PhD Student records new single with the OutSingCancer Choir
MUSICAL Director and PhD student leads choir in moving arrangement of ‘This is Me’.
Andre de Silva has recently recorded a new single with his choir, OutSingCancer. The choir is made up with singers whose lives have been affected by cancer.
The student is currently researching the impact of singing on cancer patients and works closely with the charity Cancer United and leading the OutSingCancer choir. Those diagnosed with cancer are invited to join the choirs located in Littlehampton, Bognor and Angmering which meet weekly.
One singer said: “We can come to the rehearsals and can forget what you are dealing with on a day-to-day basis. It doesn’t go away – it’s there all the time, but it doesn’t have to define you and I will not let it define me.”
There are currently over 50 members and since the video of “This is me” was released, six new people have joined over the past week.
Reminiscing over the past three years with the choir, Andre said: “Working with these people means a lot to me. It is an inspiration, and with all the struggles they are going through, they help me to understand how people are both fragile and so strong.”
The student commented on his admiration of the choir, he said: “The strength and resilience they have is unbelievable. They fight for life and they fight to sing. And they sing beautifully.”
The choir accepts anyone who has been affected by Cancer. Andre said: “We accept family and carers, everyone that is related to cancer can join our community.”
The choir are also available to hire for events and has previously performed at the 2019 Sussex Sports Awards, attended by former Olympian Kriss Akabusi. He said: “They are my superheroes this evening”.
For more information on the Choir, go to https://www.cancerunited.org.uk/outsingcancer
To listen to ‘This is me’, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avCk_3lHOtc
You can also support and follow them on social media, https://www.facebook.com/outsingcancer
