Please Read The Choir.

[carousal]

I just had to post this; whenever we turn on the TV do you like I flick around the channels in the hope finding something worthwhile to watch? Ok there are a few we can pass an hour or two away with but when was the last time you were blown out of you’re chair with something that was so inspiring it left you gob smacked?

Imagine a small town not an attractive place, not a town that you would choose to live in.
Such a place is South Oxley England constructed to take the overspill from London.
No heart, no past, no history just boxes to live in and a small shopping centre.

One day a small man arrives, a slight figure, young as a fresh faced boy his task is to create a choir from the town’s people. I can picture you saying WHAT!! Yes that was my first impression but just imagine if you will the task he has set himself trying to recruit members that have not the slightest interest in any choir and probably never in their lives listened to one.
There follows a journey from the sheer hopelessness of the task in front of him to very ordinary people achieving something far beyond their wildest dreams but more than that, much more it gave a place without a heart a place on the map.

Gareth Malone's love of music which by sheer force of his personality a crusade if you like in the space of a few months transformed ordinary guys of all ages backgrounds etc to a solid unit that were capable of performing in front of a large audience.

The best singing you have heard? No of course not but it’s about more than singing it’s about a fractured community brought together through music.

Ok obviously the TV cameras were present but the BBC are the best when it comes to unobtrusive filming and the choirmaster has done this before in some pretty hard schools without the cameras present.

I’ve been rambling on far too much even so I’ve not covered more than a flavour of how inspiring a program this is. How I wish that I could make it possible for our American friends to see it in its entirety. So just four short clips

www.youtube.com/watch?v=teYuN-TGX78&feature=fvw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk87GaY1_dg&feature=channel

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaAS7My73wc&feature=channel


www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGUBMNgSrt0

[stuartcron]

I AM ALSO MOVED BY SEEING THAT SHOW
TO SEE THE DEDICATION AND PASSION THAT FLOWS
MAKES ME THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE SOMETHING
OF WHAT WE'VE GOT. THANKS I FELT THE SAME WAY.

[stuartcron]

I AM ALSO MOVED BY SEEING THAT SHOW
TO SEE THE DEDICATION AND PASSION THAT FLOWS
MAKES ME THINK WE SHOULD GIVE SOMETHING
SOMETHING OF WHAT WE'VE GOT.
THANK YOU , I FEEL THE SAME WAY

[parttimepoet]

I've only just found this posting and i'm soooo exited because I live in South Oxhey, and I'm in the choir!!!!

My grandparents were 'bombed out' of their homes during the war and, after living in 'rooms', (ie, one room for six people with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities) in the White City in London for a few years, were moved out to South Oxhey. They were infact some of the 'overspill' from London! They loved it, and still refer to it as their home in the country - they were not used to seeing much greenery in the White City!

The sense of community on the estate in those days, was, i'm told, wonderful, and Gareth has managed to revive those feelings amongst us residents again. It's fantatsic!
The cameras have long gone, but the choir goes from strength to strength. Gareth is still our choirmaster - bless him, he is very well respected in these parts. We held a concert at Christmas in Watford Town Hall, and at Easter, we are performing in St Albans Abbey. I can't believe the show has made such an impact, it's marvelous!

I'm so glad I found this thread!