BY BRIAN McNAMEE
WHEN the Omagh Community Youth Choir (OCYC) holds its auditions for new members this Sunday (September 9) in First Omagh Presbyterian Church Hall it will mark the beginning of another new year of musical opportunities for the youth of Omagh.
However, this year also heralds a major milestone for the local choir as it will be its tenth year in operation.
To celebrate this anniversary the Choir will be hosting a Gala Black Tie event at The Silverbirches Hotel on January 4 2008, with all the music being provided by the OCYC and special guests The Celtic Tenors.
OCYC was initially set up in the aftermath of the Omagh Bomb by local music student Daryl Simpson in conjunction with other local musicians and youth leaders. The aim of the choir was simple, to provide a perfect example of cross community effort through music, that would preach peace and provide some comfort in those dark days after August 15 1998.
Within weeks of it's inception the choir was rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in the music industry, poignant TV appearances on UTV's Kelly Show and a special Omagh tribute 'Late Late Show' on RTE alongside the likes of U2 and Bob Geldolf provided a suitable platform for the choir to send it's message of reconciliation. Around the same time the choir also recorded the title track from the Omagh Fund CD, 'Across the Bridge of Hope,' along with numerous other stars.
It wasn't long before OCYC were given the opportunity to take their message further afield. In August 1999 the choir travelled for their first stateside trip to Chicago where they performed at Milwaukee Irish Fest Festival to great acclaim. While in Milwaukee OCYC began to build relationships with other choirs in that area, most notably The Milwaukee Irishfest Choir who themselves visited Omagh last summer performing a joint choir concert at the Ulster American Folk Park.
By 2000 the Choir was firmly established as a top class choir, so much so that they were personally chosen by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to record the song, 'To Love in Peace,' from his West End Show. This lead to performances in London's Millennium Dome, at Westminster Cathedral, on The BBC's National Lottery show and finally The Royal Variety Show in front of The Prince of Wales.
Over the next few years several more high profile tours followed, in 2003 the Choir undertook a tour of New York, singing at ground zero and the National Cathedral. From New York they travelled to Washington D.C and Philadelphia with the tour triumphantly culminating with the choir being invited to perform again at Irishfest. Two years later the Choir again returned to the states, this time undertaking nine performances across Texas and Louisiana to rave reviews. The Texas and Louisiana tour finished in the home of Jazz, New Orleans where the choir recorded a live CD in the National Jazz museum as well as performing with inter racial Gospel choir Shades of Praise, who themselves have been guests of OCYC in Omagh.
Tragically, only weeks after the choir left New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina struck devastating the Jazz capital. After receiving so much generosity in Louisiana the Youth choir organised several local concerts to raise some much needed funds for their friends in Shades of Praise.
As well as so much touring in America over the years the choir has performed across the length and breadth of Ireland to critical acclaim. From musical festivals in Scariff, County Clare, choral concerts in Sligo and indeed singing at numerous events here at home, the OCYC has, over its ten years, been a credit to local singing talent and the youth of Omagh.
Their 10th anniversary celebration Gala in January early next year will be an occasion not to be missed. Tickets for the Gala are £100 per person and £1000 for a table of ten and already many of the tables have been bought up. For further details on the Gala please contact either Marie Gallagher between 6-7pm on 02882 252993, Deirdre McNamee on 028807 58831, Ivor Sampson 02882 241716, Patricia Doody on 02882 247168 or Claire Hughes on 02882 252798 after 6pm.
