After exactly 18 months, we are resuming face to face rehearsals.
The last time we sang together in person was on Friday night the 13th MARCH 2020- the night before we were due to perform at the York Community Choir festival for the third year running, but had to make the difficult, but sensible decision to bow out at the last minute as fears about the swift spread and dangers of the Coronavirus were too perilous to ignore. That night we recorded ourselves singing through what we would have performed so we had a record of our "concert" none the less.
Here it is:
Determined not to let the virus completely ruin the rest of our prospects, we made the decision to adapt to online rehearsals and performances. It was a huge learning curve for us all as we navigated the technical challenges of Zoom calls, YouTube rehearsals to follow in our own time at home and then the altogether next-level tasks of recording, uploading and producing personal audio and video recordings to be combined to make our own virtual performances.
The first we did was an audio recording of the lilting lullaby "Balloo Baleerie". You can access this by clicking here. This was produced in early May... Just over a month after we had started our online rehearsals!
As the year drew on, unfortunately a number of choir members felt unable to continue with this new online/ out of touch world. Quite understandably! No one signs up to sing in a choir to spend over a year warbling away to themselves at home! However, a core dozen or so bravely and commendably stuck with it. Our first virtual video recordings were of some well-known African numbers which were incredibly well received, the world over!
In the run -up to Christmas, we had a few new recruits when we made audio recordings for our online Christmas concert. Again this was enormously well received and was a lovely opportunity to send out a message of love and hope to all our families and friends over the extraordinarily difficult season. I was so proud of this achievement!
On to the new year and with no real certainty before us... still(!) Vanessa chose to focus on the word HOPE as we sang our way into 2021, full of the promises of better times to come. As we came to the Summer break, we were singing the stirring anthem "When you believe" from the film "The Prince of Egypt". This song is a celebration of God's promises in bringing His people out of bondage to a new land and a place of freedom. How very apt that this was our song as the restrictions were finally lifted! We didn't get round to a virtual performance of this song but, how much more wonderful that we will be singing it together tonight as we get together for the first time again!
One of our songs from our "HOPE 21" set is a song that became hugely meaningful for so many during the pandemic: YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE. The coming together and strength of human kindness has been incredibly encouraging during this difficult time and I hope that we have all come out of this season with more compassion and love and for one another.
Finally, I want to say how hugely proud I am of all members of Dunnington Community Choir. It's been quite a journey but your loyalty, perseverance and achievement has been both humbling and thrilling.
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