Allegri Ladies Choir celebrates 10 years with an anniversary concert and US performance tour

They will celebrate the anniversary with events on both sides of the Atlantic, first with a special concert on Saturday, October 14 in The Great Hall at Ulster University’s Magee Campus on Rock Road at 7.30pm and then with an eight-day trip to America at the end of the month.

The group was established in October 2013 by founders Margaret Kelly and Rachel Tennis.

They were inspired by the opportunity and optimism created by the City of Culture year and by a desire to create an empowering space for local ladies to experience the pleasure and many benefits of choral music, without the barrier of audition.

Under the expertise and guidance of acclaimed Musical Director, Maurice Kelly, the years since have been a whirlwind of camaraderie, collaboration, community engagement and musical milestones. Driven by dedicated members with a shared love of singing together and for others, the choir has taken part in a wealth of concerts, civic and charity events, hosted and performed with international musical visitors to the city, and become a firm fixture of the arts life of the city.

This was especially evident during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when the choir very successfully moved online, recording a wealth of virtual musical content.

The success of the choir also paved the way for the wider development of the Allegri arts organisation with the creation of two further choirs for junior and youth members, Orchestra

NorthWest and the annual Every Voice Festival which celebrates community group-singing.

The programme for the concert on Saturday, October 14, will showcase the choir’s musical journey over the past decade featuring a selection of favourites from their repertoire.

Commenting on the concert, Maurice Kelly said, “We have chosen songs which reflect the choir’s journey and growth over the past decade. It is an opportunity for us to look back with

fond memories and also to showcase what has made us so successful.

“We are very grateful to our dedicated members and supportive community and we can’t wait to celebrate with familiar faces and new friends in the very special setting of Ulster University’s Great Hall.”

The anniversary celebrations then continue at the end of the month as the choir embarks on a three-stop American performance tour.

Their first concert will be in the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City. They will then travel to Lexington at the invitation of the Washington and Lee University Singers to perform in a collaborative concert, celebrating a friendship between the two choirs which began in 2016 when the American choir were hosted in Derry by AllegriLadies.

Also appearing in the concert will be the University’s Cantatrici treble choir.

The final performance of the anniversary tour will take place in the Irish Ambassador’s Residence in Washington DC.

This private event will be a very special way to conclude what is sure to be a fantastic trip.

Maurice adds: “We are immensely proud of everything we have accomplished in our decade of existence. Our tenth anniversary is a milestone worth celebrating and a wonderful chance to showcase the very best of what has defined our impressive journey since 2013. We can’t wait to see what the next decade brings us.”

Allegri Ladies Choir is the proud recipient of generous funding from Arts Council NI under their National Lottery Project Fund.

Joanne Wright, Music Officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “Thanks to funding from the National Lottery and money raised for good

causes, the Arts Council is pleased to support the work of Allegri Ladies Choir. Now celebrating their 10th year, the choir continues to grow in strength and ambition and this forthcoming series of tour dates will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talents, both at home and abroad. We wish them all the very best.”

The choir is also extremely grateful to Ulster University, BHP Alarms and The Carraig Bar for their sponsorship of the concert performance on Saturday, October 14 in the Great Hall in Magee.

Tickets for the concert can be purchased at this link or by searching for “Allegri” on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/allegri-ladies-10th-anniversary-concert-tickets-722947374057