Multinational ‘Unnamed Choir’ aspires to hit the right note

AMMAN — Tuesday night played host to the inaugural social event of a new community-led project, “The Unnamed Choir”, a group looking to spread good vibrations among the people of Amman. 

Hailing from all over the globe, ranging from Germany to Canada, and from Jordan to India, the current choir is the continuation of a project funded by the European Union National Institutes for Culture, members explained. 

According to former members, a previous choir, known as Eurovox, had its base in the Insitut Français in Jabal Luweibdeh, and was made up of migrants and locals alike.

Last year, however, the project slowly disbanded. But this new project looks to bring back the music to the capital. 

Speaking to The Jordan Times before the social event, Karin Brunby, the event organiser, and Kati Pilter, who handles the choir’s finances, explained their reasons for starting the “Unnamed Choir” from the ashes of the old group. 

Both Brunby and Pilter were formerly members of Eurovox, and they described how the choir allowed them to socialise and feel at home, despite living abroad.

Brunby explained that the aim of the new choir was to create a “community” and a place where anyone could come and feel safe.

The other goal, beyond creating a welcoming environment,  is to “reach out to local people… to sing music that everyone will recognise, from both Europe and the Middle East, and sing a wide array of genres”, Brunby explained.

The choir hopes to provide a place where everyone who takes part can feel united. 

With around 25 members from different countries and backgrounds, a real family atmosphere has developed. 

“We want to sing… that’s all there is,” Pilter said. She explained that their aim is  to allow the members of the choir to have a lot more say in proceedings compared to other groups, and to “allow power to come from members of the choir”, making it accessible to people of all abilities.

Both Brunby and Pilter stressed the importance of music and the arts in times such as these, and how the emotion associated with music can help provide relief against a backdrop of turbulent global events

Pilter said that “change comes from within ourselves”, explaining their desire to use the power of music and a unified voice to help spread happiness in a time when it is most definitely needed. 

 “If it [the choir] eases someone a little, then we have achieved what we set out to do,” she said.