Glenlough Community Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings in the village of Carnlough on the North Antrim coast.

We are a welcoming, friendly, enthusiastic amateur music group open to anyone aged 16-106 who loves to sing.

On Thursday 15th and 22nd of September, at 7.30 pm, we will hold open rehearsals for anyone who would like to give singing in a choir a go!

We already have exciting plans for our 2022/23 season, so if you'd like to come and sing along with some wonderful people, make new friends, unlock your voice and have an excellent cup of tea each week (with a top drawer chocolate biscuit), why not come along and give it a try..?

Here are answers to some common questions.

Will I have to do an audition?

No - all you need is enthusiasm and a love for singing.

Do I need to be able to read music?

No - we cater for all styles of learning, including learning by rote and practice tracks.

I've always loved music, but my teacher told me when I was a child that I couldn't sing, so I've only ever sung in the shower, surely you don't mean that I could join?

Yes, we do! It is a strange and wonderful thing, but singing in a group brings out the best in our collective voices, and it always sounds great!

But I don't even know if I'm a tenor, bass, alto, or soprano!

Well, if you'd like to find out which one you are, come along to our open rehearsal, and we'll figure it out!

Ok, I might come along - where can I find out more..?

Well, you can give us a ring on 07812588270, email us at [email protected], find us on Facebook or YouTube or just turn up at the Heritage Hub at Carnlough Library, BT44 0EU at 7.30 on Thursday 15th or 22nd September at 7

A little bit more about us:

Glenlough Community Choir was formed in September 2019 and is directed by Anne McCambridge. During our first six months, we gave six public performances, including our debut at the Community Choir event 'Sing for Joy' in the Whitla Hall, QUB, and our broadcast debut on UTV as part of the 'Chronicle of the Glens' series. After COVID19 stopped everything in March 2020, we managed to continue through our innovative use of technology; we connected our choir with audiences worldwide via zoom and YouTube, where our content has almost 10,000 views. We have continued to innovate, embracing the outdoors through our first 'Singing in the Rain' mini-festival in 2021.

And a little bit about the benefits of Choral Singing taken from Voices Now - Big Choral Census - 2017

'Singing exercises the lungs and heart, which in turn can have an impact on people’s life expectancy and quality of health, according to a
joint Harvard and Yale Study. They also found that group singing brings people together around a common goal and common obstacles, in a positive environment. This strengthens the community bond and helps individuals at risk of marginalisation and solitude.

Researchers from Oxford University and Stockholm University found that singing in groups increases the level of “happiness hormones” endorphin, oxytocin and serotonin. These hormones also increase pain-tolerance thresholds, therefore helping individuals experiencing chronic pain or illnesses."