Sunday 8th January First pre-season practice for boys selected for NCS 2012. 5.10 - 6.00 Choir Vestry
Sunday 15th January Second pre-season practice for 2012 NCS boys. 5.10 - 6.00 Choir Vestry.
Wednesday 18th January Meeting at 7.00 pm (ie during Choir Practice) for everyone willing to help at this year’s Coffee Morning. A separate letter will be distributed to all Parents and Choir Adults via e mail at the weekend.
Saturday 21st January Rehearsal for NCS Boys at Gildersome 10.00 – 12.30. (Directions for rehearsal venues are posted on the Northern Cathedral Singers website).
Saturday 4th February Rehearsal for NCS Boys at Ripponden  10.30 – 3.30
Presentation of Awards to new Bishop’s, Dean’s and Archdeacon’s Choristers at Service held in Blackburn Cathedral at 3.30.  Recipients of Awards will receive individual letters detailing their timetable for the day.
A clash here! Will advise soon.
Sunday 5th February Ruff Sunday Boys take ruffs home after Evensong for washing and starching … and remember to bring them back next Sunday!
Rehearsal for NCS Boys singing at Durham Cathedral  5.20 – 6.00.
Saturday 11th February Five of our NCS Boys are singing Evensong at Durham Cathedral.
The Service is at 5.15.
Wednesday 15th February No Choir Practice. (Half Term)
All Sunday Services (ie on 12th & 19th) at the usual times.
Wednesday 22nd February Ash Wednesday NB different times to accommodate the Service.
Practice  5.30 - 6.30  (Probationers)  6.00 - 7.15  (All other boys)  6.30 –7.15 (Men)
Eucharist  7.30 (Full Choir, except Probationers). Remember Church Clothes.
Bearing in mind Prep commitments, older boys are asked to do their best and arrive as soon as possible.
Sunday 26th February Rehearsal for all NCS Boys 5.20 - 6.00. (ie before Evensong)
Saturday 3rd March All our NCS Boys sing Evensong at Leeds Parish Church. The Service is at 4.00 pm
Sunday 11th March Senior section of the Choir sings the 9.30 am Service at St Peters. Singers involved will be notified.
No Choir at the 11.00 am Service at the Parish Church.
Full Choir as normal at 6.30 pm Evensong.
Meeting  after Evensong for all boys and  parents involved in the Isle of Man Course.
Saturday 17th March Richard Edney’s Wedding  12.30 (to be confirmed). Boys and Men will be singing at this Service.
Sunday 18th March Practice for all boys singing in  this year’s IOM Tour  9.30 – 10.30. Refreshments will be served before the Eucharist.
Saturday 24th March Choir Coffee Morning. Parish Hall 10.00 am.
Sunday 25th March Please note, British Summer Time begins today. Nobody got it wrong last year!
Sunday 1st April Palm Sunday Final Practice for all Choristers singing in the Isle of Man.  9.00 – 10.30. Refreshments will be served before the Eucharist.
Ruff and Surplice Sunday. All singers take home surplices and ruffs (boys) for washing and starching (ruffs only!!). They will be required on Thursday 5th April.
Wednesday 4th April Practice at usual times.
Compline sung by men’s voices at 8.45
Thursday 5th April - Maundy Thursday Eucharist of the Last Supper 8.00 pm - Full Choir, but not Probationers.
Friday 6th April - Good Friday Morning Service at 11.00 am - Full Choir.
Saturday 7th April – Holy Saturday Easter Vigil 7.30 pm. Selected men.
Sunday 8th  April - Easter Day Services at the usual times on this important day.
Final briefing for all boys travelling to IOM after Evensong.
Monday 9th April Annual Football Match for Dads and Lads. Broughton School 10am
Tuesday 10th  – Monday 16th  April Isle of Man Course
There will be no Choir at Services on Sunday 15th  April
Wednesday 11th and 18th April No Choir Practice
Sunday 22nd April Rehearsal for all NCS Boys  5.20 – 6.00. (ie before Evensong)
Saturday 28th April Our nine NCS Boys sing  Evensong at Blackburn Cathedral.
The Service is at 3.30 pm.
Sunday 29th April Rehearsal for NCS Boys singing at York Minster on Monday 7th May.

AND LOOKING AHEAD
Tuesday 3rd July Music for a Summer’s Evening
Broughton Choir is booked to sing one of the Summer Concerts held in Hawkeshead Parish Church in the Lake District. This is a prestigious event. Please make a special note of the date. Details later.
Saturday 21st July – Sunday 29th July (very early!) France Tour
Sunday 28th October Broughton Choir sings the 10.30 am  Eucharist and the 3.00 pm Evensong at Liverpool Cathedral. Please try to keep the date free. Details soon.
Friday 14th December Carol Singing Evening Broughton Club etc
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 17th, 19th, 20th December  Carol Concerts Parish Hall
Thursday 20th December Carols at the Principal’s Lunch, Myerscough
Saturday 22nd December Carol Singing Sainsbury’s.

AND A FEW BITS AND BOBS

Broughton Choir Robe Carriers
With the approach of the Awards Service at Blackburn, NCS events and the IOM and France Tours, a reminder that the new robe carriers are available from Mrs Gaukrodger, price £4.00.

Absence Slips
One or two boys forgot to hand slips in  on occasions towards the end of last year. Please check that they have actually  handed them in when they return after an absence. And whilst on the subject of absence slips, if  you know  in advance that your son is going to be away, with our current large numbers, it  helps enormously with music / seating etc if you could send in  the slip or e mail me  before the absence. Remember, Absence Slips can be downloaded here.

Sweat Shirts
All enquiries regarding sweat shirts to Mrs Gaukrodger (tel 755407). Don’t forget we also have a second hand scheme for sweat shirts (see notice board for details). Mrs Gaukrodger also looks after Choir ties (available only to red ribbon boys and adult singers).

Name Tapes
Please put these on sweat shirts, ties, ruffs, surplices and cassocks. This saves so much time when items go missing!

Lost Property
Please check for missing coats etc in the choir lobby. We seem to have quite a collection of garments permanently on the hooks!
Don’t forget to keep your eye on the Choir Website broughtonchoir.org which Mrs Sandra Buckland kindly keeps up to date for us.  

Practice Night Arrival Times
When the dark nights arrive, whilst not wishing to dampen the enthusiasm of the boys, could I please ask parents to ensure that their sons do not arrive at Church before 6.50, unless:
1         They are Probationers or Waiting Boys
2         They wish to help at the Probationer Practice
3         There is a problem with transport
There is no problem with early arrivals on Sundays.

Auditions - New Boys
The annual auditions for places in the boys’ section will be held in September / October. Do make sure that parents in your sons’ classes at School are aware of this. It is always a pity when good boys are missed through lack of communication. Although of course we look forward to seeing boys who are already involved in music-making, I must stress that no previous musical experience is necessary. We are looking for boys who show potential; who are reasonably intelligent; who are not afraid of a bit of hard work; who will enjoy the competitive spirit of life in the Choir; and who will eventually be good ambassadors on Cathedral visits and Choir Tours both in this country and overseas. I shall be visiting the Harris School, Broughton School, and St Peters School,  but of course boys are welcome to audition from any School in or out of the Parish.

Presents? Choir CDs could solve your problem!

. . .   and finally,remember ‘The Broughton Outlook’ keeps you up to date with Choir and Parish happenings. It can be delivered to your home or purchased each month at the back of Church.

. . .   and don’t forget to keep your eye on the Choir Website broughtonchoir.org which Mrs S Buckland kindly keeps up to date for us. You can even download your absence slips from here!

Access To Choir Photographs
Please ask Mr Catterall or Mr Wilson for details. 

Yours sincerely
John Catterall