Calls for support to help choirs survive pandemic

Support will be needed to ensure choirs and musical groups come through the pandemic, according to a local Senedd Member.

Rhianon Passmore, Senedd Member for Islwyn, has called on Welsh Government to create a development grant for choirs and music groups across Wales.

Coronavirus restrictions have meant choirs and other performance groups have been largely silenced since last March – when the first national lockdown was put in place.

Even when many restrictions were lifted last summer, choirs were still prevented from practicing and performing.

Ms Passmore, who also chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on music, said: “It is important Welsh Government provides support for community music.

“Choirs have had huge difficulties with meeting safely, as have a number of other groups including brass bands.

“Many must pay rent or even own their own building, meaning they are taking payments from members without actually meeting.

“It is important that an emergency pot of funding is available, while a digital development fund would enable choirs to develop skills and infrastructure which would help overcome difficulties they have faced during the pandemic.

“It could be a really important skills-building exercise, allowing our older generations to become more technologically savvy.”

Risca Male Choir, which has more than 60 members, was due to celebrate its 50^th anniversary last year.

Instead, much of the last 12 months has been spent trying to adapt to practicing and socialising alone.

Martin Hodson MBE, the choir’s Music Director Emeritus, told Caerphilly Observer: “The choir is a massive part of people’s lives. We do over 20 events a year and it is a heavy schedule.

“When it becomes part of your life it leaves a huge gap socially and musically. The guys miss the camaraderie as well as the music.”

He added: “We have been determined to keep in touch, but while we tried sessions on Zoom, it just didn’t work.

“For a choir to work, you have to be alongside other members, listening and watching what they do. That is practically impossible when you are alone via a computer.

“We do have a great website that we update every month, we have a page for choristers on Facebook that keeps us all connected, and our musical director regularly posts rehearsal videos online.”

The choir also has the challenge of maintaining its own building during the pandemic – with its headquarters based at the former council buildings in Risca.

The choir’s secretary, John Lacy, said: “In order to keep our heads above water we have had to keep members’ subs at 50%.

“We still have to pay our musical director and accompanist, and the lease we have from the council means we have to maintain the building.

“We were able to keep costs down with voluntary work, but there are certainly overhead costs.”

Mr Lacy said while financial support is always beneficial, technical support and expertise would be of most benefit.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, indoor performances have been banned – with the increased transmission inside venues and the increased aerosols produced from singing deemed too high a risk.

Mr Lacy added: “The desperate thing that I have been working toward for when we return is the ventilation of buildings that we practice in.

“Aerosols are created by choirs, and if we aren’t in well ventilated buildings then we have a problem.

“We need access to technical people to guide us on what we need to do to make our venue as safe as possible.”

Many community and fundraising events have also been impacted by the side-lining of choirs in the county.

Lynn Hansford, concert manager for Newbridge Ladies’ Choir, said the “social interaction with the community is what we have missed the most”.

She added: “It’s not just the choir that misses it, it is all the other groups in the community.

“We do a lot of concerts at care homes and on dementia wards, while we usually fill the ballroom in Newbridge Memo every year for our Christmas concert. Those things are big losses to the community.

“The entertainment and arts sectors have taken huge hits. They are the thing we have realised we depend on for our wellbeing and they provide something to look forward to.

“It is so important to have things to look forward to, to work towards, and it is important that things like community groups, music and sport return.”

For Aber Valley Male Voice Choir, vaccination of older members is the number one priority.

Paul Newman, the choir’s chairman, told Caerphilly Observer the choir will return when it is safe to do so, but called for government support during the initial period when choirs are able to return.

Mr Newman added: “I think the biggest thing we have to overcome is vaccination of all our members, we can then get back to some form of rehearsals and resume our normal service.

“There will then be an element of inertia with the public and their confidence to come along and support such events.

“What is most important is the guidance of how we come back to do what we do best.

“Welsh Male Voice Choirs have been going since the 1860s and it’s an important part of our history and culture. Choirs are popular with a large proportion of the population and it would be very sad if we lose that.

“This valley has seen two World Wars, two huge mining disasters, and we have come through them. We still have a rugby club at the heart of the valley. Our sense of community is still strong and our choir will be back.”