The Women's Voices Choir is a singing group for vulnerable BAME women and victims of domestic violence in Longsight led by musicians from Olympias Music. Our first 10-week project ran from March-May 2017. The choir is now in its third year and is delighted to have been awarded an 'Awards For All' grant from National Lottery, as well as a grant from the Black Hill Charitable Trust, which will carry the project through until July 2020.

 

The women we work with are primarily members of Women's Voices, a charitable organisation which supports women refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable women to achieve empowerment equality and inclusion in Greater Manchester. Led by musical director, Anna McLuckie, the purpose of this project is not only to teach women how to sing, but to create opportunities for BAME women and female victims of domestic violence to meet one another and encourage community integration through shared musical experience.

Previous projects include:

- Concerts at the Pakistani Community Centre, Cross Street Chapel and Whitworth Art Gallery

 

- A production of Humperdinck's opera, Hansel and Gretel, at the Edge Theatre, in collaboration with The Opera Shack

- A collaborative composition with composer, Carmel Smickersgill, combining music written by the women with poetry written by the women on the theme of 'Women Who Dare'

 

- Performances with at the Martin Harris Centre and Cathedral Gardens as part of Journeys Festival International.

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This year we look forward to collaborating with the People's History Museum and electronic artists Hunrosa and Sean Rogan, on a series of co-written songs on the theme of Modern Femininity; as well as exploring and writing folk music from around the world.

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Rehearsals take place 12:30-1:30pm every Monday at the Nazarene Community Church in Longsight (M13 OLG), and free to all participating women.