Open Centre

Those who applied to take part in The Singing City were invited to the Open Auditions in our Open Centre on Wednesday, 18 April.

Just under 40 people arrived for the opportunity to be in the choir (led by our Musical Director, Ilona Sekacz) and sing live at the Godiva Festival in July. 

There was trepidation as the nervous applicants waited and mingled, answering questions about where they sing, in the car, listening to the radio or in the shower and if they were to swap places with a professional singer, who would it be?

The production team were introduced and the choir broke into song straight away with a group rendition of 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside'. Following this unrehearsed song, the group were put through their paces with breathing, rhythm, pitch and ear exercises. These exercises were met with a variety of skill! Some people found them difficult and some found it easy. The evening was a whistle stop journey through the basics of singing and included some harmonising. But of course the finale was to see if the first song had been improved, so finished with a better (louder and more confident) rendition of 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside' (not very apt for landlocked Coventry!).

At the end of the night, the production team were set the daunting task of picking those who made it through and those who didn't.

Meet The Choir

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire are pleased to announce . . .The Choir.

John Crass, Russell Spivey, Julie-Ann Williams, Bianca Joyce, Mark White, Janet Wells, Camille Archer, Courage Ndlovu, Sharon Robinson, Peter Whitehead, Angela Northam, John McGowan, Scott Jones, Melonie Roberts, Johanna O'Neill, Helen Maoudis, Lynne Cooper, Joanne Taylor, Amanda Bishop, Elga Riman, Samantha Ferry, Sue Clempson, Ian Sykes, Gemma Packer, Coral Romer, Kim Arnold, Leanne Norris, Gordon Henderson, Sam Fowler-Simons, Johanna Kennedy, Terry Myers, Clare Hooper, Kate Beasley, Christina Palmer, Donald Rogers and last but not least Margaret Ferraro.

---

Take a listen to the choir...

Keep tuned to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire to follow the progress of the Singing City Choir, their first rehearsal is on Wednesday, 9 May and there are a few other treats in store for them all too.