Masterclass event with Charlotte coming to St Mary’s Rowlagh

“CHARLOTTE came highly recommended from Sing Ireland, which is the organisation we are affiliated with.” explains North Clondalkin Community Choir’s musical director, Noel Collins.

Soprano Charlotte O’Hare is an award-winning soprano, living in Ireland and working internationally as a soloist and ensemble singer.

She studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and was awarded the RNCM’s Gold Medal, as well as the Elizabeth Harwood and Frederic Cox prizes.

Charlotte has featured as a soloist with various ensembles across Ireland, including the Irish Baroque Orchestra, The Ulster Orchestra, Resurgam, Sestina Music, Chamber Choir Ireland and the Ulster Consort, as well as international appearances with Arcangelo at the BBC Proms, the Academy of Ancient Music, Det Norske Solistkor, Ars Nova Copenhagen and Siglo de Oro.

Operatic roles include Despina (Cosi Fan Tutte), Gabrielle (La Vie Parisienne), Pamina (The Magic Flute), the title roles in Handel’s Semele and Theodora, and numerous productions with companies including Opera North, Garsington Opera, Buxton Festival and Opera Collective Ireland.

Charlotte is also a passionate music educator working with Sing Ireland, Leeds Song, Opera North Education, and the Royal Ballet and Opera.

She delivered an “incredible” masterclass to the North Clondalkin Community Choir in November 2014. Her energy and connection with the choir members was “evident” from the very beginning.

Noel continues, “Charlotte believes in the ethos of our choir in terms of removing barriers towards accessing professional music.”

During the last workshop, Charlotte taught choir members a number of fun vocal techniques to ensure we were singing at our very best.

Moreover, she taught them how to sing ‘Days Like This’ by Van Morrison in harmony, which is an “extraordinary achievement” in itself in such a short space of time.

Soon after her last masterclass, the choir performed this piece at their Christmas Concert alongside their guest Soprano who was none other than Charlotte O’Hare.

She kindly agreed to perform at the Christmas concert, as she was so impressed with the choir from the masterclass.

The choir expects another high-energy workshop that “helps to inspire and progress our choir to the next level.”

He explains that “Charlotte brings a wealth of experience in terms of imparting unique techniques aimed at improving overall vocal performance.”

Judging from the last masterclass, the choir expect this event will be a boost or energiser for their members, especially after a long and difficult winter period; “Charlotte is a ray of sunshine.”

According to Noel, the main challenge involved in organising an event like this would be scheduling, as Charlotte has a busy schedule, and it can be difficult to find a decent time to schedule the masterclass.

He would like to thank the choir’s committee of volunteers for helping to make this masterclass possible and SDCC for providing ongoing financial support to the choir.

This support means they can “continue to attract world-class professional musicians to our choir and Clondalkin.”

Their recent masterclass with acclaimed soprano Celine Byrne and the upcoming masterclass with Charlotte O’Hare are “testament to this.”

The masterclass with Charlotte will be taking place on March 23 in St Mary’s JNS in Rowlagh, Clondalkin.

For more details, check the North Clondalkin Community Choir socials and enquire at northclondalkincommunitychoir@gmail.com