Newtownabbey choirs in winning form at International festival
THERE was outstanding success for local choirs in the recent Bangor International Choral Festival, which this year attracted visiting groups from England and the Netherlands, as well as a large entry from across Northern Ireland.
Leading the way was Loughside Chamber Choir, which scored a hat-trick of victories against top class opposition.
The young female voice group gained two "outstanding" grades to win the ladies' choirs class, ahead of Friday Voices from Cheshire and the Dutch choir, Cantiamo.
Loughside also received the highest grades from adjudicators, Greg Beardsell and Bernie Sherlock, in the hotly-contested sacred music section, which attracted an entry of eight choirs. The local choir's performance of Benigne Fac Domine from Hasse's Miserere in C Minor and Mary, did you know? arranged by their conductor, Judith Watson, earned Loughside another first place.
A very successful day was crowned with the award of the Isobel Reid Rosebowl for the most outstanding performance of the daytime classes, which was presented to Loughside for its performance of Gyorgy Orban's Gloria from Missa Nona and R. Murray Schaefer's Snowforms in the ladies' choirs class.
Loughside's "little sister" choir, Kaleidoscope, was in winning form, too. The teenagers, who rehearse in Ballyearl Arts Centre, won first place in the youth choirs section, beating a visiting choir from Cambridge.
Ballyclare Male Choir, conducted by Brian Agus, made a welcome return visit to Bangor International Choral Festival and the day was made very worthwhile with victory in the male voice choir section, ahead of the men from Friday Voices.
Making their first appearance at the popular competition were members of the Clare Chorale, formerly known as the Old Ballyclarians Choir. Performances by the local group, conducted by Sheelagh Greer, were well received in the sacred and mixed voice choir competitions.
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Weather for Newtownabbey
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
