From Vivaldi to 'Viva la Vida': DCU Campus Choir hits the right notes
If you pass by the Interfaith Centre on DCU’s Glasnevin campus on any given Wednesday evening, you’re likely to hear voices raised in song. It could be anything from Medieval hymns to Irish folk songs or even a blast of Coldplay.
The midweek rehearsals of DCU Campus Choir bring together a diverse group of staff members, current and retired, students and local community members with a common love of music. “It’s just a dream for anyone who likes to sing,” says longtime DCU Campus Choir member Phil Kiernan.
DCU Campus Choir rehearses in the University's Multifaith Centre
From Vivaldi to Viva la Vida
We join their Wednesday session as the choir’s musical director, Christina Whyte, leads the singers in some breathing exercises and musical scales. Then she gently puts them through their paces with a rendition of the folk song Keel Row.
Christina says the DCU Campus Choir has always felt special as it was the one she took on as a musical director. “When I started with the choir, there were only six members, and now we have over 30! Having a larger group means we can tackle a more varied repertoire.”
The group sings everything from Renaissance hymns to gospel, and the music is generally chosen by Christina. “We can make recommendations, but they don't always get accepted because she knows our voices and she knows what our voices are capable of,” says Patrick Coffey, the choir’s organiser-in-chief.
He smiles as he recalls how a choir member suggested “something modern” for a Christmas concert. They settled on Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’, “but that’s forty years old.”
Thus far, Coldplay’s Viva la Vida is the most modern number in their repertoire, but they are better known for their performances of works like Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’.
Taking a break during DCU Campus Choir rehearsals
A Friendly Choir Community
The choir members all seem to agree that the camaraderie of the rehearsal room and the joy of singing together have a positive effect. “My wife used to say when I was working, and I was fed up at the end of my Wednesday, I'd come back from rehearsals, and it was like the weight of the world had lifted from my shoulders,” says David Denby, a retired SALIS staff member.
Also attending the rehearsal are new members Lu Xu and Mathieu Mercadier from DCU Business School. Xu says she thought about joining after attending the choir’s Christmas concert. Both love to sing and were encouraged by colleague and choir member Colum Foley, whose “enthusiasm really influenced us.”
Meanwhile, Phil Kirwan, who is retired from CTYI at DCU, says the choir keeps her connected with the University. She says her friends in the choir “couldn't be any nicer, and easier. They’re delightful in every way.”
The choir in its current form is 15 years old. In that time, it has expanded its membership to include local singers living in the surrounding neighbourhoods of North Dublin. The group plays an important role within the DCU community, singing at significant events and even recording a concert for staff on Zoom during lockdown.
The choir's Musical Director Christina Whyte
The campus choir is best known for its popular Christmas concert in All Hallows Chapel, which has become a real fixture of North Dublin’s festive calendar. “Seeing our audiences grow each year for our annual Christmas concert has been so encouraging. In fact, I think it's been standing room only for the last two years!” says Christina.
Patrick Coffey says the choir is also hoping to make the upcoming Spring-Summer Concert, taking place at the end of May, into an annual event in the calendar.
Meanwhile, new members of the DCU Campus Choir are always welcome. The choir doesn’t audition those joining the group, but as Patrick delicately points out, it is ideally for people “that can hold a note.”
DCU Campus Choir's Spring-Summer Concert takes place in All Hallows Chapel, Drumcondra, on Thursday, 28th May at 7.30 with a programme featuring 20th-century folk songs.
For more information about DCU Campus Choir, contact: patrick.coffey@dcu.ie