What is the Coronation Choir?
An introduction to the 300-strong choir, drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and regions, who will perform at the 7 May Coronation Concert
The Coronation Choir is a bespoke, 300-strong choir brought together especially to perform in front of King Charles at the Coronation Concert on 7 May.
The Coronation Choir's membership is drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds. Singers will include an all-deaf sign performance organisation and a traditional male voice choir from Caerphilly. They are joined by Yorkshire's only female South Asian choir, the London Fire Brigade, and a sea shanty troupe made up of RNLI volunteers based at Portishead near Bristol.
Your first chance to meet the choir, in fact, will be on 5 May, the day before the Coronation itself and two days before the Coronation Concert. That Friday will see a screening, on BBC, of Sing For The King: The Search For The Coronation Choir, a documentary about the ensemble's formation and rehearsals.
Celebrity coaches Amanda Holden, Motsi Mabuse and actress Rose Ayling-Ellis will join choirmaster Gareth Malone (pictured above) to prepare the choir for the Coronation Concert, which takes place at Windsor Castle on 7 May.
Authors
Steve has been an avid listener of classical music since childhood, and now contributes a variety of features to BBC Music’s magazine and website. He started writing about music as Arts Editor of an Oxford University student newspaper and has continued ever since, serving as Arts Editor on various magazines.