Choir records Gospel at the Movies CD

AFTER five years of singing together, the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir has produced their first CD with the assistance of Ennis Town Council.
The CD was recorded by Matt Purcell at the gospel choir’s recent show, Gospel at the Movies and includes an uplifting and energetic collection of songs. The recording features Reverend Bazil Meade, Howard Francis and Leon Meade of the famous London Community Gospel, while the children’s section of the Ennis Gospel Choir, also sing Ain’t No Mountain High Enough on the CD.
Fiona Walsh, director of the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir, explained the choir raises money for local charities throughout the year and the funds from the CD will enable them to continue to support charities, such as Share a Dream, the Clare Crusaders and a number of community projects.
“We are really proud of our first CD and feel that it captures who we are. I love the live feel of the recordings,” Fiona commented.
Choir member, Jane Marlborough, who sings Hallelujah with Monica Morgan on the CD, said she is delighted with how it turned out. The tracks on Gospel at the Movies include I Believe, Hallelujah, Gospel Medley, I love the Lord, This Little Light of Mine, I Know Where I’ve Been and How Shall I See You Through My Tears.
The Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir, Ennis have been singing and dancing together since 2005. The choir was set up by a group of friends, who recognised the amazing energy and power of gospel music in bringing joy to all who hear it. In the last five years with the direction of Fiona Walsh, the choir has found its own unique voice and place in the Irish gospel music scene.
“The RTJ Ennis Gospel Choir is a non-audition, non-denominational group, which has really truly been taken to the heart of their community.  The choir is composed of members from a huge spectrum of backgrounds, experience, age and ability all of whom joined the choir for their own reasons but who are all linked by a common love of music.
“The choir is particularly proud of its non-audition status, encouraging people of all musical backgrounds to give it a go. Since its foundation, the choir members have become real friends, a fact that shines through when the choir sing together. It is the support of these friendships which allows everyone in the choir to express themselves fully when they perform and which allows the choir’s soloists to take risks and experiment, producing unique interpretations of many well known gospel classics,” Fiona explained.
The choir performs regularly at church services, community and charity events throughout Clare and the surrounding areas. In addition, the choir has run two major shows, The Gospel Experience and Gospel at the Movies. The choir’s reputation for putting together new, distinctive and individual shows has ensured that performances have sold out on every occasion.
Recently, the choir has also developed The Really Truly Youthful Gospel Choir for children under the age of 12, while earlier this year, the choir hosted the first Gospel Rising Music Festival in Ennis.
The CD is being launched this Saturday at 7pm in the Sanctuary of the Queen’s Hotel, Ennis by the director of Glór, Katie Verling. CDs are available from the music shops in Ennis, from Glór and online at www.ennisgospelchoir.com.