Notices

Choirs all around Ireland are participating in National Singing Week

National Singing Week has always been a time to celebrate the myriad benefits of group singing, from fostering community spirit to enhancing personal well-being.  This week-long celebration shines a spotlight on the joy and numerous benefits of group singing, inviting people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to come together and experience the transformative power of singing.

Find out more about National Singing Week

10 to 16 February 2025

Meeting in Butlerstown Community Centre, West Cork, Canto invites anyone (whatever ability) to join us on Tuesday 11 February for some free singing fun.

All you need to do is:

Register Here

and you will receive a welcome email with instructions

The choir needs more male voices!

Currently the 88 members comprise 71 female voices and 17 male voices

It would greatly enhance the choir to redress the balance and recruit more male singers.

So if you are male please be encouraged to come along, have some fun and give it a lash! (as they say around these parts)

And if you are female - you are still most welcome - especially if you bring a male friend!

If you would like to come for the first time to receive your instructions...

Register Here

Here are 6 reasons why joining a choir should be one of your new year's resolutions for 2025

1. Singing is good for you physically

It improves your breathing, posture and muscle tension. It can even relieve aches and pains and help sustain your body's natrual immune system.

2. Singing is good for the mind

Learning to sing in a choir can boost your cognative skills, memory and release endorphins that give you a spring in your step for the rest of the week.  You will be introduced to all kinds of music from different eras and genres.

3. It's fun!

Canto engenders a light-hearted approach that can result in smiles, giggles and even spontaneous laughter.

4. There's no audition

No previous choir experience is needed and you may think you can't even sing on your own - Everyone is welcome, whatever your age*.

5. Flexible Attendance

Canto meets at 7:30pm - 9:00pm on Tuesday evenings at Butlerstown Community Centre. Life happens! so you don't have to come every week.  Come as often or as little as you wish. (You can always catch up with the practice videos)

6. It's Free!

There is absolutely no fee** and you will be supplied with a smart folder to keep your printed music.

Breaking News - The Practice videos are now public!

The the only reason choir members need to log in is to download and print the sheet music

This is to help protect music copyright.  However, anyone can now access the practice videos which feature a video following each separate part in the music.  When you have mastered you part in isolation see if you can sing it with the All Parts version fully turned up.

Keep an eye on the Practice Page as more songs will be published.

View the Practice Page

Practice Videos

It's only our third meeting and we are already singing in six-part harmony!

So the choir sang a new round yesterday evening (Tue 8 Oct).

This six-part round was originally composed by Thomas Ravenscroft in 1609 with words added by Denis O'Regan.

Listen to this extract which introduces the melody first, then the choir sing it in two-parts and finally the mesmerising six-parts.

Fáilte - Ravenscroft / O'Regan

The next meeting is displayed on the Calendar