Health workers come together to form new choir and feature in TV series

ONE of the many social casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic was the instruction to avoid singing in public places, be it in churches or on stages.

Which was a shame, since few things can be as uplifting in life as either singing, or listening to a beautiful voice.

Ireland’s world-renowned concert orchestra conductor and choirmaster, David Brophy, decided to do something about this void, and announced earlier this year his plan to form a nationwide choir made up of healthcare workers who led the battle against Covid.

Following on from the success of his ‘High Hopes Choir’ and ‘The Choir of Ages’, David set about achieving his aim, and the result is a three-part series, David Brophy’s Frontline Choir, which starts on RTÉ1 tomorrow at 6.30pm.

Throughout the pandemic, David and the rest of the nation have been in awe of our healthcare workers. From patient-facing medical teams to those who ensure the smooth running of our hospitals and care facilities, these people have gone above and beyond to care for their patients while putting their own safety at risk and making huge personal sacrifices.

His three-part series will follow an exceptional choir made up of doctors, nurses, porters, ICU staff, nursing home workers, members of housekeeping and medical administration staff based across Ireland.

They will meet initially on Zoom and gradually, and in line with Government guidelines, make it to in-person outdoor rehearsals.

Over the course of their journey, the choir will produce a music video in memory of their fallen colleagues featuring the U2 song Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own, which will be viewed more than 100,000 times by a global audience.

They will perform at an emotional concert for their loved ones and get the chance to sing alongside some of their musical heroes at a very special finale concert.

The three-part series will not only tell the story of the choir but also the stories of the individual members, the people behind the PPE who risked everything to help others during the fight against Covid-19.

David said his aim was “to bring “people who are working in various healthcare settings” together when it was safe to do so.

“There’s a number of reasons for the choir,” he said. “One of the reasons is because I’ve seen the power of singing and what it does to people when they come together and sing.”