Men sing. In football stadiums, certainly. In the shower, too. But why do so many choirs struggle to find male singers? And how can we encourage more men to enjoy the benefits to health and well-being that group singing brings? Lorcan Doherty asks three men for their thoughts: Martin White, a member of local mixed voice choir Doire Calgach Singers; Chris Samuel, who conducts the Magnificent AK47, the self-described ‘singing blokes of Ashton Keynes’; and Michael Lynch, from the Men’s Action Network, which supports and promotes the health and wellbeing of men in the northwest of Ireland.

• City of Derry International Choir Festival
  • 2021 programme
  • 2021 podcast programme
• Men’s Action Network
• The Magnificent AKs

The Undertones - Teenage Kicks (performed by Parker)

Greg Tustain arr. Wendy Sergeant - Whiskey & Cheese (The Magnificent AK, Chris Samuel)

Roger Jackson - Alone in My Shed (The Magnificent AKs, Chris Samuel)

From Fauré to Des'ree, it’s all in a day’s work for Chanticleer, America's a cappella pride and joy. Lorcan Doherty chats to Tim Keeler, the ensemble’s music director, and Gerrod Pagenkopf, countertenor and assistant music director, about what viewers can look forward to in their beautiful concert film, After a Dream.

• City of Derry International Choir Festival
  • 2021 programme
  • 2021 podcast programme
• Chanticleer
  • Tim Keeler
  • Gerrod Pagenkopf

Claudio Monteverdi - Lauda Jerusalem, from Vespro della Beata Vergine Orlande de Lassus - Indi per alto mar, from Standomi un giorno Gabriel Fauré arr. Adam Ward - Après un rêve (solo: Cortez Mitchell) Burton Lane arr. Gene Puerling - On a Clear Day Ayanna Woods - close[r], now Vicente Lusitano - Regina caeli - Resurrexit Wouter De Backer (Gotye) arr. Darmon Meader - I Feel Better Des'ree Weekes & Ashley Ingram arr. Jason Hainsworth - You Gotta Be

Nigel Short, director of award-winning choir Tenebrae, chats to Lorcan Doherty about how passion and precision are key to the creation of their unique sound and why there was no doubt that Francis Poulenc’s masterpiece Figure humaine would form the centrepiece of their 20th anniversary programme at this year’s festival.

• City of Derry International Choir Festival
  • 2021 programme
  • 2021 podcast programme
• Tenebrae
  • Nigel Short

• Alonso Lobo - Versa est in luctum (Tenebrae, Nigel Short)
• Hubert Parry - Songs of Farewell: My soul, there is a country (Tenebrae, Nigel Short)
• Francis Poulenc - Figure Humaine: Liberté (Tenebrae, Nigel Short)
• Francis Poulenc - Figure Humaine: Un feu sans tache (Tenebrae, Nigel Short)