Before the Pré-en-Pail Christmas market, take singing lessons to participate in a pop-up choir

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Before a Christmas concert organized by the association “So we sing! ”, which will take place on Sunday December 22, 2024 in Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson (Mayenne), the members of the choir, the president and the choir director invite the population to come and sing every Wednesday evening, from the end of November and December at the Salle de l’Intrépide to create a ephemeral choir.

Meeting with Marie Tricotpresident of the association.

You run the association “So we sing!” “. Why this commitment?

Our association brings together choristers of all ages. It has no other vocation than to promote choral singing in Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson and the surrounding area. It has existed for five years and I have been president for three years. The desire was to continue the choir because the old one, attached to the music school, could no longer benefit from a choir director. Some singers had been singing for twenty years, others less, but we wanted it to continue. We therefore decided to set up our association.

Who is your choir director?

For three years, Cécile Branche has been our choir director. Based in Averton, she is a professional musician, singer and harpist, also a singing teacher. Very busy with her artistic projects, she directs one rehearsal per month. I take over for the other rehearsals.

Why join a choir and what qualities are required?

Choral singing is a little different from solo singing, since the idea is to build harmonies with two, three, or four different voices, called music stands. It’s often a little disturbing for newbies who come to discover the practice, since at least two out of three music stands sing something other than the main melody. But it is precisely the fact that these voices harmonize that makes choral singing so rich.

It is not necessary to know music theory or to be an accomplished singer to join us. We learn the songs together during rehearsals, and we provide recordings for the singers to practice at home. Ultimately the only thing you need to join us is to want to sing and a little good humor.

Why set up a pop-up choir at Christmas time?

We started last year. The idea was to expand the choir’s Christmas concert program with another offering and to offer volunteers to come and sing with less involvement than for the traditional choir. It involves learning around ten songs in a few repetitions. The first experience last Christmas was a real success, the atmosphere was great and we really had a lot of fun, so we decided to do it again for the music festival. Once again people responded, we had children, and we even gained a chorister who decided to continue with the traditional choir.

In previous ephemeral choir experiences, what is the feedback from participants and choir members?

The feedback has always been very good, we have a lot of fun. Moreover, the participants in the ephemeral choir return time after time. Some members of the choir also participate, but not all because it is an additional commitment and takes time.

Does this ephemeral choir action bring more to the association?

From the moment we can share moments of music with people, that’s already a plus. But here, it allows us to present more complete concerts, and sometimes to recruit for the choir, so it is obviously beneficial,

How and when can you come and sing at the Pré-en-Pail choir?

The choir rehearses every Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. at the Clos-Princier hall in Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson, you can come twice without any commitment to find out what it is. For the ephemeral choir, it takes place on Wednesday evenings at 8 p.m. at the Salle de l’Intrépide, starting November 20, 2024.

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