Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th March 2009

The Fleet Singers perform with Les Grooms at the Barbican

In a flashmob style journey through the local streets around the Barbican Centre, Les Grooms performed an entertaining series of mischievous musical treats, to the surprise of passers-by, and the joy of a crowd of followers!

Wednesday 11th February 2009

Guardian's Angels perform at Westminster Cathedral Hall, London

The Guardian's Angels is the staff choir of Guardian News and Media (GNM). Set up in 2002 with the aim of bringing music into the workplace, any member of staff can join the choir. There are no auditions - all that's required is enthusiasim, a love of music and a willingness to perform. It seemed very appropriate therefore that the choir was invited to perform for the launch of Music in Offices' Office Choir of the Year Competition. The below clip is from a news feature on BBC London Tonight, in the run up to the launch event.

GNM recently moved into new premises at Kings Place, where our new neighbours include the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the London Sinfonietta, many of whose office staff are now members of our choir. We are taken through our paces each week by our Musical Director, James Davey, who is also MD of Chantage (BBC Choir of the year 2006).Past performances have included the world premiere of Phil Cashian's "Opening of the House" with the London Sinfonietta at the King's Place Concert Hall.

 

Saturday 17th January 2009

Chantage record with Elbow, live from Abbey Road

Chantage were invited to record at Abbey Road Studios with indie band, Elbow, in a live performance/recording of their Mercury Music Prize winning album, The Seldom Seen Kid. The recording was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and then screened on the BBC's Red Button and online for seven days (Saturday 31 January to Saturday 7 February).

Over 1 million views were recorded from people pressing their Red Button or going online to watch the unique performance Elbow gave with Chantage and the BBC Concert Orchestra, making it the most popular music session ever shown on the BBC's Red Button.

Lewis Carnie, Head of Programmes for Radio 2 and 6 Music said: "I'm delighted that so many Radio 2 listeners accessed one of the finest live performances we have ever recorded for Radio 2."

Elbow's lead singer, Guy Garvey, said: "The whole experience of playing in such a historic studio with an amazing orchestra and choir was one of the best things we have ever done as a band. There were plenty of moments where we had to take a deep breath so we didn't all start blubbing."

The clip below is of one of the tracks from the performance (which is available from Elbow's web site as a special edition CD/DVD box set - and is also on the inflight entertainment of Virgin Atlantic Airways) called One Day Like This

 

Thursday 30th October 2008

Chantage compete at the Tolosa International Choral Competition

Invited to compete in this prestigious International contest, Chantage took a choir of 28 singers to the Basque country for a week of intensive practice, including no fewer than 5 concerts, as well as two rounds in the competition itself. The competition was tough (not least because of the notoriously difficult and un-flattering cinema accoustic) and Chantage failed to make the top three, but did hold the middle ground well in this, their first attempt at an International level competition.

The clip below shows Chantage performing their interpretation of Eric Whitacre's appropriately cinematic With a Lily in Your Hand

 

Bank Holiday Monday 27th August 2007

Chantage perform live on The ONE Show, BBC1

Chantage take on the role of the BBC's flagship shows' Complaints Choir for a series of 6 episodes, launched by actor and theatre director Richard Wilson. This first episode, broadcast live on the August Bank Holiday, features the choir singing a comic song arranged by comedian musician Mitch Benn set to the tune of Ode to Joy

 

Monday 11th December 2006

BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2006

The Grand Final of BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year took place on 9 December, 2006 at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Eight choirs (four category winners and four wildcard winners) sung for victory and the title BBC Radio Three Choir of the Year 2006. An audience of 2,000 people filled the venue to capacity, erupting with cheers, clapping and congratulations as Roger Wright, BBC Radio 3 Controller, announced the judges' decision, that Chantage had won BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2006. The accolade crowns Chantage as the best amateur choir in the UK. The win also secures the choir a commission for a new choral work by a composer of the choir's choice, sponsored by BBC Radio 3. In addition Chantage also won the Audience Prize - voted for by the spectators at the Grand Final. The audience of 2,000 - made up of supporters from competing choirs and music fans - was asked to vote for their favourite choir as the judges deliberated.

Watch an interview with James Davey, and members of Chantage, below

Chantage wins BBC Radio 3 Choir of the year 2006

Choir Beats 117 Others to Become Best Amateur Choir in the UK Chantage, a 38 strong mixed voice choir from London, won BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2006 at the competition's Grand Final held at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 10 December 2006. Chantage also won the audience vote - a new initiative for the competition. The accolade - BBC Radio 3 Choir Year 2006 - crowns Chantage as the best amateur choir in the UK. The win also secures the choir a commission for a new choral work by a composer of the choir's choice, sponsored by BBC Radio 3. The Grand Final was broadcast on BBC Radio 3's Performance on 3 on Monday 11 December, and televised on BBC Four on Saturday 16 December.

Below is a clip from that broadcast, in which the choir perform their winning piece by Richard Allain, Christ's Love Song

Wednesday 9th May 2007

Vocal Workshop for the employees of dunnhumby

"I would say overall that the Music Man activity provided an excellent and unique method to bring together a large group of people to demonstrate quite effectively what can be accomplished when you work together as a team. The program found a way to engage everyone equally, no matter what their level of "singing" skill. It also provided the right balance of pushing people a little out of their comfort zone but in a way that did not spotlight any individuals. As a facilitator James was very engaging and kept quite a large group focused on the task.