Manama Singers, a multi-cultural group of enthusiasts from all walks of life who perform choral works, are in good voice and have mastered the art of delivering their festive tunes wearing face masks.
Covering up the mouth and nose is not ideal for vocalists but it’s just one of the challenges they have faced in a determined bid to keep going despite the pandemic.
They even tried online rehearsals without much success before settling on an action plan to abide by Covid-19 precautions and safety measures at the same time as staying in tune … even if it meant singing outside in the hot sun in smaller groups!
“Everyone got to attend a practice and sing safely, and we made it work,” said musical director Jo Mings. “We are pros at singing with masks on now!”
One of the kingdom’s most iconic community institutions, the group of passionate vocalists rehearse every Tuesday evening at the Dilmun Club in Saar.
“We tried one or two online practices,” Ms Mings added. “We made a plan from October 2020 and added more practices, fewer people and socially-distanced with masks outside.
“Last Christmas saw us do a couple of performances outside, keeping masks on too. And, from September we moved back to rehearsing indoors, still with masks on, and we have had a lot of new singers this term too.
“Experts suggest singing is good for your lungs and it certainly helped our mental health too - it was a lifeline to be able to have some normality, as many of us faced our own Covid trials and tribulations and jobs that had gotten crazy!”
All fully-jabbed and raring to go, the Manama Singers have enjoyed singing all over the kingdom in recent weeks and there is no masking their joy.
“This season has been great!” said Ms Mings. “We were inundated with demand and everyone has been thrilled to see the choir in full strength.
“No matter how many times we sing, we all get a buzz from a show performance. This year we were invited to the German Embassy, Al Areen, the British and Rugby clubs, and for two shows at the Dilmun Club, and all to large packed-out crowds!
“We turned down a few more events too since we had no more time. It was safe to say that Manama Singers were on tour this season!”
How times have changed. In 2017, when the Manama Singers played a concert in Manama, reviewer Christine Hassan sadly noted … ‘there were almost more of the choir than audience …’ Its famed ‘wall of sound’ had become little more than a whimper and it looked like the end of the road was beckoning after 45 years.
Now the singing setup could not be in a healthier position with scores of singers on stage and more clambering to join in the New Year.
“We haven’t been over 50 singers in many years!” said Ms Mings, from the English town of Rochester in Kent, a portfolio campaign manager, who took over the musical director’s role just a year after joining the choir. “We are about 55 singers now, and have two new pianists on the books too.
“We have a great number of men, which is always wonderful to have, and are in no shortage of sopranos too - ladies with a higher vocal range.
“Most of the singers are European, a few Americans and Indians, and a few others from across the globe! The mix of nationalities is one of our strengths. We had to say goodbye to quite a few singers during Covid-19 too, and for some there wasn’t even time for a proper goodbye. But that’s the life of an expat.
“If you like to sing, and can sing in tune, then we are always on the lookout for new singers, especially altos – ladies with a lower vocal range – and men.”
Manama Singers will gather again for a new term starting on Tuesday, January 11. And, Ms Mings, 31, has another important date in the New Year when she marries her French sweetheart Chris Diciolla, 33, an osteopath, three years after the night’s MC thanked the choir and the audience at a Christmas show … before dropping on one knee and proposing to her in front of the ecstatic crowd.
“Yes indeed, we had to move the date four times because of the pandemic,” she said, “and have finally settled on getting married here in January - just the legal bit with witnesses at St Christopher’s Cathedral, and then we will have our big UK celebration in June.”
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