Last Choir Standing

18th August 2008

After our wet Saturday in Hull we were all praying for better weather for the Last Choir Standing Singing Event in Derby. Whilst it wasn’t a barmy summer’s day it was reasonably warm with some sun and most importantly the rain kept away until the event was over. What more could we have asked for!?

Radio Derby's Aleena Naylor introduced the afternoon. A mix of mass singing workshops given by Mike Brewer OBE and entertainment provided by two choirs, DaleDiva and Sosa-Xa! Myleene Klass and Nick Knowles smiled down on everyone from the Big Screen with a message of encouragement at the start.

DaleDiva, an all female choir from the Derbyshire Dales run by Ally Law, were magnificent, strong of voice and full of energy. They sing contemporary songs in the barber shop style and on Saturday entertained the audience with Do Ron Ron, You Raise Me Up, Lean On Me and Fame. The crowd loved them, cheering and applauding their performances.

In complete contrast, Sosa-Xa! is the UK’s first imbube intercultural choir working in South African languages, whose musical director Mandla Sibanda brings with him more energy than a nuclear reactor. Sosa-Xa! really impressed with their 4 songs Heyi Wena, Umozisi, Ibhasikili and Uthando. Not only do the choir sing but they also dance and are accompanied by percussion. Their version of Ibhasikili, a song that celebrates the virtues of bicycles, went down a storm finishing to huge appreciation from the audience, as were all their songs.

Once again Mike Brewer's workshop sections involving the choirs and the audience were truly inspirational. To help him out, he was accompanied by a couple of drummers, two South Africans, Paepae and Dennis who are in Derby over the summer giving workshops on Southern African drumming. We were very fortunate to have them. During the warm up section Mike had everyone doing some physical and voice routines before beginning the process of teaching them the songs for the afternoon, Mrs O’Leary, O Re Mi and Shut The Door. He started with Mrs O’Leary a wonderful song often used in schools and, after Sosa! Xa’s first set, moved on to O Re Me an African chant from Nigeria and Shut The Door an Appalachian gospel song.

Moving between songs throughout the afternoon, a bit of Mrs O’Leary, some more Shut The Door, some O Re Mi , back to Shut The Door the audience, under Mike’s superb guidance, quickly learnt the songs until at last in the final section of the afternoon, after both choirs had finished their wonderful sets, it was the audience's turn to entertain, to fill Market Place with the sound of mass singing.

They moved through each of the songs, Mike conducting, encouraging, leading, different areas of the audience singing different parts, Paepae and Dennis providing the accompaniment on drums. What a finale! I doubt there was single person in Market Place who was not moved by the occasion, who was not glad to be part of the mass sing and who would not go home with a smile on their face and a song in their heart. What a wonderful entertaining and moving afternoon which Aleena closed, conveying thanks to everyone who took part, the choirs, Paepae, Dennis, the audience and especially Mike who really is the complete singing workshop leader.

Photos and video highlights featuring the choirs and workshop will be made available to view on the website soon.