“This isn’t a choir, this is heaven!”
For ten years, Candy Verney has been directing community choirs in Wiltshire.
Singing in the Round choirs are different to other choirs. There are no auditions and the atmosphere is very relaxed. The singers range from those who have sung in more formal choirs, but relish the spontaneity and sheer fun of singing in this different way, to those who have never sung before. Singing a cappella, without sheet music, allows the singers to absorb the music through their whole bodies. Candy Verney also works with the musicality of the song, so that the singers not only experience its richness, but also deepen their understanding of the culture from which it has sprung.
As well as meeting weekly, the choirs celebrate together the turning year and the seasonal festivals by singing in special places: an ancient church in winter, the old Tythe Barn in Bradford-on-Avon at Easter, round a bonfire in summer, sharing songs with friends and family.
What Songs are Sung?
Using her experience of years of singing and making music, Candy Verney chooses from an eclectic range of songs from around the world: folk music, jazz, gospel, classical, ballads, rounds.
She has a particular interest in the relationship between the land, and the music, language and culture that has evolved from it. In addition, therefore, the choirs sing many songs that are from the folk tradition of these islands in which we live - English, Irish, Scots, Welsh and Hebridean. The choirs experiment with ways to bring out the particular landscape that is expressed within them. Singing in this way creates a tangible sacred space.
And connections are made with other communities – the choirs have had exchange visits to Mallorca and sing with the local Polish community.
Many members of Singing in the Round report the benefits to their health. After a day full of stress and frustrations many leave the sessions energised and full of renewed vigour. Those people with serious health conditions report that they feel a real sense of healing and comfort.
Singing in the Round sings at local community events and has been featured on the popular Radio 4 'Home Truths’ programme. They have also taken part in large community events including the Annual Community Choir Convention in Bristol, the Festival of the Voice in Stourhead, and the annual 'Sing for Water' event.
Where Does It Happen?
At present there are day and evening groups in Bradford
on Avon, Trowbridge, and Bath, including a new group for beginners
– Singing in the Bath –. The choirs are very popular-
once people join they tend to stay a while so just check with
Candy Verney that there is a place available.
Rebecca Shields, an enthusiastic participant in one of Candy Verney’s community choirs, writes:
"The charismatic Candy Verney inspires us all and takes us on a fascinating musical odyssey. The magic starts within a few minutes of the session starting. We limber up with a few body and voice exercises and then, almost before you know it, we are making the most beautiful sounds. It happens because of Candy’s incredible bubbly enthusiasm: we listen to her, sing with her a few times and then keep to our part - quite an amazing process. Actually, this part can be quite a mental workout and when you first start singing this way, it takes a lot of concentration to remember the notes, but, believe me, when all the parts are put together, it is like alchemy; all the component parts make a golden sound.
In everyday life there are few opportunities for adults to sing. Often when you first start, you are quite terrified, convinced you can’t sing, and would sound like a frog if you did, but it is NOT true...everyone can and should sing their hearts out and coming to this choir is a brilliant way to do it.
Singing is an excellent work out for the body and mind, and as well as that, it makes you happy!
The music is learnt by ear and over time, you realise that being musical is a natural, forgotten process. By the end of each session we are all tapping our feet, sometimes we even spontaneously wiggle around and we have even been known to hula dance. The thing to remember is that it is fun and no one is judging you or criticising. It is a community choir in the true sense of the word; we are not singing in a void, we are singing with our neighbour, for our neighbour and learning together.
The songs we sing are magical too. Candy will select songs that have come from any part of the globe: we have sung mournful tunes from The Outer Hebrides, sun drenched Cuban love songs, classics such as ‘Ain’t Misbehavin'’. We have sung songs in Hawaiian, Russian, Spanish, Gaelic, Latin, and African. The songs can be contemporary or experimental, and range from as early as the eleventh century to the present day. We even had a go at heterophony the other day, the results of which was rather like listening to mermaids under water. And, finally, the other lovely thing we do is make music that matches the season and if we come in one day and it is windy, we will sing a song celebrating gusty days. We do a delicious one about snow, which gives you shivers down your spine if you sing it while it really is snowing- all part of being one with nature!"
