Groups in Focus: Affinity Choir

Wales is known as the ‘Land of Song’ and with over 300 choirs, it’s easy to see why.   When we founded Affinity Female Voice Choir we aimed to provide something different for local women who wanted to sing, perform and make friends. Our association with the URC is a huge part of what we have created and so the time has come to let you all know more about us and how much we appreciate the support we’ve received from you.

In January 2012 myself and a few lovely ladies chatted about what we were looking for in a choir and why we wanted to form our own group, instead of joining one of the other choirs in Cardiff.   There were formal groups that sang to high standards, but often you needed to be an experienced musician and complete an audition to attend, or there were more casual groups, open to everyone where rehearsals were more focused on the social side.   We wanted the best of both worlds – a non-auditioned, welcoming choir that worked hard, whilst enjoying a fun social element.  And so Affinity was born.

We have grown from 8 members to 45, and we meet weekly to learn new repertoire and strive to achieve the very best standard we can.   We genuinely feel like a family – our members have formed close friendships and trust and rely on each other within and outside of choir.  Many members feel that Tuesday evenings are the highlight of their week; something just for them away from the hustle and bustle of work or family life.

We have enjoyed performing in some beautiful venues including Caerphilly, Hensol and Cardiff Castles, the Wales Millennium Centre and the Botanic Gardens amongst others.  Last year we celebrated our fifth anniversary with a tour to Edinburgh where we sang on the Royal Mile and in Edinburgh Castle as well as in our own concert.  Following the tour we recorded our first CD and are delighted to share the result with friends and family.

The choir exists to provide a place for women who love singing and want to belong to a group that works hard and creates a beautiful sound.   We learn around 35 songs a year so Affinity is not for the faint-hearted, but we are proud of the contribution we make to local charities with their fundraising efforts.

Affinity are always ready and willing to hear from any individual, charity or organisation that would like to add a musical element to their event, and are equally keen to hear from ladies who feel that our choir could be the right fit for them.

Thank you for the help, support and encouragement we’ve received from the URC – without it the choir would not have thrived in the way it has and made such an impact to so many.

Diane Wright

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