DESPITE all the odds, the Caritas mixed-voice choir has come together from afar to perform a beautiful Christmas carol.

As part of its ‘Carols by Caritas’ – an hour-long Christmas concert featuring a collection of videos from previous concerts that was showcased virtually on Sunday, December 13 – the choir performed a special rendition of ‘Mid-Winter’, that was recorded by socially-distanced members.

Caritas’ musical director Helen Hamill explained: “Our ‘Caritas’ name was chosen as we felt our niche could be to perform charitable fundraising in the Fermanagh area and beyond.

“We have done so much of that in previous Christmases since we formed at the end of 2014.

“This year, there was a serious challenge to that, due to safety restrictions, so we chose to attempt two things.”

She continued: “The first was to compile an hour-long Carol Concerts of previous years [that had been] videoed. That went out live on Sunday, December 13.

“The second, a Christmas 2020 project, was a premiere of a carol we love singing: ‘Mid-Winter’, by Bob Chilcott.

‘A massive task’

“This was a new departure for all of us. We chose to make a virtual choir performance. It was a massive technological ask for every one of those who could record.

“It opened up the idea of headphones listening to ‘click-tracks’ from one device, while recording yourself singing solo aloud in your home.

“Given Covid regulations, it was only able to be performed from a distance.”

The recordings for this special project were made in November, and compiled by Maurice Kelly in Derry.

None of the choir members had seen the final production until the premiere on December 13.

“Shockingly, every person who recorded was amazed and worried that their voices were – in their words – ‘so out of practice’, but the reality is we have in many cases spoken aloud so little in months,” said Helen.

“The resultant production has an emotional level of sincerity, which resounds in many personal comments made,” she added.

Helen noted that due to the hardships caused by 2020, Caritas chose to support the Enniskillen Foodbank as its charity for this year.

“Never has there been such a challenge on the supportive work they do as this year,” she added.

Caritas is also posting a different carol on its Facebook page each day until Christmas and is keeping a PayPal donation account open for Foodbank until then, at https://tinyurl.com/yay75xfz.

Both the full carol concert and the virtual production are available to view on Caritas’ Facebook page, which you can see at https://fb.watch/2rgRHy3QGj/

“Please share freely all these Fermanagh faces with anyone who may enjoy the genuine sincerity of familiar faces.

“Please God, in 2021, we will soon be performing together in the real physical sense,” said Helen, adding: “Please stay well and have a very safe Christmas with your family this year.”