Athlone A Cappella with Ubuntu Choir and Longford's Wings of Ukraine Choir

Athlone A Capella, multi-award winning ladies barbershop chorus joined by Moate Ubuntu Choir with performances from special guest ensembles.

Camlin Keys Festival opening night with Athlone A Capella who are a close harmony ladies barbershop chorus and in the Barber shop tradition the emphasis is on close, carefully arranged 4-part harmony with phrases often repeated for an echo effect. The musical arrangements are usually in the ragtime or other nostalgic song styles performed by the choir without instrumental accompaniment.

Having won numerous awards at national and international choral festivals Athlone A Cappella have been Irish Ladies Barbershop Chorus champions four times! Under the directorship of Hilary Roche, when they are not entering competitions, they are entertaining local audiences. (www.athlone.harmonysite.com).

The concert will see them joined by Moate based, Ubuntu Voices. Originally setup in partnership with Music Generation Ireland supported by Westmeath CC and Westmeath Arts. Formed by Andrew Yau in October with support from volunteers from New Horizon and Tuar Ard Arts Centre, the choir is an inter-generational and inter-cultural choir based in Tuar Ard Arts and Enterprise Centre, Moate. Their first concert in December was to packed out theatre with a mix up of music borrowed from many genres of music including pop, choral, gospel
and traditional folk songs.

Also performing will be Wings of Ukraine, Longford's own Ukrainian choir. Set up as part of a National Ukrainian choir to joined with Phil Coulter last year, Wing’s of Ukraine has continued meeting and singing together in Longford. Also traveling to Longford will be Moate's Ubuntu Voices, an intercultural and intergenerational choir formed for the joy of singing together. The three choirs will be singing both as individual groups and a couple of pieces all together, so a lively and happy evening promised.