Whitehead Ladies Choir to perform at Kilcoan Presbyterian Church in Islandmagee

Due to take place on Thursday, April 11 at 7.30pm, the performance is part of an ongoing programme to celebrate the choir’s tenth anniversary.

The concert is the second in the series and follows a very special evening in Our Lady of Lourdes in Whitehead on March 26.

The performances have been supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through their Rural Engagement Arts Programme. It is thought that this is the first time that Fauré’s Requiem has been performed in either church.

Speaking ahead of the concert in Islandmagee, musical director and conductor Diane Creighton said: “While this is a year of joyous celebration for the choir, we were also keen to demonstrate musically how far we have come over the last 10 years. Fauré’s Requiem is a substantial piece which has both stretched and challenged the choir this year. I am very proud that our members have embraced this wonderful opportunity and further developed their choral skills to capture this reflective and deeply moving work.

"It’s also fitting that 2024 also marks the 100th anniversary of Fauré’s passing and this work was performed at his own funeral. It feels very poignant to be singing this Requiem during the Easter season, in two beautiful local churches.”

Ms Creighton went on to thank the soloists supporting the choir, Susan Sheperd, Claire Pollard and Maeve Maxwell and also the choir accompanist Karl Bennett.