10th Anniversary Concert for Aljezur International Choir

A choir that started life in the home of two people in 2001 celebrated its 10^th anniversary with a free “Proms At the Parque” concert for an audience of more than 120.

Coro International Aljezur, or the Aljezur International Choir, now has between 20 and 30 choristers plus musicians playing the violin, cello, piano, harp and trumpet.

The Choir has grown from the moment 10 years ago when Doris Wroblewski & Uwe Zelinsk posted handwritten notes asking for anyone who enjoyed singing to come to their home in Vale da Telha.

From those humble beginnings one of the Algarve’s leading choirs has grown to prominence across the region.

But they decided they wanted to go back to their roots to celebrate their 10^th anniversary.

Organiser and Treasurer Trevor Herrington, who also sings bass and plays the trumpet, felt the Pastelaria in the Parque in Vale da Telha, a community just outside Aljezur with a large expat population, would be the perfect location, having held successful concerts there before.

And it is located not much more than a kilometre from Doris and Uwe’s home.

The early evening concert on June 30 featured not just a selection of songs by the choir in Portuguese, Italian, English, Irish, Yiddish and African, but a wonderful solo by the amazing 13 year-old violin prodigy Zé Nuno.

Other soloists included co-founder Uwe Zelinsky on cello and harpist Annette Gerken.

The choir’s young conductor Francisco Brazão, who has been with the Coro International Aljezur for less than a year—during which time it has come on in leaps and bounds under his stewardship—also sang a few solos in his wonderful baritone voice.

One member of the audience remarked to Brazão afterwards: “That was the best I’ve ever heard the Choir sing, they were so together.”

During the concert Pastelaria customers donated €50 to the choir, which will be passed on to the Bombeiros Volunteros of Aljezur.

The concert, hosted by Nik and Kim of the Pastelaria, was sponsored by the Associação do Património Histórico e Arqueológico de Aljezur—the Association for the Defence of Historical and Archaeological Heritage of Aljezur—who hoped it would serve as a way of recruiting more volunteers to their membership of over 260 including individual and collective associates.

It was also supported by Amovate through publicity and the loan of tables and chairs to the Pastelaria.

Swantje Suemer, ADPHA’s President/Chaiman, addressed the audience in Portuguese, English and German, saying:

“We hope our presence here makes more people aware of ADPHA and its importance in studying and preserving the cultural heritage in and around Aljezur.

“ADPHA is a non-profit association, founded on February 12th, 1996, with a membership now of over 260 including individual and collective associates.

“We are a recognized Public Utility Institution since 2003 and our objectives are the recovery of cultural identity and contribution to the development of Aljezur; Studying, promoting, raising awareness and defending its historical and cultural heritage through research, formation, treatment, restoration, etc.

“We collaborate with the local authorities and schools in cultural initiatives and maintain a specialized Library, a Documentation Centre and we are working on the Historical Archive.

“Also, we manage three of the four museums in the historic centre of the village, which integrate the Historic-cultural circuit, so we do guided tours through the museums and archaeological sites.

“These of course include archaeological excavations, in particular in Ribāt da Arrifana, the Islamic Silos by Barrada – Aljezur, the Medieval Cemetery in Aljezur, the Islamic Fishermen village by Carrapateira and the Islamic Tower in Odeceixe.

“If any of you would like to become involved with our work please drop into our office in Aljezur. Volunteers are always welcome.”

ADPHA can be contacted through:

Casa Museu José Cercas, which contains paintings and drawings of José Cercas, a painter born in Aljezur, and also features the works of other Portuguese artists. It also contains furniture, religious pieces and ceramics.

Rua do Castelo

8670 – 075 Aljezur

Tel: 282 991 011

e-mail:

adpha@sapo.pt

**The choir are holding another Concert promoted by ADPHA at the Igreja Nova, Aljezur during October, on a date yet to be confirmed.

See a selection of photos taken during the concert: