Horsecross Arts’ Virtual Voices online singing group has struck a chord by attracting participants from as far afield as The Netherlands and Canada!
The creative organisation and charity behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre launched the virtual version combining its popular Horsecross, Leven and Carse Voices groups in early June, and since then the group has built up a regular local and global following for its weekly sessions!
When the first block finished in July, almost 40 singers of all ages and stages were meeting up to belt out songs via Zoom in the informal hour-long choir meets. Horsecross Arts has now announced that a second block of Virtual Voices will start on Tuesday 18 August and run until Tuesday 6 October.
Emma Neck, creative learning co-ordinator (music) for Horsecross Arts said:
“We’ve had such an amazing response from people all over Scotland joining Virtual Voices, and we even have some international participants. Setting up an online singing group seemed like a strange concept, as you are taking away the fundamental basis of what a choir is - singing together - we asked the participants to take a leap of faith with us, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the reaction and overwhelmed by the positive feedback. Nothing beats the power of singing in a group, but this new virtual platform offers lots of positive alternatives and still gives the sense of singing together, plus it’s great for anyone who lacks the confidence to join a traditional choir. Of course, the beauty of the online version is that the sky’s the limit in terms of numbers! We can’t wait to start up again in August.”
Some Virtual Voices participants commented:
“I look forward to it every week and I've really enjoyed it. Emma was great taking her first session tonight. She made it feel like we were really all in the room together.”
“It's even better than I expected it to be! I enjoy the opportunity to belt things out on my own but still feel part of a group.”
“The songs chosen are great but easy enough to learn and practise at home with the links sent out to us.”
The new block will take a trip through the decades with songs from the sixties to the nineties. In each session participants will learn one song in its entirety making it easy to opt in and out as lives get busy again!
Virtual Voices runs from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesdays from 18 August until 6 October. To book the 8-week block for £24 or an individual session for £3.50 click here.
Horsecross Arts has stayed connected with its community groups throughout the pandemic crisis. As well as Virtual Voices, it has taken its Little Stars weekly workshops for 0 – 5 year olds and their grown-ups online. Young members of the Horsecross Arts Join In programme have created video diaries for as part of The Coronavirus Time Capsule project for groups of young people everywhere, created by Company Three. See www.companythree.co.uk/coronavirus.
The daily Keep Going Together blog continues to deliver bite-sized moments of culture and community as it has since the venues were forced to close at the end of March.
Recent funding secured from the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund will allow Horsecross Arts to work with a significant number of creative freelancers to put together a programme of theatre, music and activities for the community while Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre remain closed. Details will be announced shortly.
Wednesday 12 August 2020