The impact on the choral world of the pandemic has been extreme and I for one was distraught at the loss of a hobby that brings so much joy to my life. My heart goes out to those for whom it is also their profession. However, what has shone through this crisis is the determination of the choral community to pull through. The internet abounds with virtual performances, constructed by music directors and sound engineers by laboriously stitching together the individual tracks recorded by each singer.

At the start of lockdown I dabbled in a few of these online recordings. It is astonishing to think of the effort that has to go into creating something that just a few months ago we could all just turn up at rehearsal and produce- the sound of voices singing together.

One virtual choir project that I particularly enjoyed was run by the Stay-at-Home choir. When I saw they were planning a virtual performance of James MacMillan’s O Radiant Dawn I leapt at the opportunity to sing it again.

James MacMillan is a composer that I have been introduced to by singing with Voix de Vivre. The Gallant Weaver is a particular choir favourite but in our last concert we had the opportunity to perform a number of MacMillan’s Strathclyde motets, including the beautiful “O Radiant Dawn”.

A highlight of the Stay-at-Home choir project was a webinar with James MacMillan himself, an opportunity I would never have had without lockdown. It was fascinating to “meet” the composer and to hear him talk about the piece and more widely about his composing work.

Singing as part of a virtual performance can never replace the experience of singing with a real-life choir. Lockdown has really brought home the meaning of Voix de Vivre’s name- Voices of Life. The experience of genuine musical live performance with the incomparable Neil MacKenzie at the helm is one I miss greatly.

In recent weeks a number of professional singers have managed to stream some socially distanced performances , a sign of hope. As an amateur choral singer all I can do is dream of a new dawn when we can all once again lift our voices in harmony. I think then my joie de vivre will finally return.

Helen Harden