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Codetta

Under the guidance of DΓ³nal Doherty, Codetta is an internationally acclaimed chamber choir based in Derry.

The ensemble was formed in 2001 under the auspices of the City of Derry Civic Choirs, established in 1997 with the support of Derry City Council, the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

From an initial group of two choirs, the scheme has now expanded to cater for more than 200 choristers performing in a variety of ensembles: Primary Girls, Junior Girls, Boys, Youth and Codetta. Codetta’s members are all originally from Derry but now live, work and study in towns and cities on both sides of the border and throughout Britain and Europe. The wide-ranging repertoire that the choir performs is prepared at intensive weekend rehearsals held monthly throughout the year.

Codetta has given many concerts both locally and nationally throughout its career, with highlights including a performance of Bach’s B Minor Mass, concerts with world-renowned Derry Saxophonist Gerard McChrystal as part of the Walled City Festival Concert Series, performances with the Ulster Orchestra in the Ulster Hall, and with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Symphony Orchestra and Proms Youth Choir in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the 2012Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms. Codetta also enjoys performing seasonal concerts in its home town throughout the year in venues including Christ Church, Guildhall, First Derry Presbyterian Church and the Millennium Forum.

In 2010 Codetta visited Tuscany, performing in Florence, Reggello and Siena, and it regularly competes in established choral festivals around the world at an international level. These include the Advent Festival in Prague (2006), the International Choral Competition in Maribor, Slovenia (2008) and the Montreux Choral Festival in Switzerland (2011). Codetta has also successfully competed in the Sligo and Cork International Choral Festivals (2008, 2009, 2012) and enjoys performing in various locations in both cities as part of the choral festival activities.

Codetta makes regular appearances on both radio and television, most recently taking part in the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms. It also performed as part of a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Ulster broadcast along with the Ulster Orchestra and Kim Vaughan (Cellist with the Benyounes String Quartet and former member of Codetta) as part of a celebration of Derry being named as UK City of Culture for 2013. The group has collaborated on a CD with renowned Derry saxophonist Gerard McChrystal and has also showed off its acting skills by performing in a series finale of the award-winning TG4 television series, Seacht.