South Oxhey in the spotlight as The Choir Unsung Town airs on BBC Two (From Watford Observer)

South Oxhey in the spotlight as The Choir Unsung Town airs on BBC Two

11:28am Tuesday 1st September 2009 in

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The glue that binds a community can be made of many things, but the people of South Oxhey would be the first to tell you they had no idea that joining a choir would come to mean so much to so many. Composer and conductor Gareth Malone came to South Oxhey last year with the intention of creating a community choir from scratch. The cameras were there from the start as the The South Oxhey Community Choir came together for the third installment of the award-winning BBC TV series, The Choir.

Now, one year on, the story can be seen in the four-part programme The Choir: Unsung Town, on BBC Two which starts on Tuesday, September 1.

During the course of the programmes, viewers can see how the choir coped with a variety of challenging situations from the cavernous rehearsal space to the spot-on acoustics of Watford Colosseum. How they fared singing unfamiliar pieces such as Agnus Dei at St Albans Abbey, their experiences of recording at Abbey Road Studios and the big finale, staging a community festival – Soxfest.

No doubt the atmosphere in South Oxhey is electric right now – some choir members are even planning a party to watch the show together. Talking to three of them in the run up to the screenings, it’s clear they got a lot from the experience.

Agnus Dei was a bit of a job. Because I have not sung for a while I was a little bit breathless but they showed me some exercises to do before I started and it’s been brilliant; it gave me my breath back

89-year-old South Oxhey singer, Kitty Lee

Single mum of two Carly Harvey says she became involved in the choir when Gareth visited her local playgroup. “My daughter goes to the Positive Beginnings playgroup in Oxhey Wood School. Gareth asked if I’d join the choir and I said I’d love to; it would be my dream but the problem is I can’t sing but then Gareth said they weren’t really looking for really good singers but people who would give it a go. I’m always grabbing the mic at parties but being in the choir has taught me more about looking at music and learning the notes.

“My sister and friends from the playgroup are coming over to watch the show and they love the choir as much as I do.

“My two girls are six and three and they’ve come to watch me. When I practice at home with my sister, they’ve learned with me and sing-along.”

So what were the highlights of the choir?

“It was so enjoyable to record at Abbey Road but because it was a recording studio you didn’t see an audience so for me the highlight was performing at St Albans Abbey. Being there was amazing and it was a song we’d never have got to sing.”

Although Carly enjoyed tackling Agnus Dei, 89-year-old Kitty Lee, whose experience of singing was in clubs during World War Two, thought it more of a challenge.

“Agnus Dei was a bit of a job. Because I have not sung for a while I was a little bit breathless but they showed me some exercises to do before I started and it’s been brilliant; it gave me my breath back.”

Househusband and father of two boys, aged four and six, Russ Clancy is no stranger to the stage – he has sung in a rock covers band called Riff and the Occasional Shirt Society, he also DJs, but choral work is something he’s not tackled before.

“It was an interesting new experience because the rock thing is much less controlled. I’ve done some work on harmonies before, but nothing compared to choir jam sessions.”

So where will Russ be celebrating when the television programme is aired.

“A few of us are hoping to get together somewhere like the Dick Whittington where we’d go after rehearsals. It was absolutely fantastic seeing it all come together.

The Choir: Unsung Town will be on BBC Two on Tuesday, September 1 at 9pm and for the next three Tuesdays after that.