The NMMA Choir (see more HERE) invites singers from churches of any denomination, with small choirs or no choir at all, to this Christmas Carol Fayre featuring Oven Ready Carols.

Oven Ready Carols are arranged to be easy-to-learn-and-use so that any church, with a small choir - or maybe just a group of people who wish to give a little lift to a carol service, can have one of two choral pieces in their service.

The carols are arranged like this, with:

1. an Essential Part. That is, the main carol melody, set at a pitch which is neither too high or too low for most people. The arrangement works well if only this part is sung.
2. an Optional Part.. This consists of harmony notes, again set at a pitch which suits most voices. It works well whether sung by ladies/children or an octave lower by men. This part is intended for singers who like a little more challenge but, as the name imples, is not essential to the performance.
3. an Optional 2 Part. Some of the carols have this third part, going higher than the other two parts, suitable for more experienced singers.
4. voice-emphasised Rehearsal Tracks. For each of the parts mentioned above, there is a track which aurally highlights that part. These are in MP3 format and can be listened to directly from this website or downloaded on to any suitable device. Almost every piece of audio equipment produced in the last 20 years will play MP3s.
5. a Backing Track. Not every choir or vocal group has access to an accompanist. The backing tracks (again in MP3 format) are playable on any piece of modern audio equipment.
6. a downloadable MIDI file. MIDI files consist of the basic instructions telling a computer how to play music. If you know how to use these, or have access to someone who knows how to use them, you can alter the pitch, tempo, and tone colour of the backing tracks of the rehearsal tracks according to your own wishes.
7. and, off course a downloadable music score ready for copying.

With these resources available, anyone who wishes to should be able to organise a choir or vocal group in their own church without further assistance. If they feel in need of further guidance, they might find The Singers' Toolkit and/ or The Choir Trainers' Toolkit helpful.

There is no charge for downloading and using these arrangements. The melodies and texts are all in the Public Domain, and the holder of the arrangements copyright, Philip Norman is happy for the pieces to be used without payment.

Anyone and everyone is welcome. If you want to give some impetus to the small choir to which you belong, or you hope to start a choir or vocal ensemble, this is the afternoon for you. On the other hand, if you just want an afternoon of stress-free, easy-access singing, this is also the afternoon for you.

This event will be led by Philip Norman

It won't be necessary for singers to download and print the music themselves. Books will be provided. But for now, you can have a look at the notes via the Notes link.

1. Cherry Tree Carol - G major
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
   5. MIDI
2. Cherry Tree Carol - F major
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
3. Ding Dong Merrily on High
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Another Backing Track
   4. Essential
   5. Optional 1
   6. Optional 2
   7. MIDI
4. Go, Tell it on the Mountain
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional 1
   5. Optional 2
   6. MIDI
5. How Far is it to Bethlehem? - G major
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
   5. MIDI
6. How Far is it to Bethlehem? - F major
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
7. In Dulci Jubilo
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional 1
   5. Optional 2
   6. MIDI
8. Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
   5. MIDI
9. On Christmas Night All Christians Sing
   1. The notes
   2. Backing Track
   3. Essential
   4. Optional
   5. MIDI

There's no actual charge for taking part - it's all free. However, running the event will incur costs: heating and lighting the church, producing the music for you sing from, etc, so there will be a collection at some time. A suggested amount is £10 - but if this is too much for you, don't be put-off from taking part, no one will be checking whether you contribute £50 or £5.

There is no actual last date - we can accept new singers right up to 2.00 pm on Saturday 8 October - or even after we have started. But we need to plan efficiently and know, for example, whether we are producing music for 6 people or 60. From this point of view, please register before 1 October.

Click HERE to register.

This link will take you through to a form hosted on an Organists Online page. Organists Online pages have high security protection so that data transmitted on the forms cannot be intercepted.