Pupils from Holy Family Primary School performing at the launch of the second City of Derry International Choral Festival.
Communities across Derry will be alive with the sound of singing next week, as part of the second City of Derry International Choral Festival.
From shopping centres to care homes, churches to bingo halls, choirs will be popping up all over the city to give free, informal performances during the five-day event which begins on Wednesday next, 22 October.
It’s all part of the festival’s ambitious community and outreach programme, developed in partnership with the Neighbourhood Renewal Areas community engagement team.
In total there will be twenty events, including a free concert at St Columb’s Park House on Sunday 26th October, a performance at the lighting ceremony of the Unity Sculpture in Galliagh, a number of churches hosting visiting choirs and a range of pop up events in public places.
As well as visiting international choirs, local new choirs will be given a platform, including Something Special, First Source’s Inspire choir and community choir Songlines.
Helen Sayers, Community Engagement Co-ordinator at Greater Shantallow Area Partnership, her team has been working in partnership with the Choral Festival team to bring the “joy and energy” of choral music to new audiences across the city.
She added: “We’re particularly excited by the free concert at St Columb’s Park House where a visiting choir from Slovenia and Cór Chairlinne from Louth will share the stage with the newly formed community choir Songlines.
“We’re also thrilled that choirs will be part of the Unity sculpture lighting ceremony in Galliagh.”
There are three strands to the community programme.
The Choral Trail on Saturday, 25 October, will see pop up events in shopping centres, including Ráth Mór, Sainsbury’s, Northside and Springtown, while on Friday 24th October, choirs will visit Ardnashee School and College, House in the Wells alcohol recovery centre and St Joseph’s Parish Centre Bingo night.
On Sunday, 26 October, the Sacred Trail will see visiting international choirs sing during Sunday service in eight churches around the city, including St Columb’s and St Eugene’s Cathedrals.
Later that day, there will be a free concert at St Columb’s Park House at 1.00pm, while at 4.00pm in Galliagh, choirs will celebrate the official lighting of the Unity sculpture.
All events are free. For more information visit www.codichoral.com
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