The McManus has appointed its first choir in residence as part of the Dundee museum’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
The Loadsaweeminsingin’ group have already started rehearsing for their new role and will take part in a number of events over the course of the year.
This year, The McManus’ learning and engagement team are leading the People’s Story, an ambitious outreach project that will explore the relationship between Dundee’s diverse communities, the museum and its collections.
The residency is seen as key to the year-long programme.
Loadsaweeminsingin’ was established by Anna Newell at Dundee Rep in 1994 with a show called Following a Different Drum where the ground-breaking all female community singing group was established.
The group has met every Monday night since then and have performed in a huge variety of shows including Michael Marra’s operetta If the Moon can be Believe’.
Sarah Harrop took over the group in 2004 and continued the community singing group’s journey including a performance on BBC’s Last Choir Standing
In January 2015, the group came under the new direction of Alice Marra, daughter of Michael Marra. and have continued to grow and perform in a wide variety of shows.
Christine Millar, section leader for learning and engagement at The McManus, said: “Loadsaweeminsingin’ are a group who mirror many of our own values and encapsulate much of what we strive to achieve ourselves at The McManus, proud of what Dundee can and has achieved over the years and a huge enthusiasm for celebrating and understanding the people’s story.
“We are looking at ways of providing shared experiences and extending our audience through participation. It is a great fit to have a choir who can help do just that and we can’t wait to hear them perform at The McManus.”
Alice Marra said: “The group is a hugely powerful and passionate bunch of women from in and around Dundee and although the group has evolved over the years there are still members from its very first incarnation.
“The group is absolutely delighted to be working in such a wonderful space at The McManus and hope to collaborate with other groups based there and really get involved in what’s happening around the 150th anniversary of the building.
“The group would like to thank Christine Miller at The McManus for giving them this very exciting opportunity and look forward to this new era of Loadsaweeminsingin’.”
Loadsaweeminsingin’ had hoped to take on some new singers for the new term in January, however such is the popularity of the group, they are currently no spaces available.
However, if anyone who wants to add their name to the waiting list can get in touch at loadsaweemin@gmail.com.
