Brian Greed chose our Regular Song book No 3 for the first session of Community Singing in August. We had not used this book before, and everyone really enjoyed the variety of songs in it. For novelty “The Mickey Mouse Song” seemed to appeal as well as many old favourites like “Love Letters in the Sand”. For the second session Brian chose Sammy’s Song Book No 1, the songs from it being quite different but also very enjoyable.

We welcomed three new people at Community Singing this month, Carol, Tony and Dorrie. We hope they enjoyed themselves and come again.

Best wishes to Gloria Banks who had a short stay in Wangaratta Hospital and is now recovering at home. We hope to see you back with us soon.
 
The next Community Singing will be on Thursday 22 September at 10am at the Hub at Cooinda.

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Margaret Jenkins 

It was pleasing to see members of the audience coming up to Brian Greed after Community Singing and congratulating him on his playing of the piano. Brian does a wonderful job playing all the songs from memory, needing only a reminder of the key a  particular song is in before he starts playing it.

In July Brian chose Sammy’s Song Book No 2 for the first session, followed by the Tram Book of Songs for the second session.

The group is evolving and feeling comfortable with each other, and we enjoyed the odd story about a song, or a reference to there being another possible verse of another song. But everyone participated and enjoyed themselves, which is what Community Singing is all about.

The next session of Community Singing will be on Thursday 25 August 2022 at 10am in the Hub at Cooinda. All welcome.
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Margaret Jenkins 

Community Singing in the warm Hub at Cooinda was enjoyed by all who attended. We were amazed by Brian Greed’s ability to play such a variety of songs without any music, and to keep the vocal cords of everyone there well exercised.

Brian chose songs from our regular Song Book 1 for the first session and followed this in the second session with songs from Sammy’s Song Book No 1. The participants seemed to really appreciate the variety of Irish, Scottish and Australian songs in Sammy’s Song Book.

The next Community Singing will be on Thursday 28 July at 10am in the Hub at Cooinda. All welcome.
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Margaret Jenkins 

Brian Greed chose our regular Song Book No 2 for the first part of community Singing in May. This book has a variety of songs such as “Carolina in the Morning” and “Click go the Shears” which were enjoyed by all.

The second session used the Tram Book of Songs which has a different group of songs. Brian’s instant recall of each song means that it is amazing how many songs can be fitted into Community Singing each time we meet.

The next Community Singing will be on Thursday 23 June at 10am at the Hub in Cooinda. All welcome.  
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Margaret Jenkins   

The weather may be getting cooler but the enthusiasm for Community Singing is certainly there.

Brian Greed chose songs from our regular Book 1 for the first part of Community Singing and followed it with a selection from Sammy’s Song Book No 1. We all enjoyed the variety of songs, many old favourites, some with an Irish, Scottish or Australian background. But all sung with great gusto and all thoroughly enjoyed.

Everyone gave Brian a round of applause at the end to show their appreciation for his wonderful effort on the piano.

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We also had a visit from Bev Lee who stayed for some of the second half, and told us that she enjoyed the singing.
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Margaret Jenkins

At the March meeting of Community Singing Brian Greed chose Sammy’s Song Book No 2 for the first session. Brian accompanied this session on the organ which is always a great sound.

For the second session Brian had a new Song Book which he had found on a boat cruise in the South Island of New Zealand. For this session Brian accompanied us on the piano.

It was interesting that on our way out of the Hub a visitor to Cooinda complimented Brian on the music which had come from the Hub that morning.  He told Brian that the music had been enjoyed by other residents of Cooinda, and not just those attending Community Singing. 

The next Community Singing will be on Thursday 28th April at 10am at the Hub.
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Margaret Jenkins

Community Singing in February had the usual relaxed atmosphere and was enjoyed by everyone there.

In the first segment Brian Greed used Sammy’s Song Book No 1 and accompanied us on the organ.

After morning tea Brian switched to the piano and used Brian’s Little Song Book which has a completely different group of songs.

We are all amazed at how Brian recalls each song by just telling him the name of the song and the key it is in. Well done Brian!

The next Community Singing will be held on Thursday 24th March 2022 at 10am at the Hub in Cooinda.
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Margaret Jenkins

A group of enthusiastic singers met for the first Community Singing of the year at the Hub on the fourth Thursday of January.

Brian Greed who plays both the organ and the piano for the group used a new songbook which he had produced himself.   This new book is called Brian’s Little Song Book and has a variety of songs in it including many which were on the hit parade in the 1950s.

At the end we had a few songs spontaneously suggested which completed a very enjoyable morning. Our thanks to Brian for producing this new Song Book and for accompanying the group so well. We look forward to the next Community Singing on Thursday 24th February 2022 at 10am at the Hub.
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Margaret Jenkins

Brian Greed has offered to run a Community Singing session on Thursday 27th February – 10 am to 11.15am at the Hub, Jean Lee Drive, Cooinda Village.   Thank you, Brian.   Brian first offered three sessions of Community Singing as a summer school program in January 2020.  It is now a much-loved feature of the regular timetable!  

Margaret Jenkins

An enthusiastic group of singers came together for Community Singing with Brian Greed at the Hub in November.

Brian chose songs out of the Tram Book of Songs for the first session, and accompanied the group on the organ.

After morning tea Sammy’s Song Book No 1 was used, and Brian played the songs on the piano for us.

We are sorry to see one of our members Rick Hann moving to Queensland early in the New Year, but wish him all the best in the Sunshine State.

Everyone gave Brian a big round of applause at the end of Community Singing for the effort he puts into accompanying the group each month. Well done Brian. We all enjoy this relaxed group of singing.

This was our last session for 2021, but we are looking forward to more Community Singing in 2022.
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Margaret Jenkins

It was really great that Community Singing with Brian Greed actually happened in October.  Due to COVID lock downs and restrictions on the number who could meet in the Hub, it was our first session since June 2021.

Thank you to everyone for their cooperation in showing me proof of vaccination as they came into the Hub.  Your assistance made that job easy.

In the first half of Community Singing Brian used the Tram Book of Songs and accompanied us on the organ.

For the second part of the session Brian used Sammy’s Old Time Sing along Book Part 1 and played the songs on the piano.

Everyone enjoyed singing songs that are known so well.  Thank you to Brian for your accompaniment on both the organ and piano.

The final session of Community Singing for 2021 will be on Thursday 25th November 2021 at 10am at the Hub in Cooinda.

Margaret Jenkins  

Unfortunately due to COVID restrictions we were unable to hold Community Singing with Brian Greed in September.

There will be an Email sent to everyone if we are able to hold Community Singing in October.
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Margaret Jenkins

Unfortunately due to lock down, there was no Community Singing with Brian Greed in August.

​Hopefully we will be able to meet and sing on Thursday 23rd September 2021.
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Margaret Jenkins

Unfortunately the July Community Singing which was scheduled for 22nd July 2021 had to be cancelled due to the Victorian COVID lock down.

The next Community Singing meeting with Brian Greed is scheduled for Thursday 26th August 2021 at 10am in the Hub. All welcome.
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Margaret Jenkins

Community Singing is fortunate in that it is scheduled on the fourth Thursday morning of each month, which meant for June that we were all able to meet again in the Hub at Cooinda.

Like other venues now we were able to use the QR code on arrival, as well as tick ourselves off on the U3A roll.

Community Singing is extremely fortunate to have Brian Greed supplying the music for each morning.

In the first session Brian used the organ and our regular Song Book 1, whilst in the session after morning tea he played the piano and used Sammy’s Song Book Part 1. Both sessions were enjoyed by everyone there.

During the morning we welcomed Carmyl Winkler who has recently moved to Benalla from Tallangatta. We hope to see Carmyl at our other Singing sessions in the future.
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Margaret Jenkins   

The May meeting of Community Singing saw our numbers down slightly due to the cold weather and members heading north. However, there was a lot of hearty singing by everyone there, and the volume of our voices was similar to previous meetings.

We were treated by Brian Greed to both the organ and the piano for accompaniment.

In the first half Brian used the Tram Book of Songs and accompanied us on the organ. The organ gives a third level of sound as his feet are involved in producing the sound on the pedals as well as his hands playing on the keyboards.

The second session saw Brian using Sammy’s Song Book No 1 and the piano for accompaniment. It is quite a talent that Brian displays by playing all these songs with no music.
​So thank you Brian.

Also thanks you to Rae Jeffers for bringing us a special morning tea which was enjoyed by everyone there.

Margaret Jenkins

We had another enjoyable session of Community Singing conducted by Brian Greed in April.

At the beginning Brian asked members of Community Singing what they enjoyed and found out that most people enjoyed hearing both the piano and the organ to accompany their singing.

So for the first part of the session Brian used Sammy’s Old Time Sing along Book Part 1 and accompanied the group on the piano.

After morning tea the second session was using the Tram Menu of Song Book with accompaniment on the organ.

It was another very enjoyable morning and our thanks to Brian for providing the musical accompaniment to a great variety of songs.
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Margaret Jenkins

Community Singing in March was played for by Brian Greed using the organ located in the Hub for the first part and the piano for the second part.

In the first part Brian chose songs from Sammy’s Old Time Sing-Along Book Part 2 whilst in the second session he used the Tram Menu of Song Book.

Once again Community Singing provided the opportunity for everyone to sing in a relaxed atmosphere.

We are starting to have morning tea at all our singing sessions. If you could please bring your own cup with you it would be much appreciated. Tea, coffee, milk, sugar and biscuits are provided
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Everyone gave Brian spontaneous applause at the end of the session showing how much his session of Community Singing is appreciated!
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Margaret Jenkins

Brian Greed conducted the first enjoyable session of Community Singing in The Hub at Cooinda on the fourth Thursday of February.  Although only 13 members of U3A had enrolled for this group, 20 people actually attended the session. This included members of Singing for Fun who were delighted to have another singing session for the fourth Thursday of the month.

For the first part of the session Brian chose to use the Hub’s organ and then switched to using the piano for the second part of the session.

Brian used Book 1 for the first part of the session and a Bar Menu of Songs for the second part. There were hearty renditions of Waltzing Matilda, Danny Boy and Coming Round the Mountain as well as many others.

Altogether it was a very enjoyable morning. Brian played entirely from memory without any music books and did a wonderful job of leading the singers with his music accompaniment

Thank you Brian.


​Margaret Jenkins 

Community Singing, conducted by Brian Greed from the piano using a variety of song books for each meeting, will hopefully recommence in late February!
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Like the other Singing for Fun groups, Community Singing is being held at the Cooinda Hub in 2021. 

The first session is scheduled on Thursday 25 February from 10 to 11.15 am. 
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Margaret Jenkins 5762 6944

Community Singing proved great fun when it was introduced by Brian Greed as a summer school activity in January 2020 and in the early months of the year before the Covid 19 lockdown in late March.  Covid 19 regulations willing, it will recommence on the 4th Thursday each month from 10 to 11.15 at the Cooinda Hub.

Although some members of Singing for Fun attend, Community Singing is open to all U3A members.  It is lots of fun, with hearty joining in the priority, not preparing for concerts or learning harmonies.  

After consultation with convenor Margaret Jenkins, we've decided to create a separate web page for Community Singing in 2021.  We look forward to receiving updates (however short) each month and to taking some photos of the group in action (the ones on the banner feature the Singing for Fun group in concert some years ago).  All welcome!

Media Team