Final Songs of Praise

It's the final of the Songs Of Praise

School Choir Of The Year competition.

The best junior and senior school choirs in the UK

are back in Birmingham to sing once more

as they strive to become the School Choir Of The Year for 2014.

APPLAUSE

Welcome to the International Convention Centre Birmingham.

Over the last two weeks, 12 school choirs have become six

and today, one of these three junior choirs will hold aloft this -

the Songs of Praise School Choir Of The Year trophy for 2014.

Later on, it will be the turn of the best three senior choirs.

First of all, it is my great pleasure to introduce our junior choir finalists.

They are, from Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan,

Ysgol Iolo Morganwg!

CHEERING

From Huddersfield, Lindley Junior School.

CHEERING

And from Llanelli, Llangennech Junior School!

CHEERING

What amazing support for our junior school choir finalists.

Before these young voices sing,

I would like to introduce my co-host for today.

Please welcome Claire McCollum.

Listen, Claire, you're going to be backstage speaking to the choirs.

Are there going to be tears or tantrums today?

I think they are delighted to have made it to the final.

The hard work has been done.

They have just got to go out there and enjoy it.

And I just feel very much for the parents in the audience today.

Because it will be nerve-racking for them

as well as backstage for the young ones.

Thanks, Claire. Get ready to go for it.

-CHEERING

-Claire McCollum!

OK. It is time to meet those exacting experts who have to decide

which choir will lift the trophy.

Firstly, someone who knows how to pick a winner.

This is her fourth appearance as a judge on school choirs.

She is a choir director, choir founder, choir conductor,

who has trailblazed the revival of singing in schools

for over two decades. Please welcome Suzi Digby!

Thank you.

Our next judge has several strings to her bow.

She is an award-winning singer and songwriter who has

appeared at the Brits, Glastonbury, Later With Jools Holland...

Oh, and did I mention? She's a Brummie. It is Laura Mvula!

Our last judge is someone who, whenever you think of the word choirs or choir singing,

his name seems to automatically pop into your head.

He certainly knows how to get the best from a choir.

Please welcome Gareth Malone!

CHEERING

Welcome, judges.

Two weeks ago, each of our junior choirs reached this stage

of the competition by singing a hymn of their choice.

THEY SING IN WELSH

# Praise my soul the King of Heaven

# To his feet thy tribute bring... #

THEY SING IN LATIN

So, for the final,

our three choirs will sing their choice of inspirational song.

Going first, Ysgol Iolo Morganwg.

THEY SING IN WELSH

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Ysgol Iolo Morganwg!

Suzi, obviously they are nervous - this is the final.

They are going first. How do you think they handled the pressure?

It is miraculous, what you do with a melody.

It really is.

At so many levels. I counted eight colours in your voices.

Because sometimes I can see colours when I hear different textures in singing.

But also, the energy and the passion in the words was just phenomenal.

So, Gareth. Whatever the outcome,

can Ysgol Iolo Morganwg go home happy after that performance?

I'm going to go home happy after that performance!

Absolutely wonderful. I love the way that you paint the words and I really commend that.

And theatre!

When you all held hands, I nearly had to reach my handkerchief...

oh, I haven't got one!

It was really beautiful. Really magical. And if this is...

What is the School Choir Of The Year about?

It is about voices coming together.

One two slight moments of tuning at the beginning,

but I would put that down to nerves.

Laura?

I hope you guys feel chuffed. You should really do.

You sing so beautifully together.

Like Gareth said, when you held hands,

that moment was just so powerful

and I feel like it signifies your sound, which is unity.

You sing together as one.

Even the moment at the end when you pull up the tempo,

it was still marvellously together. Such a pleasure to listen to.

Ysgol Iolo Morganwg, thank you.

CHEERING

-I think I am rather emotional.

-Understandable.

-Yes.

They sang their hearts out. They have given me so much enjoyment today.

-And Mrs Roberts, what is she like as a conductor?

-She is amazing.

She teaches us very good things and she will be so pleased if we win.

-What would it mean to you to win?

-It would be phenomenal.

It is so big, it is watched all over Britain, at least.

CHILDREN CHEER

Our next junior choir finalists are from Huddersfield in Yorkshire.

It is Lindley Junior School.

# Take a look around you

# Tell me what you see

# People here to worship the Lord

# Just like you and me

# Some have come in gladness

# Some have come with fear

# But all have come because they know that love

# Grows here

# Yes, love grows here

# And all of us can share

# The wonder and joy that it can bring

# For God is near, teaching us to care

# And showing our hearts how to sing

# Some of us are lonely

# Some have many friends

# For some, life is just beginning

# Some are near the end

# Yet we come together

# Knowing he is near

# Once again reminding us that love

# Grows here

# Yes, love grows here

# And all of us can share

# The wonder and joy that it can bring

# For God is near

# Teaching us to care

# And showing our hearts how to sing

# Yes, love grows here

# Yes, love

# Yes, love

# Grows here. #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Lindley Junior School, everybody.

-Laura, one song, one chance to get it right.

-Absolutely.

I really enjoyed your harmonies.

Beautifully sung, even though

there were moments where I thought you were singing a little bright,

but I think that comes with the excitement of the occasion.

You know, wanting to burst with it.

Um...I loved all the crescendos in the moments where you were singing

the word "grow" and I felt you growing. You were working so hard.

Really well done.

-Suzi? Have Lindley made your decision harder?

-Yes.

And what I really loved was the way the singers

activated their bodies before they started singing.

So it was a whole body activity, which singing is.

It is not just from the neck up. And it was so elastic.

You know, within one word, you were going to

so many different places, but always appropriate to what that word

was meaning in the context of the line.

-I loved it, I really love your singing.

-Gareth?

I thought it was fabulous. That woman is a magician.

Really, really well done! Excellent.

CHEERING

I just thought it was... As in the semifinals,

I remember you produced sparkling text. And words are everything.

Everybody gets very excited about the music

as if text isn't part of the music.

And you really paid attention to that.

So very well done on that.

And I thought the balance across the whole choir was mostly fantastic,

especially in the unison sections.

And you obviously trust your conductor, which is lovely to see.

You should keep believing your conductor.

When your conductor says, do it like this, she's probably right.

Thank you, Lindley.

CHEERING

I thought we did really well.

We gave our best shot, so it is down to the judges to decide.

-How do you think they did?

-They did superbly.

I am really pleased with the performance. Whatever happens now, the comments were fantastic

and they have risen to the occasion, so I am delighted.

Our third and final choir in the junior competition final,

performing their inspirational song, is Llangennech Junior School from Llanelli!

THEY SING IN WELSH

CHEERING

Llangennech Junior School!

Suzi. Little voices on a big stage. Did they cut through for you?

I think it's amazing. There is passion and precision in music.

So I would say that sometimes the passion compromised the precision

a little and that if there is a way that you can continue to

develop this choir so that that passion is still communicated,

but get even more precision in your performance, it would be wonderful.

Laura, did Llangennech finish the junior final on a high?

On such a big high. What an energetic and joyous performance!

And it was such a journey of a piece.

To be able to sustain yourselves to the end

and have a triumphal moment at the end, was great.

I think you should be really proud of the performance.

I thought it was wonderful.

Gareth, have Llangennech given themselves a chance with that performance?

There is so much to say about such a wonderful performance.

Such an exciting performance.

And I think you produced one of the most exciting

moments of the competition for me,

with your fantastic big crescendo and then suddenly coming down.

So it was a great choice of piece from that point of view.

I felt at times that the singing wasn't quite muscular enough and

developed enough yet to be totally on top of such a technically difficult piece.

It was a technical feat.

But for me, as a lover of choral music, to see so much passion

and excitement in your faces has been really,

really heart-warming and wonderful.

-So tremendous.

-Thank you, Llangennech.

CHEERING

They performed their socks off this time once more

and they have really put themselves in a good position now.

We were really nervous, but when we got there, we calmed down a bit.

They are also happy to have made the final, so whatever happens now, happens.

Don't forget, our three senior school finalists are still to come.

But for now, our judges have left the hall to decide which

junior school choir will take the trophy.

Whilst they do, if you haven't chosen a favourite yourself,

here is a quick reminder of all three junior choir performances.

THEY SING: "Cydiwn Ddwylo"

For me, it was very simple. Like a love at first sight thing.

-As soon as they started singing, I was like, OK.

-Yeah.

To fault them is almost sort of...

-It seems nit-picky, doesn't it?

-It's a bit cheeky.

-Yeah.

I hate to say they did go slightly out of tune.

At one point, near the beginning.

It came back very quickly, but it wasn't absolutely perfect.

# Some have come in gladness

# Some have come with fear... #

The kids are just kind of electrified, in a good way.

If they could start working on finer and finer detail,

they could bring their performance...

-To another level.

-..to another level.

But there's such intelligence in the preparation, it is

really thoughtful, intelligent singing.

THEY SING IN WELSH: "O What A Wonderful Scene"

The whole thing was so full of energy and they meant everything.

There was a real sense of - this is important to us.

Isn't it interesting, how the

second piece completes the picture in some way?

-Yes, it does.

-Both the potential and the shortcomings.

And it freshens you up, doesn't it, to see young people singing like that.

It makes you feel good about the world.

OK, our choirs are back on stage,

our judges have returned with their decision,

and Gareth has the trophy, but not for long.

Which choir's going to take it home?

OK, Suzi, please tell us what we all want to know.

The winner of the Songs Of Praise Junior School Choir Of The Year is...

..is Ysgol Iolo Morganwg.

CHEERING

Congratulations.

-Very, very well done. Congratulations.

-Thank you.

Well done. Here is your justly deserved trophy.

So, what does it feel like to win?

Absolutely amazing. Absolutely amazing.

I'm so proud of the children

and I want to thank them so much from the bottom of my heart.

They have worked so hard for weeks for this,

and I'd like to congratulate the other two schools as well

for being there with us as well.

We're all winners.

Ysgol Iolo Morganwg!

Wow, that was amazing,

and we're only at the halfway point, so don't go away.

We've got our three senior choir finalists waiting in the wings

and, believe me, they're worth waiting for.

Here's a reminder of how they got to the final.

# For thine is the kingdom

# And the power

# And the glory... #

# His dying crimson

# Like a robe

# Spreads o'er his body

# On the tree... #

# It is a thing most wonderful

# Almost too wonderful to be... #

Please welcome, from London, Highgate School.

CHEERING

From Kent, Rochester Grammar School.

CHEERING

And Cantabile, from Hereford Cathedral School.

CHEERING

Getting us under way are Highgate School from London.

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# Jericho, Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# And the walls come tumbling down

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# Jericho, Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# And the walls come tumbling down

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Talk about your kings of Gideon

-# Go on, you can talk about

-Talk about the men of Saul

-# Go on, yes, you can talk about them

-But none like good old Joshua

# At the battle of Jericho

# That morning

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# Jericho, Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# And the walls come tumbling down

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle The battle of Jericho

-# Ride out to the walls of Jericho

-Jericho

# He marched with spear in hand

-# Blow...

-Go blow that ram horn, Joshua cried

# The battle is in my hands God Almighty

# Then the lamb ram sheep horn begins to blow

# And the trumpet begins to sound

# Joshua a challenge did shout

# And the walls come a-tumbling down Oh, Lord, you know that

-# Joshua

-Fit the battle

-# Battle

-Battle of Jericho

-# He fit the battle

-He fit the battle

-# Battle

-Battle of Jericho

-# He fit the battle

-He fit the battle

-# Battle

-Battle of Jericho

-# The walls come

-A-tumbling down

# Oh, Lord, you know that

-# Joshua

-Fit the battle

-# Battle of Jericho

-He fit the battle

-# Fit the battle

-Battle

-# Battle of Jericho

-He fit the battle

-# He fit the battle

-Battle

# Battle of Jericho

# The walls

# Come tumbling

# Down. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you, Highgate School.

Suzi, have Highgate demonstrated why they're in the final?

They sure have. It was fan...

It was wonderful, and it brought a new energy to the competition.

It achieved what I presume you meant it to achieve,

which was to get the spirit of that gospel number across,

and it's a fantastic arrangement.

Tenors a little bit drained occasionally

when you're singing high and loud,

but I would say it was the right repertoire choice

and you did a fantastic job of it.

-Gareth?

-I thought that was very impressive in many ways.

It was very together, rhythmically it was very exciting.

I think we all just, you know...

I wanted to get up and join you, or even dance,

which would have been a mistake.

So, well done to that, and well done, tenors,

for contending with a difficult line.

And I think it exposes the problem for the whole choir with this piece,

which is that you have to fully enter the world of the spiritual,

and I felt at times,

by going for the lightness of rhythmical touch, we lost in the...

# Dahh daah-da-da-da. # It turned...

It turned into something a little too light at times,

which then gave you vocal problems as it went up in the range.

-Laura?

-Beautifully, beautifully sung.

I felt like the basses and the tenors

really kind of held it down for everyone.

You were the anchor.

I felt like I was listening to a five-piece funk band

just kind of hold down an amazing groove.

You just owned the whole arrangement.

That's sometimes difficult to do with songs that are more up-tempo,

so well done.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you, Highgate School.

-Emma, you said if they sang at their best, then they would win.

-Yes.

Did they do that?

I think so, but obviously we went first,

so it's really hard to judge what the other two are going to do.

I'm feeling very optimistic, because we really enjoyed ourselves.

We want to win, basically.

Our next school choir, from Kent, it's Rochester Grammar School.

# I'm climbin' up the mountain Children

# Gotta reach my heavenly home

-# I'm climbin' up and working harder

-Yes, harder

# Lord, don't ever leave me alone

-# Can't you see I'm trying

-Oh, yeah?

-# To make it each day?

-I know

# Even though trials pass my way

# I'm gonna keep on climbin' up the mountain till I make it on home

# Oh, brother, won't you help me?

# Cos the road is rough

# The mountain is steep and the going gets tough

# But when I see him face to face

# I'm gonna shout all over the place

# I'm climbin' up the mountain Children

# Gotta reach my heavenly home

-# I'm climbin' up and working harder

-Yes, harder

# Lord, don't ever leave me alone

-# Can't you see I'm trying

-Oh, yeah?

-# To make it each day?

-I know

# Even though trials pass my way

# I'm gonna keep on climbin' up the mountain till I make it on home

# Oh, sister, won't you help me

# To carry the load

# Over the hard and rocky road?

# When I arrive He'll wipe my tears away

# It's gonna be a happy day

# A happy day

# I'm climbin' up the mountain Children

# Gotta reach my heavenly home

-# I'm climbin' up and working harder

-Yes, harder

# Lord, don't ever leave me alone

-# Can't you see I'm trying

-Oh, yeah?

-# To make it each day?

-I know

# Even though trials pass my way

# I'm gonna keep on climbin' up the mountain till I make it on home

# I'm gonna keep on climbin' up the mountain till I make it on home

# I'm gonna keep on climbin' up the mountain

# Till I make it on...

# Home. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Rochester Grammar School.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-So, Laura, what do you make of that performance?

-Fabulous.

I really love the spoken parts and the little...the choreography.

Really, really cool.

When you guys sing in three parts, it's like the perfect blend.

Your tone is really open and beautiful and rich.

I wondered whether what would happen

if you let your hair down just a little bit more.

Sometimes I felt like this is the kind of song that you need

just a little bit more energy, but that's just like a minor point.

For me, the whole thing was fabulous and bluesy and rocking. Great.

-Gareth?

-Just really good technical execution.

It was all really well together,

the tuning was good, the timing was good.

There was this nice, light vocal quality that you have as a choir,

which you brought to your piece in the semifinal as well,

and I think deployed well here.

Very impressive choir singing from those top sopranos.

You manage that really well and didn't lose any pitches.

It was good and exciting, that bit at the end.

I thought it was a good style,

but I could have just used a little bit more grit.

Suzi, were you inspired by Rochester's inspirational performance?

Yes, I was.

You'd be hard pushed to find a choir

that is more immaculately prepared than this one.

In a piece like this, I think it's quite important for us as audience

to feel there is the possibility of something,

some spontaneous element, and I know that's almost incompatible

when you have technically everything so perfectly in place,

so if I absolutely had to be critical, I would say that.

You want to feel there's a spontaneous response,

rather than a drilled response musically to what's happening.

But congratulations.

Thank you, Rochester Grammar School.

They gave their very, very best, which is all I ask of them, really.

Once we got through to the final, we were all really buzzing

because, you know, you suddenly realise there's a chance.

-What would it mean to take the title home?

-It would be unbelievable.

-It would be.

-Can you think about that at this stage?

-No! No.

Our next, and last, choir in the competition

are Cantabile from Hereford Cathedral School.

-# I got a robe

-I got a robe

# I got a robe We got a robe

# All God's children got a robe

# When I get to heaven Gonna put on my robe

# I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven

# Heaven, heaven

# Everybody's talking 'bout heaven Ain't you going there

# Heaven, heaven

# Gonna walk all over God's heav'n

# I got shoes, you got shoes

# All God's children got shoes

# When I get to heaven Gonna put on my shoes

# I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven

# Heaven Gonna walk all over God's heav'n

# Swing low, sweet chariot

# Comin' for to carry me home

# When I get to heaven Gonna put on my crown

# I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven

# Heaven, heaven

# Everybody's talking 'bout heaven Ain't you going there

# Heaven, heaven

# Gonna walk all over God's heav'n

# I got a song

# You got a song

# All God's children got a song

# When I get to heaven Gonna sing a new song

# About heaven, heaven

# Heaven, heaven

# Walk all over God's heav'n

-# O when the saints

-O when the saints

-# Go marching in

-Go marching in

# I'm gonna walk all over God's heaven, heaven

# I got a robe up in that kingdom

# I got shoes up in that kingdom

# I got a crown up in that kingdom

# Ain't that good news?

# I'm gonna walk all over

# God's heav'n. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you, Cantabile, from Hereford Cathedral School!

Susie, if Cantabile were your choir,

would you be pleased?

Of course I would. I'd be thrilled. And it was full of life and sparkle,

which I really enjoyed.

Contrary to the discussion we were having before, I felt that,

in some ways, because you have got these wonderful voices,

it needed a little bit more control.

It just felt a little bit unbridled

and, sometimes, a bit over-excited. And that can

result in the sopranos pushing the sharp a little.

But I really enjoyed it. Thank you.

Gareth.

It's a very difficult decision that we have to make,

because I thought you had some magic moments of harmony

and you displayed your technical brilliance, at moments.

I saw the energy and I felt the excitement

and beautiful "oohs" under the solo. That was really lovely.

There was... Was I convinced, stylistically? Did it feel like

a spiritual all the time? I am not quite sure that you quite

-got there, for me.

-Laura.

I think that was a really great performance

and I hope you will be proud of that, cos I would be.

I think I would agree with Gareth -

I'm not sure about the arrangement, as a spiritual.

But then, having said that,

you made a really exciting sound and the way you, sort of, were all

leaning in at parts, I was leaning in also, with you.

And when you sang "heaven", I was thinking, "heaven", you know.

So, yeah, I think it was great and I think you should be really proud.

Thank you. Cantabile, from Hereford Cathedral School!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I think we did quite well, actually.

It was really energetic and the judges seemed to like it.

They said they didn't really like our arrangement of the piece, but we did,

-so, hopefully, that's good enough!

-They sung extremely well.

I'm very pleased with them, I really am.

I'll take criticism.

As long as it's constructive and not destructive, I'm happy.

OK, the reason I am here is that I want to join with Suzi

and the rest of the audience

in witnessing a very special performance

before our winning choir is chosen.

Normally, we don't ask our judges to perform, but this time,

we just couldn't resist. Ladies and gentlemen,

singing We Shall Overcome, it's Gareth Malone's Voices Choir

and Laura Mvula.

HUMMING

# We shall overcome

# We shall overcome

# We shall overcome

# Some day

# Deep in my heart

# I do believe

# That we shall overcome

# Some day

# Oh-oh, oh

# We'll walk hand in hand

# We'll walk hand in hand

# We'll walk hand in hand

# Some day

# Oh-oh, oh

# Deep in my heart

# I do believe

# That we'll walk hand in hand

# Some day

# We shall all be free

# We shall all be free

# We shall all be free

# Some day

# Deep in my heart

# I do believe

# That we shall overcome

# We shall overcome

# We shall overcome some day

# Deep in my heart

# I do believe

# That we shall overcome

# We shall overcome

# We shall overcome

# Some day. #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Ladies and gentlemen, Laura Mvula and Gareth Malone's Voices.

How brilliant was that?

Talking of brilliant, have you made your mind up

which of our senior choirs is your favourite?

Whilst our judges head off to decide on their top choice,

here's a reminder of all three choirs' inspirational performances.

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# Jericho, Jericho

# Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

# And the walls come tumbling down... #

I loved this performance so much from the very beginning to the end.

They're so intelligent in their choice of repertoire

to bring out the best

-and it was a very honest performance.

-Yeah.

# ..At the battle of Jericho... #

My criticism of them was that there wasn't always that richness of tone.

They're young voices, so that's inevitable.

# ..Jericho... #

I really believed it, and that's so important with spirituals,

it's important to me, anyway.

# I'm climbing up the mountain, children

# Got to reach my heavenly home

# I'm climbing up I'm working harder... #

On the one hand, it is absolutely immaculate.

-Pristine.

-And on the other hand, it's too controlled.

# I'm going to keep on climbing up the mountain

# Till I make it on home... #

Very technically able, and I think they have immense talent

and immense potential as young singers.

# ..As the road is rough The mountain is deep... #

You're right, it's so immaculate and they're so beautiful to listen to,

um, I'm reluctant to complain.

# When I get to heaven I'm going to put on my robe

# I'm going to walk all over God's heaven

# Heaven, heaven Everybody's talking about... #

Hereford were very technically together.

There were some moments where those harmonies were absolutely fantastic.

# We're going to shout Yes, we're going to shout... #

I feel bad because I feel like the arrangement was just...

so separate to what I know as spiritual music.

# Swing low, sweet chariot... #

-What a wonderful group of young singers.

-Great.

APPLAUSE

OK, our judges, the only three people who know the identity

of the winning choir are back.

And we all await their decision.

Laura has the trophy ready to present,

and one of these three brilliant choirs

is about to receive it.

OK, Gareth, put us out of our misery.

-Can you reveal the name of the winning choir?

-I can.

The Songs Of Praise Senior School Choir of the Year for 2014 is...

..Highgate School.

CHEERING

Very well done.

Congratulations. How do you feel about winning?

Pretty happy, yeah.

And they are amazing, so...yeah.

How do you feel, as one of the members of the choir?

Um, quite surreal, really!

I...I don't know what I was expecting

when I came here today, but this is amazing.

At what point did you stop feeling nervous

and start thinking "we can win this"?

Not till just now, probably.

Ladies and gentlemen, our winning choir, Highgate School!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Our congratulations to Highgate School,

our Senior School Choir of the Year.

And thanks to our runners-up, Rochester Grammar School

and Cantabile from Hereford Cathedral School

for making it such a close final.

If you'd like to enter the 2015 competition,

or you know a choir that would, let us know at the address on screen.

My thanks to Suzi Digby, Laura Mvula, Gareth Malone

and his Voices Choir, and especially to all the choirs today

and to you for watching. We hope you enjoyed it.

From Birmingham, goodbye!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Next week, Aled's in Yorkshire

to meet one of Britain's most popular singers,

the Doncaster diva, Lesley Garrett,

who talks about her life and faith

and leads the congregation in singing her favourite hymns.