Breaking their silence: The choirs making a comeback from lockdown

More than 2 million people are members of amateur choirs and for many of them their first post-lockdown concerts are just about to begin. Christine Manby writes

Choir members performing at a Citizens of the World concert during Refugee Week (Rachel Joy Otterway)

When Boris Johnson announced the first national lockdown in March 2020, it felt as though the whole world had suddenly fallen silent. For one group in particular, the silence lasted longer than for the rest of us. More than 2 million people in the United Kingdom are members of amateur choirs and it wasn’t until July of this year that they were finally allowed to meet and sing indoors again in groups of more than six.

Among those choirs planning a big comeback with their first post-lockdown concert is the Dulwich Chamber Choir. On 9 October, they’re going to be breaking their silence with a performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor at St James’s Church in Piccadilly. The performance will also celebrate the choir’s 10th anniversary.

Richard Mayo, director of music at Dulwich College, leads the choir, which comprises around 30 singers ranging in age from 21 to 70. He describes why the Mass is so special.