Looking for something to do on those cold winter nights? Why not join a choir? Sandymount Gospel Choir is singing out loud for new members. They are a non-professional group, comprised of tenors, basses, altos and sopranos. An ability to read music is not necessary, just your voice and enthusiasm.
NewsFour had a sneak peek at the pre-service practice in St. Matthew’s Church, Irishtown, where the popular Oh Happy Day raised the roof with its upbeat message.
“I don’t sing because I’m happy, I’m happy because I sing.” That is the motto of Cathy McEvoy, who has been the choir’s talented and experienced musical director for the last two years. They have been a regular feature in the Star of the Sea Church for some time, performing there every second and fourth Sunday from September to June, and are expanding all the time with St Matthew’s Church and Christchurch, Sandymount Green added to the performance list.
Edel Mulligan, along with her husband Dermot, is a founding member of the choir. “It evolved in 2009 from the parents who were singing at the family mass and is drawn from the people in the Parish of Sandymount. Choral singing is very beneficial for both mental health and prevention of the onset of dementia, which is very important to some of the members,” she jokes, but goes on to say that it is in fact true that singing reaches otherwise untapped sections of the brain. “As a social event, it really is the highlight of the week,” adds choir member Cindy Carroll.
On Friday 23 May, Sandymount Gospel Choir performed their first concert in Lansdowne Football Club, next door to the Aviva Stadium. It was a great success and all proceeds from the concert went to the Sandymount Matero Friendship Programme.
The SMFP was founded in 2008 and links Sandymount with Matero, an impoverished suburb of Lusaka, Zambia.
The choir is having an open day on Tuesday, 9th September and hopes to welcome all levels of musical experience in sampling what the choir has to offer. Cindy highly recommends the choir. “Regardless of how I am feeling going into practice, I always feel happy coming out,” she says.
For more information, see facebook.com/sandymountgospelchoir and www.sandymountmatero.ie or contact Cindy on 087 9725220.
