Christmas Concert CANCELLED
On 5th December 2021 at 7p.m. in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin we were to perform our Christmas Concert with special guest, Tolü Makay. The choir was to perform beautiful carols from continents and centuries reminding us that Christmas is an international and timeless celebration.
Speaking about the concert, David Milne, musical director of The Guinness Choir said: “Our annual concert in St Patrick’s Cathedral is a great favourite for Dublin audiences and every year our special guest adds something unique and wonderful. This year, we wanted to perform a glorious programme of wonderful carols from across continents and centuries, some rarely heard, together with a selection of the old favourites, and we are especially thrilled that Tolü Makay accepted our guest invitation. Tolü has a truly exceptional voice and is already an accomplished songwriter. ”
Tolü Makay was born in Nigeria and moved to Ireland as a three year old. Life in Ireland was not easy for her family, but she didn’t let that stop her. Her wonderful, natural singing talent was obvious from a young age and found early expression as a member of the Pentecostal gospel choir in her community.
Tolü really started singing to a wider audience when she moved to school in Tullamore, Co Offaly and subsequently while studying for her B.A. Psychology and Philosophy at university in Galway (NUIG). Tolu exploded on to the general music scene in Ireland resulting from her original and sensitive interpretation of the Saw Doctor’s song ‘N17’, which she recorded with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in January 2021. Anyone who is fortunate enough to hear Tolü sing live is struck by the sensitivity, strength and the range of her voice and the genuine warmth of her personality.
She has released a number of singles during 2019/2020 and is putting the finishing touches to her first Album, which will be released in early 2022 to coincide with her US tour with the Hothouse Flowers. Her first headline concert was at Vicar Street, Dublin in October 2021 to an ecstatic audience. She follows this with her sold-out gigs in The Sugar Club, Dublin and elsewhere in November 2021.
Tolü says: “Singing in Gospel choirs in my youth gave me a special love of singing with other people and the hope of singing with The Guinness Choir someday ties it back to my gospel choir days.”
