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Welcome to 2021 and let’s hope we can enjoy seeing and hearing each other in person this year. Jill has put together the newsletter very cleverly, using dictation to her computer and we wish her a full recovery from her wrist fracture. Once again, thanks to Rick and the Christmas Party sub-committee for a great night and also many thanks to all the people who gave their time and creative skills to keeping our Zoom sessions running through 2020. Huge thanks also to Alison who does a sterling job managing the website and putting things together in such a creative way.
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It seems a shame to waste our January freedoms so we are suggesting that any day/evening with a good weather forecast could be designated as a Summer Strummin’ opportunity. Choose a spot in a park, on the beach, in your backyard and send an email through the website a couple of days prior. If you need help just send a message to me (Carolyn 0404510656) and I will send it out. It doesn’t even matter if there are two in one day as some venues/times will suit different members. Let the good times roll !!!!
Carolyn Coxhead (President)
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| MEMBERS' RESPONSE TO QUESTIONNAIRE |
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Many thanks to the 27 people who responded to our questionnaire about the future of LUKES in 2021. A great response rate. Many of you took a great deal of time writing detailed comments which are most valuable. Hopefully we can start implementing some of these ideas and suggestions before too long. A brief summary of your responses is that your preferences overall are to remain at Carrum on a Tuesday night from seven till 9 pm. A significant number of people are interested in trialling afternoon sessions at the Mentone RSL. Your preferred activities are:
1. Singalong in the round
2. Special nights such as Christmas parties
3. Theme nights
4. Skill development nights or afternoons
5. Try out or open mike nights.
Those of you who are in the entertainment groups look forward to resuming when possible. Beginners sessions are highly valued by those who take part in them either as participants or as tutors.
Although many of you raised the limitations and frustrations of Zoom you would be prepared to continue with it if necessary. So, in summary your wish is to continue with Zoom only if we have restrictions and to return to Carrum when we can on Tuesday nights. Weekly is preferred. Others of you have suggested we research or trial venues that are closer to Mordialloc.
Many of you expressed the wish to have mix and match sessions with, for example a bit of tutorial a bit of singing in the round and perhaps beginners in the other room for part of the time. It was often mentioned that you would like to prepare some songs in more depth and develop a well-rehearsed repertoire. The things you would like to do more of are Hat Band sessions and you have a definite preference for meeting face-to-face in smaller groups, and having skills-based sessions. You would like to see less of Zoom and some of the more over the top theme nights. New songs would be welcome.
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We are scheduling a planning session in late January and will invite interested people to join us in putting together our thoughts and program for 2021. This would hopefully be in the Carrum Hall. In the meantime, if you have any agenda items for that meeting would you please send them to Jill at: info@longbeachukes.com.au by the middle of January.
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| HOW SINGING TOGETHER CHANGES THE BRAIN |
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Michael Bell sent this link to us and we thought it might explain why we all leave our LUKES evenings on an absolute high.
Tania de Jong AM makes the case that people singing together can change the brain. Pushing the idea that creativity is the strategic tool of the 21st century, she says how our voices have been silenced and that it's not doing us any good. She explains how singing is a survival mechanism, how it makes our hearts beat together and can help heal strokes and depression.
With singing, and the potential she believes it has, Tania dedicates herself to enhancing and promoting ingenuity and founded Creativity Australia and Creative Universe to do so. As a leading Australian soprano and through 'With One Voice', Tania works with disadvantaged communities. In 2008 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the arts and for the establishment and development of arts enrichment programs for schools and communities.
Watch Tania's TEDx Talk delivered in Melbourne:
==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_HOBr8H9EM
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We have recently received communication from Kingston Council regarding requirements to return to the Carrum hub which we plan to be in our usual timeframe of early February - the Covid gods willing! Basically, this would mean maintaining the 4 m² rule which will limit our numbers. We are in the process of working through all the agreements with Council, including our own COVID Safe plan. We will let you know about that work in more detail soon. One of the precautions is that we will not be able to use the kitchen. The Mentone RSL have agreed to let us use their room on a Wednesday late afternoon which may mean that everyone gets the chance to attend a session each week.
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There is no Getting to Know You segment in the newsletter this month as the editor is slightly disabled. This piece of text has been dictated to my iPad with unexpected ease -except that the Siri gods or goddesses have insisted on writing Carrum as Karen which considering the new meanings that Karen has taken on this year is quite hilarious. Gotta get a laugh out of something. As I write this, messages about the Sydney restrictions are popping up on my screen. Despite all this, we hope you had a happy Christmas and look forward to a much better New Year than 2020 has turned out to be. What a challenge we have faced! But I feel very proud of the spirit of community that has pervaded our sessions even though we haven’t been able to meet in person. Stay safe and break out those festive masks!
Jill
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