The Choir BBC2: Interview With Gareth Malone
One man and his “choir challenge” have changed the lives of 30 youngsters from a Middlesex comprehensive school.
New to BBC Two is The Choir, a three-part documentary following the highs and lows of London Symphony Orchestra Choir Master Gareth Malone, as he attempts to take 30 R&B-obsessed comprehensive school kids – who have never sung before – to compete in the World Choir Games in China.
What’s more, he first has to get them good enough to enter the competition, then, if successful, lift them to world-class standard in just nine months – surely a mission impossible… or is it?
We love the series, but why on Earth did you say yes?
“I love the excitement of aiming for something impossible. Well, almost impossible. I’ve spent most of my working life in youth centres, schools, theatres and concert halls making music from nothing. So I jumped at the chance when the BBC asked me to create a choir in an ordinary secondary school, where music wasn’t a priority. I knew it was possible but I had some reservations. Would they want a choir? Would they respond to classical music? What would they make of me, coming from a privileged classical background? I knew that it could do wonders for those involved – not just improve their singing and open their eyes to other musical possibilities, but also improve their confidence. I was nervous that I would fall flat on my face, though – who wouldn’t be!”
Why did you choose Northolt High School?
“Mainly because Northolt is typical of hundreds of secondary schools across the UK. It’s an ordinary comprehensive, with kids from all sorts of backgrounds. When I arrived I was shocked by the standard of singing. This was yet another secondary school that had forgotten how to sing. When I was at school I sang every day but here there was no assembly singing, no choir, no orchestra, no folksongs and certainly no classical music.”
How many rehearsals did you have (once you had formed The Phoenix Choir) before you had to record your CD entry to The World Choir Games?
“We had just seven rehearsals to prepare before the CD recording.
“At first the Choir were terrified to make a sound. They would happily talk… but sing? No! Not above the sound made by a small kitten. To get the lions’ roar I needed took drastic measures. A trip to London’s Barbican Centre was our first turning point because, when I put them on that vast stage to perform solos, what I’d previously seen as a bad attitude revealed itself as blind terror. One 15-year-old, Chloe Sullivan, had been so afraid of failing that she had almost stopped trying but, gradually, she and others began to open up.”
This must have been very stressful for you, with so much on the line. What were the real low points?
“The cold winter months of early 2006 were awful! It felt as though I was cruel and was torturing the kids with classical music. They were resistant to everything. I tried all my tricks and then invented more. I struggled to keep the momentum as we waited for the result of our application for China. I despaired of their commitment as the novelty wore off; misery infected everyone and that was pretty hard to take.”
What was the highlight of making the series?
“It was all a really great experience but, of course, it was wonderful when their singing started to sound like real music. And, above all, it was their increase in confidence as the months sped by that was the real highlight for me. All those involved in The Phoenix Choir learnt how to aim high, some how to lead. Some of them really began to love the music. All of them learnt a lot about singing. And they learnt how to be a team, how to support each other and how to be patient when others are struggling.
“That, to me, was worth all the effort and I would do it all again without any hesitation at all!”
THE CHOIR AIRS TONIGHT (4TH DECEMBER) ON BBC2 AT 9PM
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A brilliant and inspirational programme. Pity about the strong language in an age where teachers have problems with swearing and abusive pupils.
Joan
Fantastic.Acolades to everyone, especially Gareth
Just to say how much I wish someone like Gareth had been at my school in the 1940s and 50s. I am nw 68 and would love to have had the confidence to be able to sing out as the boys did in the Choir. The only time I sing now is in the car or in church where I hide beside the organ. From there I can sing as much as I want and nobody can hear me.
The schoolboys are so lucky.
All the very best Gareth you are brilliant. Chris Perry
Again we watched “The Choir” Boys don’t sing. What a truly inspirational piece of TV. If only our politicians and civic leaders were as dedicated, honest and enthusiastic as Gareth Malone just imagine how that would transfer into society.Well done to all at Lancaster School a magnificent example of what can be done with a little self belief and seeing everyone as an equal. Good luck to you all in your careers.
I think that Gareth Malone is doing a super job. Anthying that promotes singining is brilliant! To the critics, it is part of life that children may not get the part, in adult life you might not get accepted for a job. Its good for esteem building! Good job Gareth!
Sorry i meant that its character building. I would much rather see this kind of thing which has a positive outcome and is educational and encourgages young people especially boys to sing, than other reality tv shows such as Big Brother, I am a Celebrity etc
Watching The Choir was the best Television for years, and Gareth Malone is just brilliant.Those boys at Lancaster College were just superb and I cried buckets when they performed at The Albert Hall.
Congratulations to Miss Collins too, and I hope you carry on being successful in the future with The Choir. Well done to all of you!
Many congratulations on your latest series of “The Choir” It was riveting TV,and we did admire your tenacity and perseverance with this difficult group. I was lucky enough to have a music teacher at school who was also a member of the Bach Choir,and she engendered in me a love of music and choral singing which has never left me, you were so right about that.
what happend with the girl mariza she is still singing?.
she sing good high note’s. i am music producer.
what’s happend with the girl mariza?.
she sing good. high note’s. she can make it.
i am music producer. i like her voice
If someone knows the email of Chloe Sullivan it will be appreciate
im a great fan of her
I am involved in the guide association as Senior Section Adviser for Girlguiding Scotland. I so enjoyed watching the prgrammes and the younstrers develop in confidence. Some of the challenges were quite paiful but I have admiration for the tenacity and skill Gareth showed to encourage the pupils to stck at at it and get serious. Can I give Gareth a challenge. 2010 is the 100th anniversary of girlguiding. We are planning all kinds of events to celebrate this in UK, around the world and here in Scotland. Could you create a choir with a few hundred girls in a day??? I would love to hear your response.
I am involved in the guide association as Senior Section Adviser for Girlguiding Scotland. I so enjoyed watching the prgrammes and the youngsters develop in confidence. Some of the challenges were quite painful but I have admiration for the tenacity and skill Gareth showed to encourage the pupils to stick at at it and get serious. Can I give Gareth a challenge? 2010 is the 100th anniversary of girlguiding. We are planning all kinds of events to celebrate this in UK, around the world and here in Scotland. Could you create a choir with a few hundred girls in a day??? I would love to hear your response.
This has the corrections!!
(On Monday, 9 June 2008 at 10:56 pm)
holaaaaaaaaa soy ailen tengo 12 años de edad vivo en la capital de argentina buenos aires estoy en un coro desde hace un par de meses y estaba a punto de dejarlo cuando descubri este marabilloso documental ,de mas esta decir que despues de ver esto no lo deje , me parese genial que esto alla pasado hace tanto tiempo y tan lejos de mi casa y yo desde la otra punta del mundo lo pueda ver a gareth lo unico que puedo decirle es GRACIAS por haberme echo dar cuenta que el cansancio no es rason para tirar todo el trabajo que hice por tanto tiempo … una vez mas quiero decir que es fantastico el poder haber visto esto despues de tanto tiempo y estando yo viviendo en la otra punta del mundo y hablando por supuesto en otro idioma
please could you tell me when the next series of “The Choir” will be televised, I just can’t wait, just like hundreds of others. Hope it will be soon! regards, Louise
I´m from Argentina and I´ve recently watched the serie on TV. What really amazed me is how stubborn Garreth was to develop the group, overcomming every difficulty. I am a teacher and sometimes I loose faith in the students, but when I see a work like the one on “The Choir” I renew my expectations on them. I really like the energy that a good choir transmit. Congratulations to Garreth and the group!