On Saturday 23rd April 2005 a small group of just 10 singers gathered outside the house of one of our basses. He unfortunately, was delayed in work and didn’t have a mobile phone to contact us. After waiting a while, we decided we’d better head to the house of the parents of another of our basses, which was available for as long as they were at Mass.
And that was the first rehearsal of what is today a 75-strong successful choir called Dolce.
Many times over the first few years I wondered what I was doing and why I was doing it. Numbers were low, fate seemed to be against us, our insurance premium cheque once bounced – the list of challenges went on. I’m not sure I even enjoyed it very much, but something inside drove me to persevere and to do my best to overcome the challenges.
Today I look around the choir, and see the results of my decision to keep going. I see a wonderful group of people, with whom it is an honour to work. Their dedication to learning the music, to attending rehearsals, to smiling through it all continues to amaze and humble me. There is something incredibly powerful about singing together that raises the spirits, that touches the heart and that repeatedly moves me, and our singers, and our audiences. Long may that continue into the future.
Happy birthday Dolce!
