Isle of Man Government staff choir renamed and now open to the community!

The successful Isle of Man Government Staff Choir has been renamed “The Isle of Man Arts Council Community Choir” and is open to anyone in the community who enjoys singing and wishes to join.

The choir was founded by the Isle of Man Arts Council in 2016 for Government employees meeting on a Wednesday lunchtime to rehearse, and it now annually performs at concerts and at the Manx Music Festival.  Led by Dr Mandy Griffin as musical director and with David Holland as accompanist, the choir is free, informal and enjoys singing a wide variety of music, from classical to pop, musical theatre to jazz, from Mozart to the Beatles – there really is something for everyone to enjoy! 

The choir has been renamed to reflect the ongoing commitment of the Isle of Man Arts Council to this community initiative, and to encourage any members of the community to become involved.

The choir rehearses at St George’s Church, Douglas every Wednesday lunchtime, starting at 1.10pm and finishing at 1.50pm and starts again after the summer break on Wednesday 10th January.

Jane Corkill, Arts Development Manager said:

 “It has been proved that singing can help us all in our busy lives.  It is a natural anti-depressant and can strengthen the immune system, help with sleep, lower stress levels and improve mental alertness. Our choir is an open opportunity to break away in the working day to enjoy music and singing with likeminded people who soon become friends, and we are welcoming anyone to join us.”

For further information, please contact Zoe Shuttleworth, Arts Administrator via email: Zoe.Shuttleworth@gov.im or by phone: 01624 694596.