Choir back on its feet

11:04am Tuesday 19th August 2008

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Calne teacher Andy Seaborne is getting over missing out on the final of the BBC's Last Choir Standing programme with a new season of concerts.

The PE co-ordinator from Holy Trinity School will join others from the Bath Male Choir to recruit new members on September 3.

They will then start rehearsals for their 2008 annual concert on November 8 in Bath and their December 13 Christmas Show.

The Choir, which wowed millions of Saturday night viewers on Last Choir Standing, getting to the last five from hundreds of entries across the UK, will perform at the Bath Forum on Saturday, November 8 with the Wall of Sound sponsored by Bang & Olufsen Bath.

Conductor Grenville Jones, who only started the Choir 30 months ago, has been inundated with calls, emails and support in the last two weeks as the Choir battled to stay standing on TV.

" Many calls have come from aspiring singers keen to join the Choir," he said.

" The full Choir numbers 76 and it will be the full Wall of Sound that evening on November 8.

"I would be delighted to welcome anyone interested in joining to come to Beechen Cliff Methodist Church on Wednesday, September 3 from 7.30pm as we start back.

" Sight reading is not a requirement to join Bath Male Choir.

"There is a simple audition and I especially want to encourage any young men who are wondering what it would be like to sing in a choir to take the time to find out and come along on September 3.

"If choral singing is to survive in future years we have to get more young men discovering that it is a fantastic experience to be in a choir.

"There are going to be some great times ahead for Bath Male Choir, the publicity from appearing on prime-time TV is already bringing a host of requests to perform all round the UK .

"Who knows what the future holds for the Choir and its members? "

Also appearing on November 8 are Grenville's girl group Stockingtops and the Lifted Gospel Choir, who got through to the final stages of Last Choir Standing.

Bath Male Choir also appears at the big Bath Christmas Show on December 13, again in the Bath Forum, when the Silver Ring Choir of Bath will also be on stage.

Full details for both concerts is at www.bathmalechoir.org