A new choral piece, written during the first few weeks of lockdown by composer Andrew Cusworth, who was raised in Saundersfoot, will be given its first virtual performance in a YouTube Première event by Aberystwyth based mixed choir, Côr ABC, and the London Welsh women’s choir, Côr Dinas, on Friday, May 22.

Weekly choral rehearsals had come to an abrupt end back in March as COVID-19 spread around the world and governments introduced restrictions on all aspects of daily life. In response to this, Côr ABC and Côr Dinas began to meet and rehearse virtually, enabling their members not only to continue to sing and make music, but also to maintain their social connections. These virtual rehearsals proved to be an inspiration for a new piece and a virtual choir project.

After one of Côr ABC’s rehearsals, choir member and crowned bard, Dafydd John Pritchard, wrote an englyn about the experience and posted it on twitter. Fellow choir member and conductor of Côr Dinas, Andrew Cusworth, saw the poem and set it to music for both choirs to sing together virtually.

Speaking about the piece, yn un rhith, Andrew Cusworth said: "The piece is based on a poem by Dafydd Pritchard, a friend from Aberystwyth, after his own first experience of a virtual rehearsal, and sings of how, albeit set apart by events, we are still united in our aims, as a community, in singing – of how we are still a choir."

Over recent weeks, members of both choirs have been filming themselves singing the piece, and all those individual videos are being edited together to create a virtual choir performance by Robert Russell who will also be accompanying the performance.

Gwennan Williams, musical director of Côr ABC, described the aim of the project: "Our aim, as a team who put the project together, was to create an enjoyable experience for our members, and something that we can all look back on, at some point in the future, as a reminder of something positive to come out of difficult times."

“One of the many reasons that we sing in choirs is for the positive effect it has on our mental health," added Andrew Cusworth. "As we release the first performance of my new piece during Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, we are reminded of the importance of music in our lives, and in our human well-being.” 

The first performance of yn un rhith by the combined choir of Côr ABC and Côr Dinas will take place on YouTube at 7 pm on Friday, May 22. Further details can be found on the project website: https://ynunrhith.wales/.