Sinfonia Viva Launches Second Carers’ Choir

Sinfonia Viva, the East Midlands’ professional orchestra, is launching a second choir to bring together local people from the Chesterfield area who are carers for family and friends.

The Orchestra has already established the Sing Viva Carers’ Choir in Derby which has more than 20 regular members who meet every month. 

As well as enjoying regular music making, they have performed at several concerts – including at the annual Darley Park open air concert in the city.

Following this success, a second Sing Viva Carers’ choir will be launched in Chesterfield next month (January), meeting at Chesterfield Library Theatre in New Beetwell Street on the last Tuesday of every month.

The choir is free to join and will meet for the first time on Tuesday January 29 between 7.30pm and 9.30pm for a ‘come and sing’ session and refreshments.

Everybody is welcome – whether they have choral experience or not – and the repertoire will include a selection of choral favourites, songs from popular shows and pop favourites.

Sinfonia Viva Education Manager Marianne Barraclough explained: “We originally set up Sing Viva Carers’ Choir in Derby as part of our 35th anniversary programme which focused on enabling more people than ever to experience creative music making.

“It has been a huge success and given a wide range of people the opportunity to meet new friends, have some time and space for themselves and enjoy making music in a friendly and supportive group.

“Many people from the north of the county have been in touch asking for the opportunity to join something closer to home so we are delighted to be able to launch a second choir based in Chesterfield.”

Marianne continued: “There is widespread recognition that, as well as practical support, carers can feel socially isolated.  They greatly benefit from the opportunity to take a well-deserved break and enjoy a group activity.

Among the members of Sing Viva Carers’ Choir in Derby is Gill Fennell.

Gill said: “I was part of a choir when I was younger and loved singing but it had gone by the wayside over recent years.

“I was very keen to join Sing Viva as it was the perfect opportunity to take up singing again without too much commitment and have some positive ‘me’ time outside work and home.

“It is also good to meet other people who are caring for friends and family and face the similar challenges and pressures.”

The Sing Viva Carers’ Choir is supported by a wide range of organisations including Derbyshire County Council, Arts Derbyshire, Arts Council England, Orchestras Live, The Headley Trust, Morrisons Foundation and the Santander Foundation as well as Sinfonia Viva’s own fund raising.

For more information, please contact Andrew Nesbitt at Sinfonia Viva, Tel: 01332 207602 or email andrew@vivaorch.co.uk  

 

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