This prestigious chorus was formed in 2011 specifically to perform at what was then known as Songs for a Summer Evening. It is made up of some of the finest singers in South Donegal, all of whom were hand-picked for their ability and skill – the depth of their ever-growing repertoire is testament to that ability. Their first performance was of Gabriel Faure’s much-loved Requiem and has been followed in the intervening years by a wide variety of musical genres and includes works as diverse as Purcell’s Dido and Aenaes, The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night, Barber’s Agnus Dei, Boublil’s Bring Him Home and a vast array of ensemble pieces from operas including Rigoletto, Marriage of Figaro, Tosca, Carmen, among very many others. In 2015, they commissioned Evan McGarrigle to write a four-part arrangement of Mary from Dungloe. This favourite Donegal song has now become one of the core pieces of their repertoire, and indeed is in much demand itself as a performance piece for other choirs.

The Bluestack Chorale has been privileged to receive invitations to perform throughout the county; most notably in 2013 when they were invited to perform Benjamin Britten’s Hymn to St Columba at The Glebe Gallery’s retrospective of the work of artist Derek Hill. This piece was a 1962 commission from Derek Hill to the composer, in appreciation of his home in Garten, Co. Donegal. The Bluestack Chorale was the first choir to perform this challenging work in Donegal.