WATCH: De La Salle Choir celebrates great year
De La Salle Senior Choir with some of the prizes they received for their achievements. Photo: Joe Evans
There were great scenes of celebration in De La Salle College in Waterford recently as the school’s choir celebrated another very successful year.
The choir was founder in 1980, as an SATB choir, with younger boys singing soprano and alto. The choir was led by Brother Ben at the time, however, in 2000, a group of Transition year students founded the present senior choir as a TTBB (male voice) choir.
Since its establishment the choir has enjoyed a rich history of success, and this year was particularly noteworthy.
The choir garnered high commendations across the country in several competitions including the Cork Choral Festival, where it was awarded the Sing Ireland Trophy for best choral performance for a rendition of ‘Anthem’, from the musical ‘Chess’.
This particular piece was arranged by Brother Ben Hanlon and conducted by past pupil and former Senior Choir member, Paddy O’Brien.
The choir also participated in the Navan Choral and Instrumental festival, a renowned choral celebration in Ireland. Entering three categories, the choir came first out of 20 secondary schools competing in the event and was only one mark away from the overall winner.
“This is a phenomenal achievement,” a spokesperson for the school told Waterford News & Star.
The choir also came second in the Pop Music competition with ‘Only You’, and ‘Music to Watch the Girls Go By’, earning high praise throughout the festival.
Closer to home, the final competition the choir participated in was the AIMS Choral Festival in New Ross, where the members faced off against six other groups and clinched first place with high marks for their performances of ‘Fite Fuaite’ and ‘Anthem’.
The De La Salle senior choir's exceptional year was bolstered Paddy O’Brien, who returned as a teacher and conducted the choir at competitions. His collaboration with Brother Ben Hanlon, the choir's founder, and the dedication of the 6th-year students were key to their success.
“The determination and commitment of these students during rehearsals and competitions were invaluable,” said the spokesperson.
“This year's achievements underscore the unique talent and hard work of the De La Salle choir, solidifying their reputation as a leading choir in Ireland.”
