Contact me:
www.suryacooper.co.uk
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • About
  • Testimonials
  • Courses
  • Lessons
    • Guitar, Ukulele & Piano
    • The Wilful Choir
    • Yoga
    • Tailored Workshops
  • Gallery
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Surya's Album

See My HOME PAGE for MORE .......Wilful Choir

18/4/2019

0 Comments

 

Price
Drop in: £10.00
£98 for the full Autumn term (giving you more than 2 sessions free!)



Cash/Cheque/BACS

You can decide at the end of the first session
​
If it's the first time you've come to the Wilful Choir try us out for free!

0 Comments

Lovely Weekend at Claridge House

18/4/2019

0 Comments

 
This will be a lovely weekend in a fantastic venue. The food is amazing and I've hosted quite a few weekends here.
It is booking up so book very soon as places are limited.

www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk/programme?viewretreat=320

0 Comments

Wilful Choir News!

4/12/2018

0 Comments

 
Well it’s all change here!
As many of you know, Aaron is leaving us at the end of this term ( sniff!).
 
I will be joined by Laura Stephenson (see https://www.treblemakerslondon.co.uk/ ) a very talented musician and choir leader. She visited the other week and was really impressed with the choir. (Btw I did try to find a man and have been in contact with lots but they are all busy).
We will miss Aaron but he may well be back occasionally to cover and hopefully he’ll come to our future Sharings.
 
Sharing
Fri Dec 7th  Please send it round to all your friends and family (and via social media) as it’s so good to perform to a decent sized audience and  we also raise more money for the pavilion.
This is turn helps us to keep our prices down.
This is always a lovely uplifting evening.
I’ve attached the jobs list for you to see what needs doing too but don’t worry about filling it in as I’ll have one at choir.
We’ll also send round a food and drinks list.
Please start collecting jars for tea lights to light the path.
Also I’m putting together the list of other performers for that night- does anyone else want to do something? Solos, duos etc welcome
 

 

Next term’s dates
  • Spring 2019
  • Jan 7,14, 21, 28
    Feb 4, 11, 25
    March 4, 11, 18, 25
    Apr 1
Sharing Thurs April 4th (The Pav now has a youth club on Fridays)
0 Comments

Album Launch- everyone is invited but please rsvp

20/4/2018

1 Comment

 

Here's what singer songwriter and artist Elaine Samuels says.
"Classy singer / song-writer Surya Cooper writes a powerful and pleasing fusion of folk, blues and jazz influenced songs. She has a fine, honey toned voice and accompanies herself with expert acoustic guitar playing".

 

Picture
1 Comment

Fantastic Singing Cruise on a Turkish Gulet! Update.

5/7/2017

0 Comments

 
This was a wonderful holiday. It was rather hot in August though so next year I'm doing it in September 10-17th, Put the date in your diary now.
We had gorgeous food cooked freshly onboard every day and looked forward to see the chef's evening fruit platter, which were works of art.
We sang every day, at times the group wanted, doing warm ups, part songs from many different cultures and era. We also did yoga stretches, sound healing and chanting and learning to improvise and harmonise by ear and played with percussion and rhythm too
We were extremely lucky to have some very talented singer-songwriters with us so the evenings were spent doing a mixture of new, often very funny songs and sing-alongs, plus some games and quizzes contributed by one of our guests.
We swam daily in crystal clear turquoise water and some people took out the onboard kayaks and even attempted other less peaceful activities like water skiing on a giant sofa ( similar to a banana if you have been on one of those) where the aim seems to be to throw people off! There's so much more to say but this will do for a start!


Here's some feedback:
"It's been a beautiful week!"
"Always lovely to be with Surya.Thanks for the lovely, lovely music!"
"Thank you for the lovely week and your flexible and intuitive approach. So glad I came."
"Absolutely awesome week. Bless you!!
"Surya, thanks for an incredible week. I've now found my diaphragm (the muscle that helps us breathe and sing better btw!)
. So glad I went on this trip"
"Thank you for helping me to find my voice"


Picture
0 Comments

Next Claridge House Dates 29/9/17-1/10/17

22/4/2017

0 Comments

 
I'm delighted to say that this popular weekend is on again this year!
More details to follow but it's already booking up and places are limited so don't leave it too late!
Here's the link
www.claridgehousequaker.org.uk/programme?viewretreat=130

0 Comments

Feedback from a fab weekend!

18/10/2016

0 Comments

 
  Singing In Harmony Music Weekend was a resounding success.Here are some pics..check out the wonderful food and see the testimonials page for more feedback but here's one from one participant :- " Your weekend completed my journey..and filled me with confidence to speak up in public. I truly "found my voice" as well as improving my singing and I  had loads of fun!"



Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Singing In Harmony Weekend at  Lovely Claridge House 14-16/10/16

18/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture

Singing In Harmony will draw on rich traditions of music and chanting from many eras and cultures. There will be fun warm-ups, simple songs and more  complex part songs  Everything will be taught by ear in a fun, friendly, and  relaxed atmosphere No experience needed – just a love of singing! Claridge House is a lovely, peaceful  house and gardens and does the most wonderful food! Go, on treat yourself to a wonderful relaxing and rejuvenating weekend!

claridgehousequaker.org.uk/programme?viewretreat=19​

Those with musical instruments are welcome to bring them.
​There will also be an opportunity to do some drumming and percussion if participants wish, some instruments will be available. 

The workshop will consist of simple and also more complex songs in several parts that offer rewarding challenges. Everything will be taught by ear (no need to read music!). Whether you've only ever sung in the shower, or you're already in a choir and wish to further develop your voice, there will be something here for everyone.

​Limited places, book soon.

http://claridgehousequaker.org.uk/programme?viewretreat=19

Come with an open heart and mind to let your inner musicality and creativity flow!
0 Comments

In case you had any doubts about the benefits of singing still..

19/7/2016

0 Comments

 

​
Read this- I won't put it all in full here but it's amazing On Monday 11th July, NVPN member Lizzi Stephens was a guest speaker at the All-Party Parliamentary Group Round Table discussion on Arts and Health in the House of Lords, representing research into singing for health. Lizzi has written the following report:
 
“Dear colleagues,
 
Shilpa has done a sterling job in reporting on this event -
https://myheartsingsuk.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/from-community-centres-to-parliament-the-world-of-arts-health-and-wellbeing/  Thank you Shilpa - very much!
 
It was not just about singing for breathing. I also quoted, with permission, verbatim from one of my Isle of Sheppey Sing Sure singers who had told me recently that singing has saved her life on several occasions. When I asked her to explain this she told me as follows: "Singing has changed my life because.... I have had severe pain since 1984 following a road accident. This has progressively got worse because of the added problems of arthritis and IBS  and diabetes. With so much pain, life is really not worth living especially when I can hardly move at all sometimes. What is there to look forward to in life? Singing has been the light at the end of my tunnel and has made life worth living. Without it I would make the choice not to be here.  I had also gone to see the back specialist and he showed me my back scan which showed that in an area of my lower back, the muscle was completely gone. He said that he 'didn't know how I was still walking about'. I told him that my central core was strong from singing and he said, 'whatever you do, don't stop doing it'. 
 
I read this out at the APPG Round Table discussion as part of my 3 minute speech! It was so powerful you could have heard a pin drop!  Ginny - this is her real name and she also encouraged me to use it - has a fabulous soprano voice and is usually happy to take on solo parts although her confidence is still in need of some support.
 
My thanks also to Vivien Ellis for informing me of her project to insert training for GPs in training on the value of Arts in Health, which got a brief mention during the APPG Round Table discussion.
 
For further interest, this APPG discussion is part of a series of such events in the House of Lords and all are recorded and the information is being fed into an inquiry, which has the aim of integrating Arts interventions into the NHS.  There is already a report by the APPG on Wellbeing Economics titled "Wellbeing in four policy areas". It is an interesting read talking about making the enhancement of wellbeing a government goal and can be found on here:  http://www.artshealthandwellbing.org.uk/APPG “
 

https://myheartsingsuk.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/from-community-centres-to-parliament-the-world-of-arts-health-and-wellbeing/

0 Comments

We're back Wilful Choir Autumn Term 

16/4/2016

0 Comments

 

£10 per session or £96 for the full term if paid in the first two weeks.
First class free for new people.

  Term Dates Autumn 2016

 September: 12th, 19th & 26th
October: 3rd, 10th, 17th & 31st
HALF TERM OCTOBER 24th
November: 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th
December: 5th Sharing: 9th December

For more info please see the Wilful Choir page. You can get there by clicking  on the photo on the Homepage or see  under the  Services tab or see our new website  www.wilfulchoir.com  

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Surya has had a variety of careers (see the About page for more info) ..and has just taken over co-running the Wilful Choir in Kingston, Surrey.

    Archives

    April 2019
    December 2018
    April 2018
    July 2017
    April 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2015. Surya Cooper. All rights reserved.