We worked really hard, we had a ball and we achieved fame, for a while, but now the Open Arts Choir has been stood down. We sang out best on Saturday and Sunday but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to get us through to the public voting stage. All choir members are enjoying a well-earned rest before they set off for Liverpool where they’ll be singing at the Dada Fest on Saturday 6th September. See you there.
Usually the choir has a break over the Summer. Not this year! Since its success in Last Choir Standing (having made it through to the last 15) the choir has been working flat out as they are determined to be one of the final 6 and take part in the live shows. Thye’ve been rehearsing almost every night this week and a choreographer came over from London to help extract every last ounce of feeling from the new songs they are learning . The next show they appear in will definitely be a winner.
Open Arts festival Choir took part in the Ballymena Music festival on Saturday 1st march. They were the only choir to sing in the Mixed Vocie Choir section, but sang their two songs beautifully, received a very complimentary report from the adjudicator, Elizabeth Bicker, and a wonderful cup. They also came joint first in the Best Choir category, taking home a superb silver trophy to keep for six months and half the bursary of £500 donated by Ballymena Borough Council. It was a great night for everyone as we all were able to see the brand new Braid Arts Centre, which has been built around the refurbished Town Hall. Well done to the Festival Choir!
Our Javanese gamelan with gongs, metallophones and wonderful sounds is currently working in Cregagh Youth Centre as a Creative Youth Partnerships project with pupils from Cregagh’s hard of hearing unit and pupils from Knockbreda’s learning support unit. The talented musical facilitators, Bev and Iain, are making a dvd to demonstrate to teachers how the musical techniques they use with the gamelan can be equally successful on class-room instruments or even household objects, such as saucepans, pyrex bowls and teapots! The project continues until 19th February and the dvd should be available by April.
Disabled people in the arts
