400 voices prepare as Gorey gets set for this year’s Festival of Choirs
THE COUNTDOWN is on for this year’s Festival of Choirs, taking place over four days in locations across Wexford from Thursday, May 9 to Sunday, May 12 with a special gala concert that will be on in the Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey on Friday, May 10 to mark the celebrations of Gorey 400.
In this the festival’s third year, all events are free to attend, but donations on the door will be welcomed with all funds raised to go towards the work of the Wexford Hospice Homecare Service.
‘We’re very excited that we’re going to have four days of singing in Gorey, and we’re especially happy to welcome the Harmony Men choir from Gorey, Jersey. We are asking that as many people as possible from Gorey and Wexford come and support, not only the choirs and singers but also the important cause, Wexford Hospice Homecare Service,’ said Paul Brown of the festival organising committee.
Last year the festival raised a total of €10,050 and this year during the non competitive festival, over 400 voices will come together in song and style.
The choirs have been rehearsing non stop, and there will be choirs from Gorey as well as South Dublin taking part, and the festival committee are delighted to welcome the group Gorey Jersey.
Primary schools and post primary schools will also be taking part.
To kick off the festival, the post primary schools Presentation Wexford School, Bridgetown Vocational College, Creagh College and Gorey Community School will perform from 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, in Creagh College.
Primary school children will perform in their choirs from Bunscoil Loreto, Gorey, Monamolin School, St Aidan’s CILA school, Ferns Primary School, Tara Hill School, Kilanerin School and Melody Maestros on the afternoon of Friday, May 10, at 3.30 p.m. at the Ashdown Park Hotel.
The big event will follow this, with the gala concert that evening from 8 p.m. in the Ashdown Park Hotel, which will cater for all tastes, featuring jazz, light and popular music from a number of choirs both local and further afield.
These are the South Dublin CC Vocal Ensemble, The Harmony Men Choir from Gorey on the Jersey islands, Gorey Choral Group, Rolling Tones and Suantraí.
‘We are really pleased to see the Festival of Choirs continue to develop and expand. It builds on the rich tradition of arts and cultural events that Gorey is known for,’ said the members of Gorey Municipal District.
This is to be a spectacular display of talent and variety with the ‘community all coming together, showcasing Gorey’ said Paul Brown.
On the night there will be five soloists, including Sara Clancy, Avril O’Toole, John Egan, Kelli-Anne Masterson and Tara Boukhima.
Soloist Sara Clancy will present a workshop of choirs in Gorey Community School on Saturday, May 11, at 12 p.m.
Later that afternoon Gorey Jersey’s Harmony Men Choir will take to the stage again to celebrate world music and acapella, alongside the Dawn Chorus, Stagefright, Valda Chamber Choir, Quay Note Singers and the South Dublin CC Vocal Ensemble.
On the final day of the festival, the choir Credo will perform sacred music in Christ Church, Gorey at 11.30 a.m.
To close the festival, sacred music will continue at St Michael’s Parish Church from 7 p.m.
Enniscorthy Gospel Choir, St Michaels/Craanford singers, Ballygarrett Parish Choir, Cairdre Enniscorthy, Cantabile Choir and Santraí will take part in this.
The committee are promising that the festival will be enjoyable for all the family, and for a good cause in collecting much needed funds for the Wexford Hospice Homecare Service.
Wexford Hospice Homecare Service has been in existence for over 25 years and provides home care nursing and support services for people with terminal illnesses, so that they can live as full a life as possible in their own home.