November Flurries.
The forecast for late November : Flurries of activity, Flurries of kindness and Flurries of snow. It’s been a really wonderful past few weeks and I’m hopeful you may even get a flurry of excitement yourself when you read all about what’s been happening and how your unique and wonderful voice can be involved in part of something musically memorable.
November 13th 2017 was World Kindness Day and one which my choirs were very excited about. It was the launch day of our 365 day “Do you hear my voice?” campaign.
It’s been 10 years since I started leading choirs and that’s a cause for celebration, but how to mark the occasion?
On 29th Oct 2017, 76 Singing it back choir members and 24 wind players from Woking Wind band met for the first time at the Visconti recording studio at Kingston University. I’d been planning the project for the past 6 months and finally the day had arrived to capture a song written by yours truly.
The choir, the band, the sound engineer and I had never worked together before. Many of the choir members had never been into a recording studio before. It was an incredible experience working with the sound engineers, the band and the choir. Everyone was patient, enthusiastic, willing, kind and excited. 
Together we captured an original composition written by me called “Do you hear my voice?. It was a very special and rather emotional moment hearing the opening bars being performed live by the wind orchestra. I felt as though my heart was going to burst with pride. The experienced team of sound engineers at the studio worked patiently to get the balance right between the choir and the band. The choir members were intrigued and patient every step of the way. Many have remarked that it was a day that they will never forget.
We need you too…………
There are over 40,000 choirs across the UK and my dream is to reach as many choirs as I am able and to encourage them to learn my song. It’s a really easy piece of music and there are two different arrangements available determined by your choirs needs and abilities. I am hopeful that the lyrics resonate with many “We will sing to be heard, we will sing to be free. Let our voices unite as one voice, you and me”.
Anybody who sings in a choir often remarks on how happy it makes them. How it has increased their confidence or how being part of a choir has supported them through times of change, loss or illness. My composition “Do you hear my voice?” is available to anybody who would like to join me in my campaign for a happier, healthier world. I’m supporting two charities who will receive any voluntary donations given in exchange for the score. The two charities I have chosen are Action for Happiness and Anxiety UK. You can read all about the campaign at the link below where you can watch the film, hear the song, read my own personal story, download the score and make a voluntary donation.
Flurries of excitement alongside flurries of funds raised so far and flurries of snow forecast leaves me feeling warm and cosy inside. I hope you enjoy hearing my joyous, uplifting song and that you’ll consider adding your own act of kindness by getting involved as a choir, school or individual.
Thank you to the wonderful choir members, their friends, families and supporters. To Woking Wind orchestra for your trust, enthusiasm and wonderful accompaniment.
Here’s to all our voices and our own personal reasons for being part of one of the many choirs across the world. Together we can make a difference so “Raise your voice the time is here”. You can get involved on social media by using the hashtag #DoYouHearMyVoice. 40,000 choirs all singing from the same page? Now that’s something to celebrate.
With very best wishes until December
Mary Bourne
Composer : Do You Hear My Voice?
Founder & Choir leader : Singing it back.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/doyouhearmyvoice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=cStDoj6Hgns