This article is from page 32 of the 2008-11-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 32 JPG
MEMBERS are this month celebrat- ing the 10th anniversary of the Can- tare Chamber Choir.
Formed by a group of friends who shared a love of singing, the Ennis based choral group have been regu- lar performers at numerous charity and community based events in the last decade.
The choir took its name from the Italian expression ‘Cantare’ which means ‘a love to sing’.
“That’s exactly what we are all about,’ explained choir director Geraldine Bradley, “Everyone in the group had a real love of singing. We’ve really enjoyed performing over the past ten years.”
That love of singing is reflected in the wide range of songs that can be heard at the group’s weekly rehears-
als in the St Peter and Paul Cathe- dral, Ennis.
“We sing anything really, from ren- aissance music right up to modern stuff,’ said Geraldine.
If you’ve attended a fundraiser in Ennis anytime in the last decade, then chances are that you’ve seen a performance by Cantare.
From supporting organisations like the Samaritans and Clare Haven to opening the Ennis Book Club Festi- val, the choir has always been keen to Support community themed events.
“We are very much a community based choir. We only enter the odd competition. Our main focus has al- ways been on supporting community based events,’ said Geraldine.
She added, “Last year we _ per- formed at the Christmas concert for the Samaritans. We’ve done the Mental Health Association concert,
which was in October. We were part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Poor Clares and we performed in the Cathedral when Cardinal Sean Brady was in Ennis”.
The big date on the calendar this year for the 14 members of Cantare is December 14, when, along with the Ennis Cathedral Choir and the Colaiste Muire Choir, the group will perform in the Cathedral at a special mass for Clare Haven.
Cantare also enjoy close links with the other groups and musicians in Ennis’s musical community.
“There are a lot of choirs in Ennis and I think that shows how much of an interest there is in music. We’ve performed with a lot of instrumen- talists and young talented musicians. Albert Hogan played with us. Fiona Walsh from the Ennis Gospel Choir has helped us out. Michael Hennessy
and his piano group have played with us. It’s a community effort,’ said Geraldine.
Cantare have performed at events outside Clare, in Enniscorthy and Limerick and Geraldine is hopeful that the group will get the opportu- nity to do so again.
After Christmas, the next big con- cert for Cantare takes place in March. “We normally break for the summer, with people going away and all that,” explained Geraldine.
And, as Geradine was keen to stress, new members are always wel- fey salen