It’s the return of rehearsals for Peterborough choirs

Early in the pandemic, singing was identified as ‘high-risk’ as a result of outbreaks of Covid-19 linked to several choirs worldwide, and there remained a very big question mark over when and how activity might resume.

After months of uncertainty, in August, the initial findings of a government-commissioned study suggested that singing is “no riskier than talking”, opening the door for the cultural sector to get back to work and, true to form, the city’s choirs didn’t waste any time!

With indoor performances resuming in the UK from late August, Peterborough Male Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices were quick to relaunch their popular Christmas Magic event at Peterborough Cathedral with a revised Covid-secure seating plan, and to start in-person, socially-distanced rehearsals.

As well as working on a Christmas repertoire they are putting together some new and challenging showpieces for next year’s competition season - all learned by the singers individually during lockdown - with trips planned to Huddersfield and Manchester in 2021.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, the choirs’ director William Prideaux been very creative in his approach to the challenges faced during last few months, and downing tools was never an option for the choirs who have continued throughout lockdown with weekly Zoom rehearsals, preparing individually using various online resources. This has allowed them to remain engaged with their personal preparation and development, and to learn in greater detail than ever before…with truly spectacular results!

“We are incredibly fortunate to have great leadership, which has allowed us to not only survive lockdown as a choir, but to come back stronger and more united than ever with a renewed sense of purpose and pride” says Anna Welsford of Peterborough Voices. “Since March, we have learned several new pieces of music independently, which we have been fortunate enough to bring together in recent weeks in Covid-secure in-person rehearsals. Walking back into the room filled me with first-day-of-school nerves but hearing how our individual efforts came together made all the hours spent rehearsing over lockdown completely worthwhile!”

Personal responsibility and learning have always been very much at the heart of the Peterborough Sings! ethos and this is what has enabled the choirs to achieve such a high standard of performance and such an impressive track record of competition wins. Isolation has taken this to the next level so that in future any notion of learning notes in rehearsal will seem very outdated: rehearsals will be for putting the performance into things - because singing is about so much more than just singing!

And, while rehearsals are now subject to strict social distancing measures, they’re not so very different than they were before – it’s a cornerstone of the choirs’ rehearsal and performance technique that singers are spaced apart, allowing them to listen to each other and work better as an ensemble.

“Lockdown has been a game-changer for us” says the choirs’ director William Prideaux , “and if we can survive this, and grow from it, we really can survive anything! I’m proud of the commitment and resilience each and every member of the choirs has shown and I’m thrilled to be back in the room with them rehearsing for Christmas Magic, our favourite show of the year.”

“I can’t wait to get back on stage and perform some of our new pieces, and audience favourites, at Christmas Magic,” says Anna. “We all need something to look forward to at the moment, and this will be an amazing day for everyone involved, don’t miss it!”

Christmas Magic is organised by Peterborough Male Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices and will be at Peterborough Cathedral on December 12. Tickets from £18 at www.peterboroughsings.org.uk or by phone on 0333 666 3366.