Friday, 11 January 2019
Christmas Music and a Cracking Quiz
U3A Todmorden’s Christmas meeting was well served by local talent.
Dee Ashworth conducted the Todmorden Community Adult Learners Brass Band in a fine medley of tunes.
This was TCALBB’s first outing. They more than rose to the occasion, belting out ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and rolling through ‘Out and About’, before unleashing the B flat bass on the bass line of ‘Dr Who’.
This was followed by the lively ‘Hoe-Down’ and the rhythmically mellow ‘Calypso Crazy’ before winding up with ‘Bass Runner’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.
The concert was fine example of what U3A is all about: ‘inclusion, enjoyment and pursuing interests together’. Congratulations to all participants, and to the patience and encouragement of their conductor!
Those who were inspired can seize the hour and contact Todmorden Community Brass Band to get themselves going. The Five Note Band extends a warm welcome to trainee musicians of all ages.
The synergy of the musicians was then translated to impromptu quiz groups who were set fiendish seasonal questions by Myrna Beet of the Quiz Group.
If you knew who set up the first nativity scene in 1223 and where, or what Kenyans prefer to have for dinner on Christmas day, or what the last line of ‘Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is, then this was the moment for you to shine.
Confusion was genially aroused by the question ‘In which Eastern European country do Killantzaroi (goblins) visit homes between Christmas and Epiphany?’
The answer is ‘Greece’. But many of us were stuck in the political past, thinking Greece was a ‘Western’ country, when in fact we were being asked about a geographical constant.
The final section was based on one of the rounds in ‘Only Connect’ – completing a sequence. Try these!
Stop sign, 50p coin, honeycomb and .....?
Drummers, Lords, Maids and .....?
Thorn, shout, seat and .....?
Quiz winners
The winners of the quiz were Marion Kershaw, Brenda and Jim Botten, Christine Morton and Emily Watnick, a veteran of the ‘Only Connect’ competitors, The Cosmopolitans. Fine play from all the team.
Gill Radford, Chair of U3A Todmorden, made several announcements, including the pleasing news that four members had volunteered themselves for committee work.
Gill also hoped that Todmorden might produce its own Bake Off contestant. Any takers?
U3A Todmorden’s next members’ meeting will be on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 in the Central Methodist Church Hall in Todmorden at 1.45.
We will be welcoming the return of Ray Riches and Peter Thornton who will be talking about ‘Pathways and Film Production’.
Our contact details are (website) www.u3atod.org.uk, (email) enquiries@u3atod.org.uk, or (phone) 01706 812015.
Many thanks to Anthony Peter for this report
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