26/05/2009
Fresh from their first place at Bangor International Choral Festival the Open Arts Community Choir, who famously competed in BBC’s ‘Last Choir Standing’, serenaded passengers on the 14:25 train from Belfast Central Station to Bangor on Saturday the 23rd of May.
‘Be My Baby,’ ‘Moon River’ and the ABBA medley which helped the choir win a £1000 first place prize at the Bangor International Choral Festival was performed by the Arts Council funded choir on their musical journey.
At the International Choral Festival, Open Arts Community Choir overcame fierce competition from a fine Italian Male Voice Choir and an Austrian Mixed Voice Choir. The adjudicators, who awarded the singing group an outstanding mark of ninety, described their performance as ‘Superb’ with an ‘exquisite tone’ commenting on their ‘beautiful and very moving performance’.
Chris Ledger, Arts Development Officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said ‘The Open Arts Community Choir has become one of Northern Ireland’s ambassadors, recognised for the quality of its work. It represents genuinely inclusive arts practice where disabled and non-disabled people from all ages and backgrounds sing together. Performing to passengers on the Belfast-Bangor train line is a wonderfully innovative way of introducing the wider community to their talent and increasing access to the arts.’
Kate Ingram, Director of Open Arts added, ‘Open Arts Community Choir sang on the train to carry its message of inclusion to everyone.'
