Kate Gathercole

Location

Fownhope, Herefordshire

Specialisms

Folk song choirs, community singing, and sound play. Seasonal songs and singing walks.

Additional information

I am a folksinger, songwriter, and also a community facilitator. I work closely with my partner & fellow musician Mark Waters, and together we are developing arrangements of local and seasonal traditional songs in 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies for singing with community choirs.

Although seasoned musicians, our venture into community choirs is relatively new. Over 2023 we ran a series of 4 seasonal Community Folk Choirs in Fownhope, Herefordshire. We followed this with some ‘Village Carolling’ in the local pub in the run up to Christmas – singing carols from Herefordshire and the Sheffield Carol tradition – and we put on a local Wassail for Twelfth Night, and an outdoor walk & sing around a fire for Imbolc.

The Seasonal Community Folk Choirs are ‘short burst’ choirs of 4 weeks at a time, with a focus on seasonal and local traditional songs – as well as fun with rounds and simple warm up songs from the global folk tradition. The sessions repeat regularly through the year, and are an opportunity to sing for pleasure in a relaxed and friendly group atmosphere – singing for the love of singing – and for enjoyment of folk song and community.

We are both members of a number of musical combinations, including avant folk duo Alula Down, and four part harmony troupe,  the Bushelbag Carollers.

My choirs

Seasonal Community Folk Choir
Description

A series of Seasonal Community Folk Choirs through the year, with song sharing in the spring, summer, autumn and winter – including some fun with Herefordshire Carols (collected by Ella Mary Leather) and ‘Village Carols’ from the Sheffield tradition in the run up to Christmas.

These are short burst choirs of 4 weeks at a time, with a focus on seasonal and local traditional songs – as well as rounds and simple warm up songs from the global folk tradition.

This is an opportunity to sing for pleasure in a relaxed & friendly group atmosphere – singing for the love of singing – and for enjoyment of folk song and community.

All songs will be taught by ear, and no experience is necessary. All voices are welcome, there is no audition, and no-one will be asked to sing on their own. No music reading is required.

 

Our next seasonal Choir is in March 2024, with 4 evenings of celebration and song, open to everyone. Join us on Thursdays 7 – 9pm, on the 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th March. Email Kate for more details.

Session times

Thursday evenings, 7 - 9pm through March 2024.

Contact details