How does a choir stay connected when it can’t sing together?
This was the challenge Firecloud’s Community Choir, affectionately named Big Happy Noise, faced at the start of last year’s lockdown.
With members coming from across West Dunbartonshire and further afield, the pandemic brought an immediate halt to their Thursday night singing sessions.
Melanie Burrows, Firecloud’s events and marketing assistant and a long-standing choir member, explained its impact: “Over the years it has grown into more than just a choir, it’s a weekly celebration of music, joy and friendship.
“We’ve performed in churches, nursing homes, gardens, offices, weddings. You name it, we’ve sung there.
“When the first lockdown hit, our members were gutted to be missing their weekly singing and blether session.
“We had to do something to stay connected in such challenging times.”
Snippets of Joy
To keep members’ spirits up the FireCloud team switched from Big Happy Noise to Big Happy News.
Each week choir members shared snippets of joy, funny stories or general updates from their life in lockdown.
FireCloud director, Suzanne Bunniss, gathered these together and with help from husband Ian, filmed them in the style of a news bulletin.
A weekly good news video was sent out to all choir members.
Melanie added: “Our members began looking forward to receiving their Big Happy News video.
“It was a wonderful way to keep in touch with what was going on in each other’s lives during lockdown and to see joy can be found in the simplest moments, such as gardening, walking and baking.”
The news videos received lots of positive feedback from viewers.
Margaret from Hardgate, a member of the Big Happy Noise Choir since 2014, said: “In midst of all the restrictions and change in lifestyle, Big Happy Noise and Big Happy News gave me something to look forward to each week.
“The joy of receiving Big Happy News brightened my week, it maintained a connection with my choir friends.”
Connecting Through Song
However, the act of singing together in a choir gives people a connection and feelings of togetherness which were in short supply during lockdown.
The FireCloud team knew it was important for choir members to sing together, even if not in person.
So, they introduced Facebook live sessions and regular Zoom meet-ups for members to sing together from home.
Fast forward to Spring 2021 and it was finally time for the choir to meet again in person, albeit outside and with social distancing in place.
Melanie said: “We held three outdoor events in the garden of Our Holy Redeemer Church.
“It was different, it brought its own challenges – like the west of Scotland weather – but most importantly, we got to be together and hear our voices in unison again after so long.
“We’ve been on quite a journey over the past 18 months, constantly evolving and adapting to stay together while we had to stay at home.”
And in August the choir was delighted to return to their weekly, indoor and in-person singing sessions.
“We still have social distancing in place, so it does feel different, but it’s so good, it’s great actually.
“Nothing beats the sound of a community choir singing together,” Melanie said.
“The door of the Big Happy Noise Choir is always open for new members.
“We are a friendly and welcoming bunch, and you don’t need to have a great singing voice to join in.
“Our members always say it is great for your head and heart to sing together.”
Big Happy Noise meet every Thursday at 7:30pm. Their normal venue is Our Holy Redeemer’s Church Hall in Clydebank.
For the foreseeable future they will meet in St Margaret’s Church in Whitecrook.
For more information check out FireCloud on social media for regular updates or email Melanie Burrows at firecloudoffice@gmail.com