In the footsteps of Communitas Choir visits Abbey Road to record track for CD, writes Brenda Hodgson Twenty one members of the Communitas choir travelled to London by train in January to record in Studio 2 at Abbey Road – the studio where the Beatles recorded many of their albums. The Communitas choir has been part of Converge for over 10 years. Recently, to celebrate this they launched a CD with songs sung by the choir over the previous year. The choir was recording verses of a song which is due to be released later this year, with Ed and Esther singing solo and together for the rest of the song. There were photos of famous singers everywhere, including
one of Amy Winehouse with Tony Bennett in the foyer (they recorded there together). Downstairs in the dining room there were photos of many different artists including the Beatles and Ed Sheeran. As we stood on the steps of Abbey Road for a photo before we returned home, Chris Bartram,
choir leader, had everyone singing the Beatles song Help. The famous Abbey Road zebra crossing featured in many photographs of course, the drivers around this area must be very patient. It was a lovely day, and for once the trains ran on time. Everyone is looking forward to hearing the final version of the recording.
Emerging Voices puts music on the menu for mental health If there’s one thing all of us know, there’s a staggering amount of talent just waiting to be tapped into at Converge. Now, thanks to new charity Emerging Voices and the newly set up Converge Record Label, musicians from Converge and the local community are harnessing expertise and resources at York St John University.
Emerging Voices links its musicians to music and music production students at the university. Such co-production benefits both parties: students increase employability skills while building bridges in the community, and the university becomes more of an inclusive community resource.
Aaron Soon, left, and composer and performer Alex Long
16
Regular showcase performances on the campus create space for musicians to reach out and entertain the wider audiences. Emerging Voices was set up in response to the talent that music coordinator Lucy Coleman and director Nick Rowe were seeing emerge from Converge. In October 2019, Lucy, a classically trained singer and founder of Emerging Voices, trustee and musician Laurie Farnell and Communitas Choir member and mentor Paul Mountain braved the High Sheriff’s Dragons’ Den at Rudding Hall, Harrogate. They put in a bid for funding from the Two Ridings fund. The trio were delighted when their pitch netted them one of the highest shares of the total sum on offer on the night. Thanks to the Dragons’ donation, Emerging Voices recently set up a community choir in Harrogate and recruited community choir leader, Wayne Dobson. They also funded assistant choir leader, Esther Griffith, who tutors Songwriting at Converge and who will now work
