At Bella Acapella there is never a dull moment. It feels like every week we just finished a concert, working on a new concert or preparing for new projects to come. In addition, we are learning brand new songs, redescovering ´golden oldies´ and polishing up our Christmas repertoire. We are also welcoming new members, selecting new competition songs and challenging ourselves with new performance elements. How do you get 30 singers to move around, make synchronized gestures and enjoy themselves while singing on pitch... There is a lot of energy going around. and we love our chorus for it!
Please enjoy reading our update. In the meantime, all the Bellas wish you a Merry Christmas and a ´Harmonious´ New Year. Fill your life with music, be kind to each other and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming concerts.
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 In October we had another first for the Bellas. We enjoyed a great weekend, welcoming the Dutch female choir “The Skyline Sisters” from Rotterdam, under the energetic direction of Mieneke Klinkert. We met all these marvelous ladies during the Calpe Convention in 2024. We had fun, had a drink (or two) and before we knew it, a real friendship born! Mieneke coached us in November 2024 and this event led to the plan of inviting all 45 members to the Algarve for two concerts. Fast forward to October 4 and 5, less than one year later with over 70 people on stage.
Before the concerts, the Bellas welcomed the Sisters at the airport singing Happy together, we had rehearsals together, a enthusiastic dinner at the restaurant Peixe e Pão in Olhão, listening to a typical Portuguese Fado concert, the visit of Tavira and Olhão, and the gifts from the ones to the others. Friendship, joy of singing, intensity of giving to the audiences, power of this huge chorus of 70 barbershoppers enthusiastic and happy, it was all that, and even more! Rotterdam, wait for us! The sisters have no other choice than inviting the Bellas next year!
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 After the sisters flew home, it was only a couple of weeks before our next adventure – a cooperation with The Ossónoba choir. The Ossónoba choir is a well-established choir from Faro. They have choirs for different age groups, their own private rehearsal venue (how cool is that!), many concerts across the Algarve and they are ever so friendly. So we were proud to receive an invitation to sing at their annual Chorus Festival. We shared the stage with the Ossónoba children’s choir (´os pequenos cantores´). What a joy to see them singing and tapping rhythm. We learned from these young singers that we can always show our enthusiasm, move to the rhythm and not be afraid to make mistakes. In return, we sang an acapella version of Não Há Estrelas No Céu from Rui Veloso. The second day of the festival ended with over 100 singers singing Shiyahamba, an uplifting song from South Africa. It was a fantastic experience and hopefully the start of a strong partnership with the Ossónoba choir.
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 This fall we have added Corry de Moor to our select list of Honorary Members. Of course everybody in the chorus knows Corry. But also many people outside Bella Acapella have met our industrious member. Corry was not the person to go quiet or to silently stay in an unseen corner. Her energy and focus were a driving force behind many of our activities. Corry has scheduled and prepared many sing outs and concerts, she hosted several coaching weekends with the full chorus in her home in São Bras and she even welcomed various coaches to stay and sleep in her guest quarters. Coaches celebrated her hospitality and generous breakfasts. In addition she was an active board member for many years and a reliable lead in the chorus. She even managed to have her husband Charles make new and portable risers for the whole chorus. This Honorary Membership is to recognize and celebrate her intense involvement in Bella Acapella over 13 years.
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| The Secret of Christmas Concerts |
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 And this busy fall continues – We have Christmas shows on December 5th in Loulé and December 6th, in Moncarapacho. What is Christmas without carols? We are working hard to sing all our favourite carols, like Holy Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Halleluja, It´s beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas and more...
So put on you glitterati Christmas outfit and join us in creating a festive atmosphere with mulled wine, a raffle, meeting old and new friends and maybe sing along with some songs... Bring along your friends and family, and together we will Deck the hall with boughs of holly,
Friday, December 5th, 19 h in Loulé - Igreja Matriz de São Clemente
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MnvEK2FrVHJXDtJC7
Saturday, December 6th, 19 h in Moncarapacho - Casa Do Povo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wefdhb9ANw66h5oH6
Both concerts have free entrance. We will ask everybody for a donation, to cover the chorus expenses and support the Loulé Foodbank who is helping 67 families with food and care.
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