Kapiti Community Choir back in full voice

Kapiti Community Choir.

In July the Kapiti Community Choir began singing together once again, restarting just in time to celebrate their second birthday earlier this month.

The choir resumed their regular Tuesday night practices with a good turnout and a bevy of new songs including one for Matariki and another about strength and kindness during lockdown.

Running a choir has been challenging in recent months with Covid-19 being a huge problem for choirs around the world because of the potential for infection to spread whilst singing in groups.

Choirs want to ensure the safety of their singing members – especially those most vulnerable due to age or lowered immunity with the Kapiti Community Choir being no exception.

To keep the choir engaged during lockdown the choir continued to meet and sing via Zoom, and worked on solo videos which are currently being edited into a 'virtual choir' video.

During the latest Level 2 restrictions they're back singing using Zoom.

Choir leader Carol Shortis received funding for this and other projects from a Creative New Zealand Arts Continuity Grant.

Carol has continued her aim of embracing technology as the choir returned to live practices.

She is setting up a Zoom camera connection at practice to allow those singers who are unwell to still 'attend' choir on a Tuesday evening.

The choir have no performances planned, as yet, for this term.

"It's just great to be back together and singing again," Carol said.

"If an opportunity arises or we get asked to perform somewhere, we can probably oblige, but our aim for this term is to just enjoy being together.

"All around the world choirs are still not able to sing, and in some places this is likely to go on for a long time.

"We are very lucky - we just want to seize the opportunity while we've got it."

Since they began, the choir has encouraged everyone who is keen to sing to 'have a go' and has grown to a core of 40 or so regulars.

Carol sources music from many cultures and traditions including a healthy dose of homegrown music from Aotearoa.

New members are always welcome. During level 1 restrictions the choir meets on a Tuesday night 7-8.30pm, in the Uniting Parish Church hall in Raumati.

Zoom sessions are currently being held at the same time during Level 2.

If you are keen to join contact the choir on kapiticommunitychoir@gmail.com.