Features / Bristol
Singing in your lunch hour at the New Room
In the cosy John Wesley chapel, just a stone’s throw away from the busy shopping streets of Broadmead, a group of individuals are meeting at lunchtime to do just one thing in this quiet and peaceful space: fill it with song.
The New Room community choir is a new venture for 2018, but it has been a long time in the making. Organisers Rose Kroner and Judit Soler Almendros had previously sung with the UWE Bristol ReVoice choir when they were approached by the New Room, asking for help to form a community choir. After two successful give-it-a-go sessions in December, the choir officially launched in early January.
Arriving at their potential first-ever session the choir members look a little daunted at first, but after a few warm-up stretches and practise notes people visibly relax and start to get stuck in. It helps that the chapel is warm and filled with beams of natural light, a truly angelic setting. There’s a piano to accompany the singing too, which is helping to keep the nerves at bay. As the session goes on, the nervous titters are gone and people are sounding braver. “Always have a smile, it changes the sound,” Rose says while the group are warming up. And the participants are really smiling. There’s a real feel-good factor.
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The New Room community choir in full voice. This term they’ll tackle songs including Imagine and Amazing Grace
The singing starts and Rose and Judit focus on breaking the song down into small sections, rather than making it sound perfect first time. Mistakes are made and the group bonds a little closer over them, sharing the triumph when someone hits a perfect note. The choir belts out Breaths by Sweet Honey in the Rock, and He that Believeth, a gospel song by Chicago Mass Choir – and requests for songs they’d like to sing in future sessions are welcomed. There’s a wide range of genres that the choir plan to tackle: this term they’ll be doing John Lennon’s Imagine, Amazing Grace and What a Wonderful World, amongst others.
“Music is really good at bringing people together,” Rose states after the 45-minute session ends. It’s true: introductions could be heard filling the small space as everyone headed out, and back to the day job for some.
“It helps staff wellbeing,” Judit adds. Both women are registered musical therapists and are aware of the immense benefits of singing. Their warm personalities make the atmosphere welcoming and friendly. So if you fancy something good for the soul, try it out and chase away those January blues.
The New Room community choir takes place on Wednesday lunchtimes from 12.15 pm to 1 pm in John Wesley’s Chapel, 36 The Horsefair, Bristol, BS1 3JE. To find out more call 0117 9264740, email community@newroombristol.org.uk, or just turn up on the day. Sessions are free and open to all.
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