Choral Society celebrates 60 years

CARLOW Choral Society recently launched its 60th anniversary celebrations, marking six decades of bringing music to Carlow and beyond since its founding in 1965.

The celebrations kicked off with a launch evening on 4 April with cheese and wine, sponsored by John Donahue Premium Wine and Elizabeth Bradley Carlow Farmhouse Cheese. The event brought together current and former members, along with relatives of past members who have since passed away.

“It was a brilliant night,” said Stephen Harland, a long-time member who joined the choir in 1989. “We had ex-members come in as well as current members. We also had siblings and offspring of members who have passed away popping in to say hello.” Founded in 1965 by a group including Dr Karel Seeldrayers, then organist at Carlow cathedral, and Dr Joseph Groocock, a music lecturer at Trinity College, the society held its first concert the following year. Their inaugural performance was Handel’s Messiah, a piece they have performed numerous times since.

From those beginnings, the society has grown significantly. According to Stephen, they now have 97 members on their books, with 76 currently active singers. Members travel from across the southeast, including Wexford, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Laois, Kildare and Dublin, to attend weekly rehearsals every Monday evening in Carlow College.

“The commitment that these people make is phenomenal,” said Stephen. “It’s a huge ask for a lot of people to travel so far, but they love us, they really do.” The choir’s reputation has led to impressive collaborations and performances. They have performed several times with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and will do so again on 13 June with a performance of Mozart’s Mass in C.

Their 60th anniversary year will continue with a photographic exhibition at Carlow Library in the coming months, showcasing the society’s history.

Over the years, the society has performed at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Philharmonic Hall in Berlin, and members have even performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. In September, as part of their anniversary celebrations, members will travel to Carcassonne, France during the town’s culture week.

Stephen, who met his wife Majella Swan (founder and director of the Carlow College of Music) through the choir, credits the society’s success to its members and leadership, particularly conductor Blanaid Murphy and accompanist Yvonne Collier.

“As a semi-professional choir, the work that we produce, the standard we produce is exceptional,” he said.

“It’s been massive in my life,” he reflected. “It’s been amazing what we’ve done,” he said, adding that members think of the choral group as one big family and range in age from late 30s to early 90s, with a diverse make-up including recent new members from Ukraine.

For more information about upcoming 60th anniversary events, follow Carlow Choral Society on social media or contact them directly.