancing years, I am none the less deeply touched by your wonderfully thoughtful tribute. “I also wanted to thank you for your steadfast support not only for your loved ones serving in our Military, who sacrifice so much time away from you and your families to protect us, but also for one another. “Having sung in a choir myself when I was at school, I know the joy of performing together can create close-knit friendships and support groups, and I remain a firm believer that music has a unique power to unite and inspire us all. My wife joins me in sending you all our blessings and kindest wishes.” ‘November Sunday’, released on 1st November, is a tribute to His Majesty and reflects the strong ties between the Royal Family and the Armed Forces. The song’s evocative lyrics reflect the joy brought to post-war Britain on 14th November 1948, marking the birth of the future King and celebrating the enduring bond with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The piece was recorded by 100 singers from the Military Wives Choirs, drawn from the network in the UK and overseas, alongside the magnificent sounds of The Band of the Household Cavalry. With music and lyrics by John McLaren, the track brings together the nostalgia of the 1940s, enhanced by the artistry of platinum-selling producer Sean Hargreaves (Sigala, Paloma Faith, Ella Eyre) and arranger Steve Turner. This cross-genre production offers both the formality of a military ensemble and a bright, pop-influenced appeal. ‘November Sunday’ is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube: all links to the project can be found here .
