DCU Chamber Choir to feature on RTÉ Christmas Eve programme
"This has been such an amazing opportunity for the choir in our first year to reach a national audience with our music. The students really enjoyed working with these incredibly talented artists, and we're all excited to share this music with our friends and family this Christmas," said Kevin Boushel, the choir's director.
Their performance for the national broadcaster comes just two months after the choir was first established.
Members of the choir come from all of the university's five faculties, and comprises a mix of undergraduate, postgraduate and international students. Singers have a variety of musical backgrounds, with singers from church choirs, school choirs, musical theatre, folk singing and pop music. The Chamber Choir is the first University-wide auditioned chamber choir, performing a repertoire and highlighting music by living and Irish composers.
The choir rehearses every Thursday evening on St Patrick's Campus, and is led by by PhD student and Irish Research Council scholar Kevin Boushel from the School of Theology, Philosophy and Music. A member of the first graduating class of DCU's MA in Choral Studies, Kevin was trained in conducting at the Kodály Institute in Hungary and is currently researching contemporary American choral music under the supervision of Dr Barbara Dignam.
In October the choir were invited to perform as part of RTÉ'S Christmas Eve broadcast 'Christmas in the Castle' with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra alongside Glória LGBT+ Choir and the Donnycarney Ukrainian Community Choir. The choir will sing festive favourites such as 'O Holy Night' and 'When A Child Is Born' with renowned singers such as DCU alumnus Gavan Ring and country singer Nathan Carter. The programme will air on Christmas Eve at 9:30pm.
The choir gave their debut performance in November, and have a busy second semester lined up as they are due to compete in Feis Ceoil, and will perform their first concert in the DCU's All Hallows Chapel on April 6th, 2023.