All-girl Sonatinas choir sings in 10 year anniversary

A thriving female choir that owes its inception to a message on the Mums of Glanmire page this month celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala concert in Cork City Hall.

Expanding the idea from an online message looking to join a choir, Rachel O’Brien formed The Sonatinas Choir in 2016, and it has since grown to 68 members, who are based mainly in Glanmire and Glounthaune.

Known for dynamic and heartfelt performances, the choir’s diverse repertoire spans classical, sacred, folk, and contemporary music.

According to Ms O’Brien, beyond their music, The Sonatinas represent “a true sisterhood, a place of friendship, encouragement, and shared purpose”.

Earlier this month, the choir hosted and celebrated a 10-year anniversary concert in City Hall.

Billed as an anniversary fundraising gala concert, it consisted of an evening of music, friendship, and community spirit, shared with the choir’s friends, The City of Cork Male Voice Choir, The Hill Harmonics, The Showstoppers, and Chorus Kids, all under musical director and conductor Rachel O’Brien, of Sonatina Music Academy.

Accompanying those choirs on the night were 28 musicians.

The four choirs united in song, celebrating a decade of harmony, melody making, community, and the power of music to make a difference.

This special concert not only honoured The Sonatinas’s journey, but also supported a cause close to their hearts, ensuring that every note sung on the evening helped fundraise for Marymount Hospice, supporting the work it does for individuals and their families.