“New Songs” – an update and reminder about how new SDFS material can be introduced

We are considering some ‘new’ songs to add to our South Downs Folk Singers collection, to extend our knowledge and enjoyment of the South Downs songs and to give us even more to choose from when we share the songs with the public on our website and at performance events.

For a while the task of sourcing and selecting new material for us all to learn was done by our song leads, but now if any singer attending the local monthly sessions wants to bring another South Downs song to our attention it will be considered by our song leads. Please note: the words and tune (recording or score), or a YouTube or other recording reference, will need to accompany any song suggested. (This process does NOT apply to the extra songs we might occasionally choose to sing or entertain each other with at a local session – unless wanting them to be more generally used by the SDFS.)

Once on a shortlist a new song could then be tried and learned at all of our local sessions and, if favoured by most of the singers, formally ‘adopted’ as a “SDFS" song. This final say will be with the singers – so don’t be shy with your ideas and with your comments, all our singers play an important part in this process!