RADICAL CHOIRS
The choirs are set out below in two groups.
The first Group is of choirs which are affiliated to the WMA. The second group is of choirs although not formally affiliated to the WMA works with issues and material similar to that of the WMA choir, will still have members of the WMA amongst its singers and the WMA regards these choirs as allies in the attempts to campaign through music. Some of these have their own website and/or e-mail addresses and these are given below. Please look at theiir websites if possible where much more information can be seen, including how you might join them if one is in your area. Sometimes these choirs will meet for joint activities. London choirs have had "Five Choir Days" where they meet for a day singing together agreed programmes. Also, where national demonstrations occur, choir members from all over the country join together to sing the marchers along with songs chosen for the occasion. For example, on the day of the large February 15th demonstration just prior to the invasion of Iraq about 50 singers from all over the country met in Piccadilly Circus to sing the marching protesters along. Singers from the London choirs have sung in Trafalgar square at the 1st May celebrations, and are planning to offer this service to the labour movement again in 2012. |
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WMA Affiliated Choirs
| Website | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Birmingham Clarion |
anniesmith2000@hotmail.com | www.clarionsingers.org | |
| Bristol Red Notes | Red Notes is a Bristol-based socialist choir which campaigns for peace, justice, freedom and internationalism. The choir sings in support of peace groups, solidarity campaigns, progressive organisations; at local and national marches, festivals, union meetings and benefit events . | ||
| Calamet Singers | |||
| Cardiff Red Choir Tel 02920 889514 | wendy.lewis2@aladdinscave.net |
Based mainly in South Wales the Côr Cochon Caerdydd choir, founded in 1983 have used their voices to campaign for peace justice and freedom in the world. Several CD's of their work are available. | |
| Red Leicester 0116 270 3143 | veronica.matthew@tiscali.co.uk |
A very active choir committed to promoting peace. green and red politics. It has sung since 1995 historical and contemporary songs expressive of social and political protest and songs of worldwide celebration, struggle and change. | |
| Rotheram Red | This choir was set up to preserve the knowledge in Rotheram of the songs of struggle. It sings traditional songs from the history of struggle in this country, songs from around the world, and some contemporary songs, often reflecting local issues. | ||
| WMA Singers 0208 6991933 | Based in London. Rehearses at Conway Hall. Secretary at 240 Perry Rise Forest Hill, London Their information will be on this web site, as it is created. Sings political and songs reflecting the struggles of working people in the past and present to defend peace, their rights, and their world. | ||
| Second Group | |||
| Achord (Bradford) | Songs from countries near and far united by themes of peace, justice and harmony. | ||
| Bradford Voices | Bradford Voices is a Community Choir singing songs from all over the world including songs of celebration, peace and freedom. | ||
| Bolton Clarion | Bolton clarion Choir sings songs which are committed to broadly socialist aims. | ||
| Bradford Women Singers | A women's singing group since 1984 supporting a range of events. Connected to each other by music, politics and friendship. | ||
| Calder Valley Voices (Hebden Bridge) | This Community Choir sings songs of peace, freedom. struggle and liberation. | ||
| Cor Gobaith (Aberystwyth) | This choir sings in Welsh and English. Songs against war and oppression, and it campaigns to support peace, social justice and environmental sustainability. | ||
| Corista | Corista sings songs from Chartists to modern political songs. | ||
| East Lancs Clarion Choir | |||
| Leeds People's Choir | Sings songs of struggle, liberation, peace and love. | ||
| Protest in Harmony. Edinburgh | This is a radical singing group singing a broad range of songs from world traditions of protest, peace, human rights, environmental justice. | ||
| Raised Voices | This is a political street choir committed to performing a wide variety of songs for peace justice, the environment and humanity. | ||
| Red and Green | This London based choir sing socialist, environmental, and anti-war songs-including old and new. English, other European, North and South American, South African, at demos including anti-war, anti-airport expansion, climate change. | ||
| Manchester Community Choir | |||
| Nottingham Clarion | This choir began life by singing to raise money for the families of striking miners. Sings many well-known socialist anthems, international songs of peace and freedom. In support of people's struggles against racism, and for women's rights and the environment. | ||
| Sheffield Socialist | Who we are. This isn’t the end of History. We sing to change the world. We’re still swinging those hammers to ring out justice and freedom from the UK’s “Steel City” here in South Yorkshire. We can raise your roof with a rousing “Internationale”. But we can also rock the street to radical rhythms from Southern Africa, Latin America, the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Ireland. Yes, we are hip-shakingly political. |
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| Strawberry Thieves | We are a choir of about 20 people, and are based in South-east London, although we travel well. Strawberry Thieves was formed in 1996, the centenary of the death of William Morris, one of whose designs we are named after. We sing at demos, Stop the War events, labour movement meetings, birthday parties and at the annual Street Music Festival and the biennial Raise Your Banners Festival of political song. Our repertoire draws on modern songs, as well as the wealth of political song which chronicles the history of struggle over the centuries, both in Britain and abroad. |
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| Velvet Fist. 020 8904 5765 | Velvet Fist are a group of cappella singers who have been making music together for fifteen years, They aim to combine an exciting and creative sound with intimacy, warmth and humour. They are feminists and socialists and have come together through political activity to find their voice in Music. CD's of their performances are available . | ||
| Choir, Choir Pants on Fire | ccpof@hotmail.com |
This is a an all womans' choir of trade unionist workers based in New Zealand, existing or retired Some of their own compositions are on CD and use some of the ideas from the Maori folklore. | |
| The Solidarity Choir | solidaritychoir@yahoo.com |
Based in New South Wales, Australia. Contact was made with some UK choirs whilst on a visit to Britain in 2005. Some of us remember singing with them in a get-together at the Red Rose club in London. |
Changes to this information on the choirs will be added once they have seen this site and have made their comments. It is intended to make this space available to any choirs that share our values. Any members of other choirs reading these notes and sharing the objectives of the WMA are invited to join us and to ask for their details to be entered here. Please let us know your views if you fit this description.
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