For Performing Arts groups and Choirs in Swindon and the UK, the current lockdown has meant that meeting to sing and perform together is impossible. The carefully planned concert schedules are in disarray and all are keen to get back in front of their audiences at some point in the future. Swindon Link talks to Wessex Male Choir on how they are coping during lockdown. This is their voice.
The Swindon based Wessex Male Choir is no exception to the woes of the lockdown and though disappointed they cannot perform their annual summer concert this year they have been busy behind the scenes continuing to sing and keep their voices in shape.
Before the lockdown they had been working on an ‘Oliver’ medley including the famous ‘Consider yourself’. So, for a bit of fun they have adapted the works to reflect the current situation to make ‘Consider Ourselves (At Home)’
The Choirs’s Musical Director Thomas Graff said: “Keeping the guys motivated while we are not able to sing together is hard. We always record our rehearsals and provide a lot of extra online support for choristers to practice at home so we thought that, like many other groups, it would be fun to put together a patchwork of voices recorded at home and then add this to some video from each. The result has been well received on social media and provided our audience with a little light relief and keeps us in touch.”
“The choristers are really missing the experience of singing together each week and this was a way to maintain the camaraderie and still produce something as a group. Singing on your own to a backing track is tricky and the result is a little rough around the edges but fantastic fun to do. Creating the video with families and partners really brought out the creative side of them”
Just before the Lockdown the choir had taken delivery of a new keyboard partly funded with a grant from Royal Wootton Bassett town council, for which they are extremely grateful. Sadly it’s not getting much use at the moment but they look forward to singing together again soon and hopefully some concerts in the winter season.
If you would like to know more about the choir, visit the Choir’s Website at www.WessexMaleChoir.co.uk.
Swindon Link is calling on its readers to write to us about their experiences for our campaign called 'Voices from The Coronavirus'. The idea is that we can share our experiences underlining that none of us are alone.
We want to hear from you from whatever walk of life you come from to hear how you are dealing with this new reality. Everybody has a story to share from keyworkers to teenagers. It doesn't matter what your writing ability is, the whole point of this is to make sure every voice is heard so that people don't feel that they are battling this alone. We will try to publish your story on our website no matter who you are.
All you have to do is write to us with your experiences to [email protected]. Please make sure that you send a picture of yourself to go with the piece and try and keep it under 500 words. Please also include some basic details about yourself. For more details press here
And for previous entries into our Voices from The Coronavirus series press here
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