The Incognito Singers performed two magnificient Autumn Concerts entitled "Songs With Style", at the Teatro Municipal in Zurgena all for the benefit of F.A.C.E. (Fundraising in Arboleas, Caring for Everyone) recently. The 27 strong group of mixed voice singers under the musical guidance of David Murphy, performed for well over an hour and twenty minutes, with a thirty minute break, a superb array of musical numbers ranging through light classical numbers, music from musicals and films such as "The Sound of Music" and "Oklahoma", and modern popular music by Nat King Cole and Whitney Houston, which delighted it's audiences.
F.A.C.E. provided a bar which served pre show and interval refreshment. There was also a Raffle at each performance.
The only benefactor of the performance was F.A.C.E. as the singers performed free of charge. The total amount raised by the two performances was € 1,154-50 including all ticket sales, bar sales and raffle ticket sales. For further information on The Incognito Singers please call 629 977 822 or e-mail them at theincognitosingers@gmail.com or take a look at their Web Page at www.theincognitosingers.com

On moving to Spain in August 2017 I knew that I would need to have a hobby and a way of meeting people.  I love singing and always have since childhood so my partner suggested joining a choir.

I had sung in a church choir up until the age of about 16 which I enjoyed and around twenty years ago I was involved with a choir in London, but this turned out to be ‘highbrow’ and ‘cliquey’. I just wanted to sing, so I was rather put off by my last experience.

I met Kate (Contralto) from The Incognito Singers by chance. She said to me  ‘I don’t suppose you happen to sing? Our choir is always looking for new members’. She went on to say ‘feel free to come, listen and see what you think’.

So I went along for a listen…. and was impressed from the word go.

The sound is great and the musical director is very good at getting the best out of people without it being hard work. The songs are of a very mixed variety and I would say there is something for everyone. I was impressed by how many men there are, as many choirs are top-part heavy.

I decided to give it a go and join. After a very simple audition I was accepted.

Using the downloaded app has made practising at home relatively simple.  Everyone is very friendly, welcoming and ready to help with any questions.
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I would say, if you love to sing, have a tiny bit of music knowledge, then come along and join in. 

I have always wanted to sing in a choir. I never had the opportunity when I was working in the UK.

So, when I spotted an article in a local paper in early 2015 , "singers wanted " I knew this was my chance.

I turned up as requested at the Rosaleda Hostal at 6.30pm on a Wednesday evening, and since then singing has been a major part of my life here in Spain.

The Incognito Singers was set up in February 2015, the Musical Director, David Murphy , a violinist with orchestras in Blackpool and then got into singing with the Elswick Singers where he was given the opportunity to conduct.

In 1996 he became the MD of a ladies choir, the Capricorn Singers where he remained until coming to Spain in 2014.

He came to Spain for rest and recuperation but that didn't last long, thank goodness and he soon found himself creating another choir.

We are a mixed voice choir and we are serious about singing, but want to have fun too, so there are regular social events.

At the moment we have 30 members and not everyone can read music but David provides music and rehearsal tracks to download, so you can see we are in safe and very capable hands.

We started performing in public in 2016, when we raised 2,000 euros for local charities .

So far this year we have raised 1,600 euros and we still have concerts in Zurgena and Bedar to come. It is a good feeling to be part of a group which has raised so much money for good causes.

We have also sung in support of Spanish community projects including the Albox Musical  Festival and  just recently the International  Festival in Cantoria.

The choir has gone from strength to strength in a short time, in November 2018 we will be performing with massed choirs at the Royal Albert Hall in London, to raise funds for Cancer Research.

We sing all types of music, ballads, love songs, sacred music, easy listening, even Opera, so there is something for everyone.

For me, music stimulates the brain in a way nothing else can, it makes our hearts and souls feel better.

I recently found this quote by Paul McCartney which sums it up perfectly for me, he said,
 "I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity, to see real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork.
It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see people cooperating like that."

Would you like to join a choir? If so, do something about it now, you won't regret it, I haven't!