A prescription for joy
Sandie Stefanetti rejoices in the harmonies created by leading the Llandysul Community Gospel Choir
It all started in September 2018, with just 12 of us feeling our way around the harmonies of some 2 and 3 part songs.
We had not intended to perform for anyone other than ourselves - that is until Storm Callum hit the following month, causing major flood damage to many local homes and businesses. We stepped out of our collective comfort zone and sang alongside other local acts, helping to raise much needed funds for our friends & neighbours.
We have since gradually increased our numbers and taken our happy, uplifting harmonies to many community events including Llandysul Show, Carnival and Christmas Fairs. We have joined with a Korean, and Male Voice choir at Celebration for the Nations, have sung with Cantorion Llandeilo as well as in Local Churches & care homes.
Last summer we collaborated with Plethu to create Noswyl a unique musical tribute to Elen, mother of Owain Glyndwr (have a listen on YouTube!) and we’ve also been featured on BBC Radio Wales with Wynne Evans.
We sing praises to The Lord in English, Welsh and several African languages and our Gospel and Spiritual repertoire is beautifully interspersed with songs from other genres, as we welcome singers of all faiths and none.
We learned how to Zoom during the pandemic until summer 2021 when we were able to meet up again, carefully, in person, in an open sided barn on a ‘Gospellers’ farm(thank you Tom & Eva Coucher)...until our shivering was louder than our singing.
Singing and creating vocal harmonies has brought so much joy into my life ever since joining my first church choir as a young girl. I am at my happiest when singing uplifting and emotionally moving songs with friends who also just love to sing. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our GPs prescribed singing in a choir as therapy?
Leading a pitch perfect choir is wonderful, but not necessarily my goal.
Leading a choir of friends who sing beautifully, bringing joy and happiness to themselves and all around them...that’s game, set and match!