66 / Community Choir
This post was contributed by my brother
Can I share my excitement with you? Well, this Saturday
evening the choir I belong to will be singing in our town church with a really
good orchestra to a packed house. Can you believe it, we sold out of tickets
two weeks ago, so are bound to raise a goodly sum for the local charities
chosen by our Citizen’s Advice Bureau, who invited us to perform?
Felicity and I nervously joined our community choir nearly
nine years ago, shortly after it was formed. It was a leap of faith, as neither
of us was confident, had almost no experience of singing with others and could
not read music.
What a stroke of good fortune it has been, to be swept along
by the brilliance of our musical directors. Over the years, we have been taught
to sing in four-part harmony, have performed music as diverse as Carl
Jenkin’s,” The Armed Man”, Gershwin’s Classics, show music, pop music, African
chants, you name it and we have had a go at it. It’s been such fun and we have
raised shed loads of money for Cancer Research UK and other charities into the
bargain.
Now I write this blog not to boast, but to give an insight
into the way in which this community has developed. There are usually about 85
of us who rehearse together, quite a number of whom are refugees from some form
of crisis in their lives. Felicity and I meet and greet, so we get all these
stories first hand. What a joy it is to see people who have approached the door
like rabbits caught in a spotlight, only to be bounding in a few sessions
later, full of confidence and ready to sing.
Roll on Saturday! Strength of numbers allows inhibitions to
fly, mouths to open and joyful chords to blend.
PS. My brother has since messaged me to say the concert was a resounding success and a goodly sum, indeed, was raised and donated to cancer research.
PS. My brother has since messaged me to say the concert was a resounding success and a goodly sum, indeed, was raised and donated to cancer research.
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| © Benóg Brady Bates |
