In the Beginning there was Peter McBrien - Dublin Male Voice Choir

Dublin Male Voice Choir
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In the Beginning there was Peter McBrien

Dublin Male Voice Choir
The choir was founded by the late Peter McBrien, the internationally acclaimed Irish baritone. A Dubliner by birth, he felt he still had one dream yet to be fulfilled – to establish and direct his very own male voice choir in his native city.

During his career as an operatic baritone, Peter had remained closely associated with the musical life of Dublin. He soon assembled a small band of willing voices and commenced rehearsals, developing a repertoire of songs and choruses, both sacred and secular. Peter had accumulated an immense knowledge and appreciation of all aspects of the human voice in song and music-making. His many personal qualities, his charisma and gregarious personality, his courtesy, made for quite a formidable array of communication skills. As a choir director, whether at rehearsal or in concert performance, he was at all times most gifted and effective, and loved by his singers.

Peter never lost faith in the ambition he had for his Dublin male voice choir. In rehearsal, he imparted, he cajoled, and when unscripted noises that can occur even in the best regulated choirs were occasionally heard, he thunderously encouraged his singers to “come close” to his concept of how a piece should sound.

Into its second year, the choir reached sixteen in number. Its first concert took place at the Mansion House, Dublin, on [ date? ]. In its first international competition at Bangor, Co Down, in 2008], it received a highly commended award. Peter and his associate, Mahon Kennedy, encouraged by this initial success, worked to extend the choir’s repertoire.

More performances followed in 2009. At the AIMS Festival in New Ross on 24th May 2009, the choir won first place.

The highlight of 2010 was a special performance on the 8th July, at a gathering in Aras an Uachtarain, on the invitation of Mary McAleese, Uachtaran na hEireann

On 7th October 2010, to the great sadness of the choir members, came the news of the sudden death of Peter McBrien. The choir, with the tenor, Brian Hoey, who sang “Panis Angelicus”, took part in the funeral Mass,

With all who knew him, the memory of Peter McBrien will live long after him – and by the unanimous resolve of the members, his dream of his very own Dublin male voice choir will fare likewise.
 (C) Dublin Male Voice Choir 2023
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