Singing at the Chorlton Arts Festival!

As a resident of Chorlton singing in the Manchester Community Choir as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival was a real treat. We had a good venue – Chorlton Methodist Church and a really appreciative audience. Rose, our choir director was on great form and her choice of songs played to our strength and was of relevance to our audience. We managed to sing one song in Macdeonian and another in Zulu!

Indeed, we began by singing Chanson by Helen Yeomans which posed the question Who in the world is singing, who in the world is making song? /Stop talking and let your mind be free, stop talking and let your voice be free. Which was a great message to share! Then Sto Mi E Milo which showcased our ability to sing in Macedonian and is a kind of folk song with curious lyrics about hanging out at the watering hole. We also sang Saltwater, a song by Julian Lennon, which we have sung for a number of years and which remains unfortunately still very relevant with its focus on climate change.

And Let the river run an amazing song by Carly Simon, almost hymn-like with extraordinary lyrics such as “We the great and small stand on a star and blaze a trail of desire through the darkening dawn” Then the joyous Let the Light Come Shining Through by Kate Thomas which encourages us not to be downhearted in the darkness but to be open to the light.

Under the Shelter by Alison Burns, “Under the shelter of one another, Shelter of one another, We will survive. This encourages to have hope and to trust in one another despite what we face. And When love had no road, by Alison Burns based on a poem by Clare Shaw. This is a painful song recognising the challenges faced when living true to your love “When Love had no road, we built it/We shouldered its stones and its dirt, and built it/We laid aside our hurt and built it,/When love needed a road”.

And finally Zidele Amathambo which is so exuberant and a great way to end our gig!