Salford MAPAS

Music and Performing Arts Salford (MAPAS) is hosting a Virtual Christmas Celebration Concert later this month.

The organisation, which is a part of Salford Community Leisure, usually arranges three Arts Centre Christmas Showcase Concerts at this time of year.

However, with Covid-19 restrictions preventing normal musical festivities from happening, plans have been put in place on social media instead.

Patrick Noone, Development Officer for the Arts Centre and Ensembles at MAPAS, said: “As musicians, December’s the busiest time for you really because you’re always out caroling and stuff.

“We put these three concerts together in different parts of Salford and obviously we can’t do that this year, so the Virtual Christmas Celebration Concert is basically an alternative to those.”

Arts Centre Members and students from schools across Salford will be recording videos of themselves performing their favourite Christmas songs to be compiled into a ‘nice Christmas package’ for the community.

The end result will premiere on the MAPAS Facebook and YouTube pages at 6.30pm on 21st December.

Patrick explained: “The creativity has been lost a little bit this year, so I think that’s important that we get creative again.

“Having a goal to work towards is important, especially as a musician, and a young musician as well.”

MAPAS’ December concerts have taken place in person around Salford in previous years (Copyright permission given by MAPAS)

MAPAS’ Virtual Christmas Celebration Concert marks the end of a strange year for Patrick and his colleagues who were forced to shut down operations completely during the summer term’s lockdown.

He said: “There’s only so much Zoom you can do before it takes its toll on you.

“We literally only put our calendar up in the office for this academic year last week because we’ve just not had anything to put on it.

“But we actually reopen again tonight, so we’re ready to go again!”

Further information about the concert and future MAPAS events can be found on Twitter.

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