Cantemus hits the high notes in Covid times

We are finding unique and safe ways to bring choral music into people’s lives during the current crisis.

Our plans include a virtual choral advent calendar, virtual carol-singing treasure hunts in the Vale of Glamorgan, and virtual concerts, including with world-renowned soprano, Elin Manahan-Thomas.

The Cantemus advent calendar will offer a daily dose of musical joy, with a new performance, reading, or snippet from Cantemus being released on social media every day during Advent, much of it performed live. Highlights will include ‘coffee-break’ concerts of around ten minutes and there will be contributions from musical celebrities such as the choir’s President, counter-tenor James Bowman, and soprano Elin Manahan-Thomas. Viewers will be encouraged to make a donation to Welsh children’s charity, Ty Hafan.

e are also contributing tracks from our Christmas CD ‘Nativity’ as part of a festive treasure hunt around Penarth organised by the town’s shops and businesses. Shoppers will spot QR codes hidden about the town centre which each click through to a recording of a different carol from the CD.  We hope this help to bring some of the magic of carol-singing back to our high streets this year, and copies of the CD will be available to buy in Penarth’s independent bookshop, Griffin Books.

Plans for 2021 include a live virtual masterclass and concert with a celebrity singer, in which members of the public can sign up to sing along and even have their vocal queries answered.