0:00:02 > 0:00:06The Songs Of Praise School Choir Of The Year competition is all about singing,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10making it an essential part of the Songs Of Praise calendar.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12With over 1,000 entries from across the UK,
0:00:12 > 0:00:18a host of celebrity judges, and a junior and senior winner each year,
0:00:18 > 0:00:232012 marks the 10th anniversary of this prestigious competition.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25CHEERING
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Guys, it was brilliant.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Fantastic.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32It was absolutely pitch perfect.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Today we invite you to celebrate this milestone
0:00:34 > 0:00:37from the Lowry Theatre here in Salford,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40soon to be home of this year's 10th choir competition.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44In this special show we're going to look back at some of the performances
0:00:44 > 0:00:48that made the judges, me included, laugh and cry.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57I'll be revisiting some of the previous lucky winners to find out
0:00:57 > 0:01:00how the competition has changed their lives.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05And you'll discover the formula for what makes a great school choir.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19As a recording artist and coach,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23I know how singing in front of an audience can be the experience of a lifetime.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27So let's rewind to 9th March 2003,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29when Maltman Green School from Buckinghamshire
0:01:29 > 0:01:33became the first winners of the junior competition.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Sing, O daughter of Zion.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Shout aloud, O Israel.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Be glad and rejoice with all your heart.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49The Lord your God is with you.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51He is mighty to save.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04He will rejoice over you with singing.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52APPLAUSE
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Since its first broadcast, the competition has seen entrants from Quaker schools,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02convent schools, state schools, independent schools,
0:05:02 > 0:05:07and winners from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10# And the walls came tumbling down. #
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'I particularly like the fact that you hear'
0:05:13 > 0:05:15the different voices and accents
0:05:15 > 0:05:18of the whole of the United Kingdom in the competition.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22# Lord, I want Jesus. #
0:05:22 > 0:05:25There's something very beautiful about a group of children
0:05:25 > 0:05:28singing in their accents that they speak in.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- Welcome to Ballyholme. - THEY SHOUT AND CHEER
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Welcome to Putney High School Junior Department. THEY CHEER
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Welcome to Twyford Church of England High School.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43There's no choir out there that can't enter and go on that journey
0:05:43 > 0:05:45and that's what's so exciting.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47The Gospel Choir!
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Hi. Welcome to Coventry Blue Coat School.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54We're a Church of England school at the centre of the country.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57The Blue Coat Church of England School in Coventry
0:05:57 > 0:06:02reached the finals in 2005 and won the senior title in 2008.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Before I tell you what they're up to today,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08it's fair to say that their performance of How Great Thou Art
0:06:08 > 0:06:13attracted justifiably amazing comments from the judges. Check this out.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41APPLAUSE
0:09:41 > 0:09:44'I remember the Blue Coat School'
0:09:44 > 0:09:49for their soloist, who was a very able vocalist
0:09:49 > 0:09:52for such a young man.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55They were excellent and particularly he stood out
0:09:55 > 0:09:58because of the conviction with which he sung the piece.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01'One of the reasons I remember it so well is that'
0:10:01 > 0:10:04it's not a fantastically complex piece of music.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09It's quite simple. But it's a mistake to think
0:10:09 > 0:10:12that things that sound simple are simple to perform well.
0:10:12 > 0:10:18'What is difficult is transmitting something, a feeling,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22'that's very pure and very together.'
0:10:22 > 0:10:26When it does happen in that moment, it's terribly exciting. I remember that very well.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31The Songs Of Praise senior school choir for 2008 is...
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Blue Coat School!
0:10:33 > 0:10:35THEY SQUEAL IN DELIGHT
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Where are the Blue Coats now? They're not at school in Coventry.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48They've invited me here to Shakespeare country
0:10:48 > 0:10:51to the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I'm prepared to be starstruck.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57MUSIC: 'Good King Wenceslas'
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Fear not, Christmas hasn't come early.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07I'm behind the scenes of big-budget movie Nativity 2,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10due for release later this year,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14and the Blue Coats are competing in a fictional choir competition.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Turn over on Holly And Ivy.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Action!
0:11:19 > 0:11:24# Where is Christmas?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28# Where is she? #
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- This is art imitating life, isn't it?- It is.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I don't know the ending of the film, whether we win or not
0:11:35 > 0:11:38but I think we're supposed to be quite a nasty choir,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41which is against the nature of the choir I try to produce.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Lovely. OK, cut there. Thank you.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Did you imagine that being part of an award-winning choir
0:11:48 > 0:11:50would ever take you here?
0:11:50 > 0:11:54When we won I thought it would take us places,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57but not anywhere as big as this. It's brilliant.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02Usually I'd be petrified of a camera, but seeing millions there
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and smoke coming out and Christmas trees everywhere...
0:12:05 > 0:12:06Yeah, it's really good.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11By an amazing coincidence, one of the movie's assistant directors
0:12:11 > 0:12:14was a choir member in 2008.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Did you know the choir were going to be here?- No, I didn't.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21It was a brilliant surprise to see them coming off the bus.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26There's Mr Formstone, my old choirmaster. It was absolutely brilliant.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Why do you think the producers chose Blue Coats?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It's obvious that they love what they're doing.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36Mr Formstone, the choir teacher, takes great pride in the choir and that comes across.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40I think it comes across on camera and that's what we want to see.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Can you tell us - in this movie, which choir wins?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46I can't tell you that one, I'm afraid.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52The Coventry Blue Coats are still going and still sounding great.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Something I'll take away from today is you never know where singing in a choir can take you
0:12:56 > 0:12:59and that the producers of this movie knew a secret.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04That is that if you want to find a really great school choir,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08the Songs Of Praise Choir Of The Year competition highlights the best, year after year.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11And...action!
0:15:45 > 0:15:48APPLAUSE
0:15:55 > 0:15:59The competition has been graced with the very best
0:15:59 > 0:16:03of Britain's musical talent, who have taken their places in the judges' chairs...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Please welcome - I'm so excited! - Pete Waterman!
0:16:07 > 0:16:11..including opera legend Lesley Garrett
0:16:11 > 0:16:14and world-famous mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18They'll be nervous, and that's something I'll take into consideration.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22This year, like last year, I'll be joined on the judges' panel
0:16:22 > 0:16:24by the people's tenor, Russell Watson,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27and acclaimed choral expert Suzi Digby.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29And believe me, judges past and present
0:16:29 > 0:16:32know how difficult it can sometimes be
0:16:32 > 0:16:34to reach that all-important decision.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37In my experience, every judge
0:16:37 > 0:16:40comes out of that room with a different favourite.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And what we're really trying to do is juggle between us
0:16:43 > 0:16:47who we think is absolutely the one that somehow ticks all the boxes.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52- And that's not easy. - There are times when choirs were very, very close together
0:16:52 > 0:16:54in terms of their performance standard,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59but I think we were looking for the passion.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Despite those behind-the-scenes pressures of being a judge,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05it's still a great job because, more than anything else,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09this competition is designed to encourage us all to sing,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and I like nothing better than hearing those songs
0:17:12 > 0:17:16that I think deep down we're all a little bit nostalgic for.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39The hymns and spiritual songs that are often featured
0:18:39 > 0:18:41in this competition
0:18:41 > 0:18:44have a very deep background to them.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50A lot of them are part of a deep well of tunes
0:18:50 > 0:18:52that have existed in these islands for a long time.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57When young people sing them, they are bringing them back to the surface
0:18:57 > 0:19:00for another generation, which shows how powerful they are.
0:19:00 > 0:19:07# The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want... #
0:19:07 > 0:19:09I believe when we hear the old songs
0:19:09 > 0:19:12it helps us to relive our childhoods.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14# One more step along the world I go... #
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Music helps us to remember and helps us to connect with our past,
0:19:18 > 0:19:23and it's very important to have these pieces of music.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25# Keep me travelling along with you... #
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Each choir enters a traditional hymn and an inspirational song
0:19:31 > 0:19:33on which they're judged.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36I was in the judge's chair in 2010,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39when Maria Fidelis Convent School won the senior competition.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42I'm keen to find out what they're doing now,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46but before I do, let's remember what made them winners.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23David, I was going to come to you, but I have to go to Claire.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Why are you in tears?
0:22:25 > 0:22:26Because it was so beautiful!
0:22:26 > 0:22:28CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:22:31 > 0:22:32I want to hug you.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It was such an uncomplicated,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37beautiful, honest, pure performance.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:22:38 > 0:22:40It really was.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43I think what struck me most of all was that this was a new choir,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45and I was taken aback
0:22:45 > 0:22:49how a choir that had existed only for a few months, really,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53had immediately started to act and sing as one,
0:22:53 > 0:22:54which made me feel
0:22:54 > 0:22:57what we were really hearing was a community singing together.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Maria Fidelis is one of the oldest Catholic girls' schools in London,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03and their choir has gone from strength to strength.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09They were even chosen to sing live for the Pope's visit to the UK.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'I want to know what their formula is.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:16INSPIRATIONAL SINGING
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Yeah!
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Whoo!
0:23:25 > 0:23:29How many of you were in the Choir of the Year in 2010?
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Gosh, that means all the rest of you are new!
0:23:33 > 0:23:35And you still sound this good!
0:23:35 > 0:23:39So, how many of you sort of looked and thought, "I want to do that"?
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- We've already started.- Have you?!
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Nina's already started up her own choir.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- No?!- Yeah.- Come over here, Nina.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- Would you mind?- Yes, of course. - All right, select the song, Nina.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56It's Good To Praise The Lord. Go on.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04# It's good to praise the Lord... #
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Oh, yeah!
0:24:05 > 0:24:10# To make music to your name O God most high
0:24:10 > 0:24:15# To proclaim your love and faithfulness
0:24:15 > 0:24:18# All the day and through the night
0:24:18 > 0:24:22# La, la, la-la-la... #
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Now, what do you think the role of a choir leader is?
0:24:28 > 0:24:32That perception has changed over the years.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Now I understand that sometimes a choir can be
0:24:36 > 0:24:40very much like a church and the leader like a pastor,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44so I do see that my role is to really encourage,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47to celebrate them, to validate them.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51And when you kind of foster that environment,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53the members start to do it to each other.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Really important. I didn't realise that for many years, I have to say.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06'Being part of the school choir competition
0:25:06 > 0:25:09'can be a transformative experience.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14'And that was certainly the case for 2007 winners
0:25:14 > 0:25:15'King's College Taunton.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:32'One of the winners from King's College Taunton is still at King's.'
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Well, sort of.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35He's now a member
0:26:35 > 0:26:38of one of the oldest and best-known choral groups in the world,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41the King's College Choir, here at Cambridge.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44It's a big day for this Cambridge choir.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49The cameras are back to film a major choral event for the BBC,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Easter from King's.
0:26:52 > 0:26:59Five years on, chorister Peter Oakley is taking centre stage.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Today is a really busy and special day, isn't it?
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Today, yeah, it's a bit extraordinary.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09We've got the chapel wired up, there's lots of cameras on us...
0:27:10 > 0:27:14We're learning all of the pieces that are in the programme.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17So that's up to 20 pieces,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21a real mammoth struggle! HE LAUGHS
0:27:21 > 0:27:24But I always love singing in the King's acoustic,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28the chapel being full, you know.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32There's really something very special about singing in the King's building.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37And Peter's journey here is an inspiration, too.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39I must have been about 13.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I didn't know anything about King's.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43But I had a dream.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46I had a strange dream where I was in this building.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51It was quite a long building, it was quite dark, it was candle-lit.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55And I was singing in this building.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57At the time, I was quite confused about it,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00cos I'd never seen anything like it.
0:28:00 > 0:28:06It wasn't until...six years later, when I was 18, 19,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08when I walked into King's Chapel for my audition,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12that it suddenly dawned upon me,
0:28:12 > 0:28:16this is that very building that I dreamed about.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18It was just an amazing turn of fate,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and, you know, I'm a Christian,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24so I believe that God showed me that dream,
0:28:24 > 0:28:32and it's made me think that he's got his hand in everything that we do.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Over the years, the Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year competition
0:28:46 > 0:28:50has seen an exciting range of styles and song choices.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53# For thou hast crowned him... #
0:28:53 > 0:28:57But above all, we're still looking for choirs that really impress.
0:28:57 > 0:29:03# Jericho, Jericho, Jericho... #
0:29:03 > 0:29:06I look for excellence, passion, commitment.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11I want to be transported into the world they're singing about.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15But what do my fellow judges look for in a great school choir?
0:29:15 > 0:29:18# Suddenly... #
0:29:18 > 0:29:21What makes a really good school choir is a willingness
0:29:21 > 0:29:25on behalf of the children to work and to be committed to it
0:29:25 > 0:29:29and a really wonderful leading person.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Suzi, give us the winning choir's name.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Edinburgh.
0:29:37 > 0:29:43A winning song, for me, shows off, if you want to use that term,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'the vocal ability.'
0:29:46 > 0:29:49# Two by two by two by two By two by two by two by two... #
0:29:49 > 0:29:51Waringstown Primary School!
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Most choral competitions are there to test
0:29:57 > 0:30:01whether a choir can sing in tune. Can it sing high and low? Can it sing difficult music?
0:30:01 > 0:30:03All those things are testing choirs.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06The Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year is different,
0:30:06 > 0:30:10because as well as all that, thank you very much,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14we are looking for an element that's much harder to pin down.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18It is the faith and the spirit behind the performance,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22and that's really, I think, what makes it such a special competition.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30For me and my fellow judges,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33school choirs matter more today than ever,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36and that's why I'm delighted that just after Easter
0:30:36 > 0:30:40we're going to see choirs performing here, on this very stage,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43in the tenth School Choir of the Year competition.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45And that's something worth singing about.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Next week, for the season of Lent,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29when we remember Jesus wrestling with demons in the desert,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Sally meets people who have been seduced by life's temptations
0:33:32 > 0:33:35and lived to tell their tale.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39The hymn singing comes from Kent,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41and there's wonderful music from VOCES8.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd