Local groups compete in Choir of The Year Anvil heat (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Local groups compete in Choir of The Year Anvil heat

1:40am Thursday 26th January 2012 in Music

SOME of the area’s finest singing groups – including Basingstoke Ladies’ Choir – will compete at The Anvil early next month in the first round of the prestigious Choir of the Year competition.

Twenty-five groups, from children to adults, will perform diverse programmes on Saturday, February 4 including barbershop, Bach, Mozart and numbers from Glee in an action-packed day of entertainment and competition.

There will be an opportunity for audience members to release their inner diva and sing along with top conductor David Lawrence.

The Choir of the Year Competition is the largest competition of its kind in the UK, attracting over 6,000 singers in the very best singing groups. The competition’s first rounds are held at venues all across the UK, including The Anvil.

To add to the drama, a panel of expert judges will give live feedback on the performances, with only the very best choirs making it through to the next round. Just six finalists will make it through to the Grand Final, which will take place at Royal Festival Hall in London on October 28.

Also in the Anvil line up alongside BLC is the New Forest Children’s Choir who made it through to the grand final in 2010 as winners of the Children’s Category. They’re back in 2012 to take another shot at the top prize.

The competition will be recorded and broadcast by the BBC in a special forthcoming Choir of the Year 2012 programme, which will be on BBC Four later in the year.

Greg Beardsell, conductor of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and Choir of the Year presenter said: “The UK has one of the finest and most respected choral traditions in the world but it also has tremendous variety.

“The huge national popularity of the Military Wives Choir, who had tremendous success with a Christmas number one have shown that anyone can make beautiful, powerful music when they sing.

“Choir of the Year is the perfect celebration of this and allows singers of all ages and abilities to showcase their talent.”

The day will be split into two sessions. The morning session starts at 9am and the afternoon session starts at 2.45pm. Tickets costing £10 per session, £16 for all day are available from the box office on 01256 844244 or online at anvilarts.org.uk.

Further information is on the competition’s official website choiroftheyear.co.uk.

*Basingstoke Ladies’ Choir are currently in need of sopranos. If you’re blessed with a soprano voice, why not join this friendly group? Log on to basingstokeladieschoir.co.uk to find out more.