New choir to launch in Preston’s Climate Emergency Centre

Jon Aveyard leading the Worldwise Samba Drummers

A new choir is set to launch in Preston at the end of August for five weeks, which will finish with an informal performance at a pop-up event.

The Green Choir, whose ethos is ‘songs of nature; songs of humanity’, will meet in the new Climate Emergency Centre near the flag market.

Jon Aveyard, a music lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, will lead the choir as they prepare for the performance.

Jon said: “The timing worked out well. I am leaving my university job to spend more time working in the community and the Market Place unit had been taken on to set up the Climate Emergency Centre. We felt this was a good opportunity for us to support one another.

“This will be a very accessible choir. There will be no auditions and no music reading. All levels of ability are welcome.

“Some people who come along might already have experience of singing in choirs whilst others will be trying it out for the first time.

“We will be singing short songs in two or three-part harmony, even four-part harmony if there are enough of us. We will mostly be singing unaccompanied though I might bring along some small percussion instruments for us to use as well.”

Having sung in the Preston People’s Choir for over ten years and in other choirs before that, Jon knows the benefits of singing, including the social aspect of it and the mental and physical health benefits of group singing.

The choir will meet at the newly opened Climate Emergency Centre, 32 Market Place, PR1 2AR on Fridays 26 August to 23 September, 7pm-8pm leading to a performance for those who want to take part on the afternoon of Saturday 24 September.

Donations will be requested based on ability to pay. JonAveyard1@gmail.com for more information.