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The Phil Kids Youth Choir

Why We Sing:ÌýÌýGreg Gilpin

Bless The Lord:ÌýAndrew Carter

The Phil Kids Chamber Choir

Sanctus (from Requiem):Ìý¹ó²¹³Ü°ùé

Feile Women’s Singing Group

May I Suggest:ÌýSusan Werner

Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika (South Africa National Anthem):ÌýSontonga, Langenhoven

Rosa’s Lovely Daughters:ÌýRobb Johnson

Queen’s University, BelfastÌýChamber Choir

Da Doo Ron Ron:ÌýBarry, Greenwich, Spector

Royal School ArmaghÌýChamber Choir

Siuil a Ruin:ÌýÌýtrad Irish arr McGlynn

The Flower of Magherally:ÌýÌýtrad Irish arr McGlynn

Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho: Ìýtraditional

St Columbanus’ College, Bangor Staff Choir

The Sound Of Silence: Paul Simon

The Phil Kids Choir was founded in 2006 under the leadership of Christopher Bell who was then Chorus Master of the Philharmonic Choir.Ìý Currently, 313 young singers come to sing and make music from all sections of the community and from all over Belfast and beyond.

Last week Sing Out introduced the Phil Kids Children’s Choir, the youngest of the groups.Ìý This week it’s the Youth Choir and the Chamber Choir.

The Belfast Philharmonic Youth Choir has 53 members singing in three parts including a new ensemble of changing and developing young voices.Ìý This year as well as singing in the Christmas Presentation with all the choirs, Ìýthey sang in Dublin and with the Philharmonic Choir and Ulster Orchestra in the Ulster Hall.Ìý

The musicianship programme develops pitching and rhythm skills teaching sight singing and learning to read music, providing the skills for a lifetime of musical appreciation and enjoyment.

The Youth Chamber Choir has forty young singers aged 15 – 20, and sings in four parts.Ìý

It aims to offer a unique choral music education experience performing a wide repertoire from medieval and renaissance music to compositions by living composers.Ìý This season they joined with Dublin Youth Choir to form the Cross Border Youth Choir coming second in the Derry International Choir Festival Youth Choir class.Ìý Their season recently finished with a performance of Fauré Requiem with NI Opera Studio Artists.ÌýÌý

Now in their 12th year, the Féile Women’s Singing Group has over 30 women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities from across Belfast and beyond. They perform a unique mix of African, Pop, Rock and Folk songs in their own spirited a cappella style.

The group was set up initially as part of the programme of Féile An Phobail with the vision to bring women together through their passion for singing, no matter what their views, beliefs or background. ÌýRehearsals take place in the Cultúrlann on the Falls Road every Wednesday evening and doors are open to anyone with an interest in group singing.Ìý

As well as singing in central Belfast venues, the choir enjoy supporting local events within the community, performing uplifting and reflective pieces. They have sung in tiny pubs, large cathedrals, on the streets, in prestigious halls and even in a yurt. The women’s infectious enthusiasm permeates every performance and their repertoire ranges from the gentlest lullaby to the most raucous 80s rock hit.

The Chamber Choir of The Royal School, Armagh, is an SATB auditioned choir of about 30 singers and is mostly made up of pupils from Years 12-14. They enter many competitions and were semi-finalists in the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio Ulster School Choir of the Year in 2017. The choir specialises in the more complex four to eight part choral arrangements including Britten’s ‘Hymn to the Virgin’ and the mighty Tavener piece ‘God is with Us’.

More recently, the choir has focussed in on the work of Michael McGlynn, the conductor of the Irish group Anuna.

‘Siuil a Ruin’ and ‘The Flower of Magherally’ are two pieces that the choir have particularly enjoyed performing recently.Ìý

The Staff Choir of St Columbanus’ College in Bangor, was formed in 2017, directed by Mrs Ruth Kennedy and supported by Mrs Mary Keag who accompanies the choir.

They rehearse once a week on a Thursday morning before the working day begins.

Everyone involved thoroughly enjoys singing and getting to know the staff on a social level as the members include teaching staff, classroom assistants, technicians and clerical staff . The choir members take part in many events both in the College and in the community. There is a great sense of shared pride when the staff choir from St. Columbanus' College perform together and, in many ways, reflect the important values within the ethos of the College.

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