COLUMN: Twenty five years of choral singing in Mayo

The Mayo Male Voice Choir last week celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala concert in the perfect setting of the Church of the Holy Rosary in Castlebar. The capacity attendance was a tribute to the stature the choir has reached over that quarter of a century, while the soaring acoustics of the church did full justice to the well rehearsed choir, which now numbers over fifty singing members.

Choral singing has long been said to promote a wide range of benefits - physical, mental and social. It is said to improve cognitive functions, reduce stress and boost health. In particular, singing in a choir fosters a sense of community and friendship by strengthening social bonds, and one of the hallmarks of the Mayo Male Voice Choir is the sense of enjoyment and goodwill which, from choir to audience, is palpable.

Of the founding members of the choir who met in the millennium year of 2000 and decided to launch the boat, only Tony Conway and Michael Feeney now remain active, together with the choir's talented Musical Director, Deirdre Lee, who has also been there from day one.

For the record, the other 'first apostles' were Michael Basquille, Seamas Chambers, Carl O'Boyle, Dan McGuinness, Rod Tobin, Aiden Brett, Brendan Parsons, John Lally and Jimmy McHugh. It might have taken some years for the new choir to find its footing, but since then the trajectory has been very much upward, and the founding group would be well pleased at how the fledgeling choir has developed over the ensuing twenty five years.

Last week's performance served to highlight the wide proficiency of the group's talents and, in its choice if content, its mastery of the techniques of choral singing. Under the expert baton of Deirdre Lee, and the talented accompaniment of Rebecca Cresham-Heneghan, the choir repertoire ranged from the traditional to the modern. The lyrical 'All in the April Evening', found place with two great favourites from the film 'Paint Your Wagon' ( Lee Marvin's 'Wandering Star' and 'Maria'), contrasting with challenging medley of Beatles' hits, a genre of composition not particularly conducive to all-male choirs.

Bookended by the swinging 'Sweet Georgia Brown' and the toe-tapping 'The Wild Rover', each piece was warmly received by a totally appreciative audience.

For many, the cream of the evening (all skilfully compered by MC Sean Mullahy) was the guest appearances of mezzo-soprano, Anne Marie Gibbons, and Ballinrobe born tenor, Sean Costello. Both have made major impacts on the national and international stage, so that it was a rare treat to have such talented performers appear with the Male Voice Choir.

Anne Marie Gibbons' rendition of the theme song from the Rugby World Cup, 'World in Union', richly deserved the sustained applause with which it was received, as was her earlier 'Nella Fantasia', from the film 'The Mission'.

The award winning Sean Costello entranced his listeners with his powerful 'O Solo Mia', while his rendition of 'Nessun Dorma', from 'Turandot' confirmed the mastery of style which has won him plaudits all over the world.

Both artistes combined superbly in an elegant version of 'The Prayer', from 'Quest for Camelot', a song recorded by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion.

The programme notes also recorded the loss of three of the choir's stalwarts over the last year. Tenor Tom O'Hora, a retired psychiatric nurse, was one of the group's most popular members. Ballinrobe businessman, Patsy Murphy, was a dedicated member of many years standing whose contribution both as singer and committee member was exceptional. And Joe Nestor from Ballyglass, former school principal, was the committed secretary of the Choir for several years, but was also acknowledged as a tireless recruiter of new members to the singing ranks.

With the annual concert, the curtain comes down on another season for the Mayo Male Voice Choir. In September, rehearsals start anew, and the choir will welcome new members. Informal auditions will take place to test the suitability of potential members for the choir parts, and those interested are cordially invited to attend at the Music West Centre in Castlebar on Thursday evenings.