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December 2007 
perpetual choirs of britain
Thomas
THE PERPETUAL CHOIRS OF ALBION
The Order of Peace Poets, Bards and Druids are proposing to reestablish the Perpetual Choirs of Britain. In ancient times there were at least three choirs perpetually maintaining a continual tradition of song, in Glastonbury, Bangor-on-Dee, and Salisbury. The Bardic traditions of Britain from the most ancient times esteemed song and music, and Bards were honored by the community, and given precedence in the royal courts of the Celtic tribes, second only to the Druids. The perpetual choirs were sacred places where music was offered continuously as a form of praise to the heavenly realms, and were conceived as having a purifying and spiritually uplifting influence on both the local community and throughout all realms of existence. It is likely that the Bards throughout the land encouraged song and chanting at sacred festivals and rituals coinciding with sacred times of the calendar. Classical authors said that one of the chief Celtic deities of Britain, Lugh /Llew equated to Apollo, the Deity of Music, healing and prophecy.
Once Britain adopted Christianity as an honoured guest religion, the ancient Bardic choirs continued their work, infused now with the new teachings of the Christian faith. Singing has been part of Christian worship since the very advent of the faith in these islands. Many Christians think of heaven as being filled with song and music, and some near death experience reports have confirmed this. Subsequently Britain were settled by the Anglo-Saxons, followed by other Scandinavian tribes - whose skalds (Bards) also had an honoured place in their community, and before long, the Anglo-Saxons had fused Christian teachings, received at first from their Celtic teachers, with their pagan, runic wisdom - and their choirs gradually also became tuned and fired up with passion for divine beauty to utter their outpourings of song and melody..
According to John Michell, in his book "New Light on the Ancient Mystery of Glastonbury", these perpetual choirs were active in twelve different sanctuaries across the Celtic land, and the chanting helped maintain the Grail secrets and the life energy of Britain. "...it was largely by chanting that the Druids kept up the spell of enchantment across the Celtic Kingdoms. It can be assumed, from traditions passed down through the Celtic Church, that a perpetual chant...was related astrologically to its time and place and progressed through the seasons of the year. It was a twelve-part chant, based on the twelve notes of the chromatic scale, one for each hour of the day and of the night. Each note corresponded to one of the signs of the zodiac and thus to one of the twelve tribes in a Celtic Kingdom."
Since the 18th century the Druid community has been encouraging people to observe the Druid festivals at sacred times, and in sacred places. During the 1990's the community struggled for the right to observe the solar festivals at Stonehenge, a right now re-established. The Three Choirs Festival of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire is another example of an earlier musical revival.
We believe it is time now to reestablish in principle the Perpetual Choirs of Albion, but unlike before, not necessarily that it be attached to specific venues. If people in either Glastonbury, Bangor on Dee or Salisbury wish to seek to dedicate a perpetual choir in those places, then we will support them - but our intentions are larger, and involve the entire country. To this end therefore we are calling for a single concerted effort on the part of the numerous choirs already existing at different places throughout Albion (England, Scotland and Wales) to each offer to mark a particular time in the calendar with appropriate song.
Each choir that wishes to participate is asked to sing for a three hour period, any time of the day or night, during the year, and to do so consciously holding the flame, so to speak, of the perpetual choir of Albion, for that particular moment. The choir may be either a large cathedral choir, or an impromptu group of friends who get together occasionally. Both are welcome ! We call therefore for the active participation of community choirs, church choirs, cathedral choirs, school choirs, festival choirs, peace choirs etc. We also ask that during the three hours singing, that the intention of contributing to a world of peace and harmony should be present.
The project is designed to create a spiritually harmonious and beautiful atmosphere in the land of Albion, to work on the spiritual levels of cleansing and healing our relationships with each other, and with nature. Choirs might wish to undertake their three hours at sacred sites of their own choosing, or in their regular venues.
Since there are 2920 three hour slots in a single calendar year, we therefore need 2920 separate choirs throughout Britain who are willing to participate in this project to come forward and volunteer. It's launch coincides with the launch of the Stonehenge Eisteddfod (Amesbury) which will be taking place on June 21st 2008, and to which choirs who are involved in the perpetual Choirs project are invited to submit entries. We intend to run the project annually on a repeating cycle from June 21st to June 21st each year.
The Stonehenge Eisteddfod is a new project to showcase the creative arts of Britain, including poetry, storytelling, music, dance, painting etc. Entries must be pre-submitted (on DVD or electronic format or text form) and the winners will be presented with their prizes at the Eisteddfod on June 21st. (For further details on how to get involved with the Eisteddfod please write in for an entry form).
This is a voluntary project being undertaken by the Druidic and Bardic community of Britain, on behalf of the country as a whole, and we would love to hear from you if you are a member of a choir who would like to join in the Perpetual Choirs project. There project runs on good will and inspired vision, and a commitment to reinvoke the Divine Muses and the Deity of Song and Music as guardians of the land. We can do with help, volunteers, assistance in matters both spiritual practical, and above all prayer and meditational support, since music and spiritual work are so interconnected. Out hope is to generate a protective peace energy throughout Britain and to gradually encourage the replacement of the war like atmosphere, both in our country and abroad, and the energy of hatred and terrorism, with that of love, joyism and peace. As well as restoring the Perpetual Choirs of Albion, we would like to encourage a similar network of choirs globally, and so choirs in other countries who would like to be connected up he magical grid of the Perpetual Choirs of Albion as they develop, or who would like support and help in establishing a similar scheme in their own countries, are also welcome to get in touch. We hope that many other countries in the world might be willing and able to join in this work, since they often carry with them the same enthusiasm for singing and music and the recognition of their spiritual importance, as Britain. Wherever in the globe the sacred flame of sound, of music and love for the Muses is held dear, we welcome your active involvement !
To express interest and support in his project, please contact either of the two organizers: Thomas Daffern, Archdruid of the Order of Peace Poets, Bards and Druids (iipsgp@educationaid.net - www.educationaid.net) and Peace Officer, Council of British Druid Orders, and Caroline Comberti, singer, choir focaliser and sound healer (carolin@vocal-ease.co.uk - http://vocal-ease.co.uk).
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