The choir that keeps on singing

Polestar is proud to sponsor local choir Luminosa. Choral director, Rebekah Abbott, updates us on how they have been supporting their members during the pandemic.

It hasn’t been the best time for the arts but the local family of choirs, collectively known as Luminosa, has been quietly but consistently conserving its passion for music throughout the pandemic and striving to keep its members singing together and continuing to plan for the future. They have maintained their standard of singing, firstly on-line each week on Zoom and, more recently for 8 weeks before the subsequent lockdown, at their regular rehearsal quarters of The Maltings in Alton, a Covid-secure venue. The fact that this choir has galvanised its resources to keep music alive is testimony to the power of singing to prevail.

Inspired by its talented and charismatic choral director, Rebekah Abbott, who is currently Head of Voice with the Royal Marines Band Service, and its patron, Neil Ferris, Chorus Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus, members are always motivated to excel, and Covid-19 has not diminished the choir’s ethos of singing captivating music at a high level of expertise.

Luminosa is proud of the ‘connectedness’ of its membership which is one of the mainstays of its success. During the pandemic this has been a particular blessing, sustaining the emotional and mental health of its members, young and old, enriching self-esteem, confidence and community through singing.

The Choir was due to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a landmark concert in March 2020 with an exciting programme of music, including an inspiring commission. Plans are being made to celebrate Luminosa’s decade of choral success as soon as possible.

In the meantime, homes of Luminosa members of all ages are filled each Tuesday evening with the strains of uplifting singing. The main choir, Luminosa Voices, are rejoicing in Haydn’s Creation, full of unsullied optimism expressed in some of the most lovable and life-affirming music ever composed. This is in preparation for a summer concert which the Choir is optimistically planning, to include Haydn’s magnificent oratorio and other positive music full of light and hope, with singing by the Chamber Choir, Luminosa Chamber Voices, along a similar theme.

Luminosa Rising Voices (ages 10-16) and Luminosa Young Voices (ages 6-11), the choirs creatively led and managed by youth music specialists, Jonathan Upfold and Josh Robinson, are working on an exciting virtual choir project in which young singers are collaborating in the composition of an original song which they will perform on-line later in the year.

The choirs look forward to the time when they can meet and sing together once more and perform in a post-pandemic concert.

Information about the work of the choir, its ethos and how to join can be found on their website www.luminosamusic.com.

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