The Quarter-Final The Choir

Are you going to be the best choir?

CHEERING

Come on then.

Choir master Gareth Malone has got five of Britain's biggest

workplaces singing...

This is Gareth Malone here. TANNOY: I'm here to start a choir.

..P Cross Channel Ferries...

# She's there... #

..Birmingham City Council...

# The only was is up... #

Whoa!

..Citi the bank... Hey!

This proves that bankers can rock.

..Sainsbury's... # Ooh, la, la, la... #

That's the highest note of the day. Thank you!

..and Cheshire Fire and Rescue service.

# Come on up for the rising... #

Now they'll come face-to-face as they compete to become this

year's best workplace choir.

They don't look anywhere near as good as us. They don't.

The appetite to win is now on.

This time, they'll tackle some of the giants of classical music.

# Na, na, na, na... #

I want the sound of a woman!

We're going to sing real music,

crescendo, diminuendo...

I was miming half of it.

From one of you I got an R.

Their performances will be judged by three world class musicians.

The tuning started off well.

Now we had a bit of a disagreement about you.

It had real theatre. You drew us is.

And for the first time, they'll send one choir home.

The choir leaving us today is...

I'm really feeling the pressure now.

I think it's getting very, very serious

cos nobody wants to go home now. It's horrible to be first out.

This is...

It's really nice to be back.

It smells the same and everything still creaks in exactly the same way.

The same crack on the floor.

Gareth has come back to the place he learnt his trade.

I was so challenged here and I was so...

inspired here.

It's just such a roller coaster, being at the academy.

Erm... Just stepping back into it, it's kind of...

It's both terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.

WOMAN SINGS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE

650 students pass through The Royal Academy doors every year,

following in the footsteps of Sirs John Tavener, Elton John,

Simon Rattle the conductor and singer Lesley Garrett.

Now it's the turn of five new company choirs.

I want the choirs to get a bit of a sense of the history of the place

and what it's about. It's about musical perfection.

It's about aiming as high as you possibly can

to be the best you possibly can be.

It's in the walls.

Five choirs are on their way.

# I'm so excited

# And I just can't hide it... #

We're speculating where we're going.

We can see that we're going towards London Zoo now.

We're going to London Zoo. Oh, my God. We're going to London Zoo.

We know it's a competition, but this is...

We're going to see them, we're going to be competing against them,

and it's a totally different ball game now.

We've planned on how we're taking the other choirs out obviously,

so... Tactics and voodoo.

We're a pretty strong group, so I think we'll do well this week.

The Royal Academy. Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

First to arrive is Sainsbury's.

Everyone's gone silent.

Right. Remember, this has got to make us want it more.

We have to win or we at least have to not go out first.

The choirs have no idea who they are competing against,

but they're about to meet each other face-to-face for the first time.

It's Tony Blair!

LAUGHTER

APPLAUSE

There was Birmingham written on the back of one of their things.

You're right. I think it's Birmingham Council.

APPLAUSE

Weren't they just nice?

Very crisp and white shirts as well.

Woo! It's quite exciting.

I can't make out who they are.

It's all uniforms. There's, like, a whole bunch of them.

No uniform in this area, not really.

MI6. MI6. MI6.

We're going to blow them away.

Yeah, cos they don't look anywhere near as good as us. They don't.

They're not. They can't possibly be, Lorraine. No, they can't.

Anyone who was here before, thinking,

"I just want to have a great time with everybody."

No. The appetite to win is now on.

APPLAUSE

Hi! Wow!

Welcome to the Royal Academy of Music - my alma mater.

This is where I studied. I learnt my craft here.

I'm sure you're very excited to find out who your competition is.

So, over there at the back, we have Birmingham City Council.

Down here at the front, all the way from Dover,

we have P Cross Channel Ferries.

In the far corner, Sainsbury's.

Over here in the corner, we have Citi the bank.

In the middle, we have Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Since they were formed the choirs have only tackled pop music,

but Gareth is about to raise the bar.

You are going to be performing pieces of classical music.

ALL GASP

Oh, yes, classical music.

Classical? Classical?

You are going to be learning some of the giants

of the western vocal tradition.

And you're going to love it. LAUGHTER

APPLAUSE Thank you. That's the spirit.

In three days' time, you will be performing to stay in the contest.

You will be performing in front of the judges.

They will be taking into account the performances you've already done.

But, in three days' time, one of you will be going home.

AUDIENCE: Ooh!

I want you to immerse yourself in this experience.

When I was a student here, I ate, slept and drank classical

music the whole time I was here, and that's what I want you to do.

So go away, get some sleep, get some rest, prepare yourself.

See you tomorrow!

Someone give me an idea of a piece of classical music

and then I might just know what I'm talking about.

# Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah Hah, hah, hah. #

It's not all this jiggy, jiggy, jiggy, you know.

You're going to sing the real thing.

You're going to sing notes and everything,

crescendo, diminuendo, legato, you know what I mean?

I think we've got some amazing singers in this choir who

will play well to classical music.

The rewards of singing classical music are

so much greater than just singing a pop song.

There's so much more to it

and it is, like, the difference between climbing a mountain or

climbing a hill. We're really going for the big guns now.

For the next three nights,

all five choirs will be staying in the same hotel.

So, we are going to be able to assign ourselves two

partners for our rooms.

So, Laura...and Sophie.

Success hinges on teamwork, and to help them bond,

Gareth wants the choirs to share rooms.

Ooh! Oh, my God. It smells wicked.

What do we think?

Citi's head of private banking David Poole has chosen to share

with Vincent, the cleaner.

It is a double bed.

It's got a two-inch divide between it, hasn't it, Vincent?

No. It's a double. It's a double? Yeah.

Me and Vincent, getting to know each other quite well.

Laura from Sainsbury's

is rooming with fellow loyalty card manager Nav.

I can't unpack.

I can't unpack, I'm really sorry,

cos I have bra, then pants, then vodka.

So excited!

First thing in the morning, when I look at my face

with this much make-up on, I think,

"whoa. I think you've kind of overdone it, love."

We had a terrible night!

You didn't! Darth Vader. She snored all night.

We didn't get a lot of sleep. Before you jump to conclusions,

there's... There's a German couple next door.

"Oh, ya. Oh, ya," all night.

Hi. ALL: Hi.

Fine, thank you. Do come and take a seat.

Each of the choirs will spend the next three days learning

a piece of classical music, ready for the contest.

Morning, all.

Gareth has arranged for the choirs to receive intensive

training from The Royal Academy's finest.

They'll give a series of masterclasses.

What is the role of the conductor?

MUMBLING

OK. Key people together.

Birmingham begins with the art of timing in a conducting class.

# Row, row, row.. # ..gently down the stream

# Row, row, row... # Can you find a little patch -

it's going to be cosy - and lie on the floor?

Citi's first lesson is breathing.

CHATTER

So breathing in... One, two...

And Cheshire Fire Service is heading to a diction class.

Their contest piece is Verdi's Anvil Chorus.

Here we go. Two, three...

It's mainly in unison, but with words in Italian it could be

a challenge for the exclusively English speaking choir.

My name's Tamzi. I'd like to start with the end of your piece, so...

SHE SINGS IN ITALIAN

Abbella. Just say that for me. ALL: Abbella.

Lovely. Don't be afraid of these Italian vowels.

Vedi means see.

Behold. Can you just say vedi for me. And... ALL: Vedi.

Yeah. And say... Now say it in a Cheshire accent.

ALL: Vedi.

Right. It's the same thing, isn't it? So...

LAUGHTER I think the danger here is,

"Oh, we're in The Academy of Music and we're singing..."

You mustn't be that.

You're singing about people getting up early, going to work,

doing a manual tough job, bashing out, hammering hard

pieces of metal and singing about the dawn and their girlfriend.

It's gutsy.

I am fluent. He's struggling.

'It's like everything we done before has just...forget it.'

You're now speaking in a different language

and singing in a different language.

It's a mountain to climb, to be honest, isn't it? Yeah.

ALL SING IN ITALIAN

There's so many words.

They've got a long way before it feels like Italian.

It just sounds like a group of Cheshire firefighters

massacring a bit of Italian.

Lovely to meet you all. My name's Will.

And who's heard this piece before?

Sainsbury's has been given Schubert's well-known poetic

prayer Ave Maria.

I was just going to sing it to you,

so you have a rough idea of how it fits together. So, fine.

# Ave Maria... #

In contrast to Cheshire, the words are simple enough.

But the simplicity of Schubert's piece demands careful blending

and tuning because it's sung in what is known as close harmony.

# Ave Maria... #

So that's how the piece goes. APPLAUSE

Cool. Let's just see what happens. Shall we just go straight in?

Here's a B flat major chord. That's the key that we're in.

Ready. Seven, eight...

# Ave... #

It's... It is a harmony. It is not the harmony that's printed.

There's lots of harmonies there, and entries is going to be the challenge.

Good. Keep up the good work. Good. Thank you very much...

See you.

Hmm. Hmm!

God. Actually, they've got a lot of work to do.

They've got an upward gradient because it's tricky,

that's close harmony, and a lot of them look absolutely terrified.

Birmingham City Council is tackling Vivaldi's Gloria,

a piece that demands confidence, conviction and precision.

OK. OK. OK. Thank you. Thank you.

Quite a wonderful mess.

Focusing on their delivery is the head of musical theatre

Bjorn Dobbelaere.

One, two...

No. Look at me. Look at me.

THEY SING

Good, good, good. Gentlemen, I need much more "do-min-e".

You need to spit out every single syllable, every single consonant

that you have, to get that message across.

"You will listen to me!"

It needs to have that kind of energy, right?

It's good.

It's not good.

I'm just saying that.

LAUGHTER

Tenors were all over the gaff.

I was honestly, in that last section,

I was miming half of it.

# Domine... Me-me! #

Just to try and look like I was singing.

I agree with you. We are right in it at the moment.

For the moment, I cannot see them getting that together.

I think they need to count on a small miracle.

Hi, guys. Do you want to come and have a chat?

Eh...how's it going?

Erm, it has not been very good.

I know it's only one line, but I am still trying to concentrate

on learning that and then this very complicated melody.

The main tune...

HE SINGS

Once you get that, then you have got all that...

HE SINGS

All of those... There is only two real ideas in your piece.

Once you get these two main ideas, the feel for them,

cos there's a couple of awkward corners, then you're home.

I think you have just set off at the moment. The sat nav is playing up.

It's just music. You have just got to listen and bring it to life.

That's all there is to it. You ready?

Keep working, guys. Don't lose heart.

See you later.

My poor tenors. I cannot believe it.

They have been one of the strongest sections.

And they are... They are... It's...

All you have to do in music is learn the words,

learn the notes and then perform them.

And it sounds really simple, but actually, when you are finding

it difficult, it can be an emotional roller coaster for you.

I think those two guys are really feeling deflated.

Bugger.

At lunch, it is a chance for the choirs to swap stories.

You are a soprano, aren't you? Have you got really high bits? Yeah!

I'm like Michael Jackson up there. So high! Oh, my God!

But after the baptism of fire, no-one is taking it easy.

THEY SING

THEY SING

Ah-ah-argh!

Lunchtime over, and the relentless schedule of classes begins again.

# Sous le dome epais

# Ou le blanc... #

Citi's piece, the Flower Duet, from the opera Lakme,

is about a younger girl collecting flowers in India.

Many of the bankers read music, so they have learned the notes quickly.

Their challenge is to evoke the atmosphere of the Orient.

Good. Yes, there is a lot there to recommend.

It is all about the smells.

You are down by the river and "Aaah!"

One, two, three.

THEY SING

From one of you, I got an "Aaah" that was exciting. "Aaah!"

With lots of life. One, two, three...

# Doucement... #

I am not tasting that word, are you? No. Doucement. Doucement.

'What it's lacking at the moment is colour and interest.'

It is just a load of notes, nicely strung together.

And the difference between a, sort of, average amateur performance

and a really proficient performance is commitment and colour

and imagination.

Can you just roll your shoulders back?

Gareth's final choir is P

They have been given the emotional Lacrimosa, from Mozart's Requiem,

with big musical leaps to navigate.

# Lacrimosa

# Dies illa... #

Unlike Citi, only a handful of the P choir reads music,

so they are learning the piece by ear, one bar at a time.

Just start that again for me. Just do it one bar in, please.

Two, three...

# Lacrimosa.

'It is even more, a bigger chance for me,'

because it was my first time into singing

and now it is my first time into classic.

It is really exciting,

but, God, the technique is really very tough for me.

This is something else. This is just like

learning Latin and then trying to pick up these classical songs,'

which aren't really our thing!

It's the end of the first day of lessons at the Royal Academy

and several of the choirs are feeling out of their depth.

How are you? You OK? So knackered, so tired.

It's hard work. OK, Laura? Yes. Are you OK, Sophie? Yes.

Stay and talk to me.

You looked a bit shell-shocked in that last session. Are you OK?

Yeah, I panicked. You panicked? I couldn't read the music,

so I don't follow any more. Yeah.

Don't worry, there is a lot going on today.

It's only day one. It's only day one, Sophie.

Don't say it to me! It's going to be OK, it's going to be OK.

Go back to the hotel, go over it - over and over it. I guarantee

you'll feel better tomorrow. OK, thank you very much.

See you later, Sophie. Bon chance!

Yes! And to you!

Tears.

It is overwhelming. It's just learning notes.

This is what every choir goes through. and the more you do of it,

the better you get, but it's... I'm stunned by how much it's...

how much people are struggling with it.

You put a bit of pressure on, people start crumbling.

SINGING

Feeling that pressure, some of the choirs are staying behind.

THEY SING

Like the Birmingham tenors, Sainsbury's has organised its own

after-hours rehearsal.

'We don't want to go out on Friday,

'so there's no late nights, there's no boozing,'

there's no singing with other people.

It's saving everything you've got for the people that matter,

which is the rest of your choir. Own brand manager Paula

has taken up the conductor's baton.

THEY SING HESITANTLY

Three, four five, six...

SINGING FIZZLES OUT

'I'm very tired.'

I've been singing all day and my voice is starting to go

'and I think, if we keep singing it and keep singing it,

'we'll get frustrated with ourselves and we're going to get into a cycle.'

I'm nowhere near as angry as I seem!

I'm just ginger and get annoyed sometimes.

# So I'd like to know where you got the notion... #

With the other choirs enjoying a well-earned drink...

..the suggestion to call it a day and join them causes tension

to spill over with Sainsbury's.

She BLEEP comes up and threatens us and says, "Look, guys,

"We shouldn't be in the bar. We should be pulling our finger out

"and practising." I'm like, "I don't need your threats."

And she sits there like she knows the whole thing

inside out perfectly. And she doesn't. I've not had a good day.

SHE SIGHS

Thanks.

SINGING

Cheshire Fire Service is playing it safe and has opted for bed.

Saving me, bud.

THEY SING

I was always told, you know, in school days,

to revise before I went to bed and I might remember it a bit better.

I think, do a bit now and hopefully... Something will stick.

We'll dream about it. Yeah! And we'll come up and we'll know it!

It'll be easy tomorrow, won't it?

Whereas in reality, we'll wake up and say, "What's the piece called?"

HE LAUGHS "What is it? What are we doing?"

Just have a look at this clock. It's 9.55pm! We've only just finished.

The five-to-tenners! The Birmingham City Council Tenors.

We are the five-to-TENORS! The five-to-TENORS!

You know our motto - together, we stand...

ALL: Divided, we fall.

Come on, now, boys, let's get on the ball and work together.

# Together, we stand Divided, we fall

# Come on now, people, let's get on the ball and work together

# Come on, come on Let's work together... #

HE RECITES IN STILTED ITALIAN

HE LAUGHS Oh, God!

THEY SING IN ITALIAN

Good morning. Good morning, how are you? I'm all right.

Are you ready for day two? I'm ready.

Before the choirs start their classes,

Gareth has something up his sleeve. We are having a warm-up in the park, just to get out of the building,

because yesterday, we didn't leave the building for about 12 hours and some of them were there

till really late, so I want to get some fresh air, get everyone warm...

Good morning! Good morning, Gareth. How are you doing? Very well. Ready?

I feel like we should have a little jog, don't you? Right, come on!

Let's go for a little jog, come on!

Where's their energy?

Come on! Keep up!

I'm about to lap you!

Come on, Cheshire! OK, gather round a bit, gather round.

So, ladies and gentlemen, a very big and important day today,

take it seriously, today is your chance to set these pieces,

get them in your head, sleep on it tonight, then we perform tomorrow.

Very important. See you back at the Academy, let's go.

THEY CHEER AND APPLAUD

Hi, guys. Hiya, how you doing? Good to see you. Good to see YOU.

Morning!

Good, thanks. And you.

Fantastic. Well, team, morning, no time like the present,

let's get kicking straight off into the Schubert. We've got a lot to do today.

After last night's row, Gareth wants to look in on Sainsbury's first.

He wants to make sure they've cleared the air.

# Et fructus ventris... #

All together... And...one!

# Et fructus ventris... #

Fantastic. That's come on since yesterday. Um...

I'm doing my headmaster bit.

I'm going round and checking up on everyone. How are you doing?

Great. Good, yes. Good. The mood within the team all right?

ALL: Yes.

Yeah? Nothing happen last night that you want to tell me about?

ALL: No, no.

We worked really hard. Are you telling me porky pies?

THEY LAUGH Nothing worth repeating!

I can see it, sort of all bubbling, look at you all. You're like this!

I think you're making something out of nothing, if I'm honest.

I think we are in a really tense environment,

we really want it, we are really passionate, I think that every

step that everyone has taken has all been for the good of the choir.

Look, I think the reason I wanted to talk about it with you is

a musical one, because that is the challenge you have here,

is to sing one of the most...

I mean, it's just...it's the most sublime melodies of all time,

and you have to sing it openly.

And the tensions, whatever tensions there have been,

you have to put to one side and you've got to be...

Sometimes, it does you good, actually,

to have a good old cry, have a good old fight, as a team,

and then move forwards to the point where you can genuinely

put your heart and soul into it.

I feel quite sad for Sainsbury's at the moment.

It's just a really unhappy atmosphere at the moment.

It's the Schubert Ave Maria, it should be spiritual

and beautiful, and they are distracted.

HE TUTS Bugger.

THEY SING

With the clock ticking,

the choirs have just one more day to become pitch perfect.

Each choir has its own problem to deal with.

Great. Have a relax for a moment, OK?

Sopranos and altos, it needs to be more interesting,

it's lost a bit of personality.

Pens at the ready, this is Alma,

who is going to coach you on your Italian.

The firefighters are still floundering with Verdi's Italian words.

At the 11th hour, Gareth is drafting in a native Italian speaker.

THEY SING

Very nice. Bene! Si!

Next, Gareth heads off to give Birmingham's tenors a much-needed morale boost.

#..Chri-ste... #

Together at the end, so, one more time... Hello! Think about it.

Sorry to interrupt you. I'm checking on my choirs.

Tenors, how are you doing? A lot better. Better?

Steven, look at that grumpy face!

That is not the face of a man who has faced the cuts and triumphed!

THEY LAUGH

Yeah, is it. Are you finding it hard?

Still a little bit of work to do.

Time for a song they already know.

Have you been broken down?

GROANING AND LAUGHTER

To the lowest turn? To the lowest turn!

Do we need to sing The Only Way Is Up?

Come on, on your feet, let's sing it. Siobhan, will you lead us?

You remember this.

Come on, Siobhan.

PIANO PLAYS INTRO

# We've been broken down

# To the lowest turn

# And being on the bottom line

# Sure ain't no fun

# Hold on

# A-Ah

# The only way is up... #

OK, that's enough. Oh, it must be the heat.

Right? Yeah. Great sound.

The Vivaldi's actually got more energetic rhythms,

and rhythms are the things that we actually really enjoy getting to grips with.

# Dum-ba-ba-da-ba-da

THEY JOIN IN: # Bum-ba-ba-da Ba-ba-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da, da-da!

# Na-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da-da-da

TOGETHER: # Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da

# Da-da-da Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. #

Yeah, that's the spirit.

THEY CHEER AND APPLAUD

It's lunchtime.

This time tomorrow, the choirs will perform for the judges,

and one will leave the contest.

I think the choirs at the moment, I think that...

Citi are doing very well, they've got a great piece and they're singing it well.

Birmingham, that's going to come together.

I think P are going to get it.

I'm pretty concerned, still, with Sainsbury's,

that it's sloppy round the edges.

And Cheshire Fire Service,

if their Italian comes together...

I still feel like they're the underdog.

It's between Sainsbury's and Cheshire Fire Service for me at the moment.

One, two, three.

# Domine Fili, unigenite

# La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Da-da-da

# Da-da-da, da-da-da-da... #

Erm, I think they just sound a bit bland.

Sounded rubbish, it might not be when they're all together,

but it didn't sound that good.

I know, but we are hearing it from different floors away.

I think it, you know... it should put us on our toes.

Yeah, but they won't have just heard that. It's like...

With the last few classes remaining,

the choirs are making the most of their Academy mentors.

# Maria, grazia ... #

That's so different again. Can you hear the difference?

Suddenly, it just sounds easy, it sounds effortless,

which is how this whole piece has to be.

And Gareth is taking P's alto section to one side.

Sophie, how are you feeling?

When I spoke to you yesterday, you were not in a good place.

Yes, I can remember that. I'm feeling much better today.

We worked hard last night, the girls helped me lots.

That's lovely, it's really good. You're a good unit,

and when you're on it, that is a fearsome, womanly sound.

Can I just hear the alto part?

THEY SING

Yeah, open it up.

Right, good. The first sort of...

I think the first glimmer that the sound's there,

but there's a danger that you can sound like little girls.

I want the sound of a woman!

WOMAN SINGS: # Qua. #

That's it, yes, do that for me, and make it, "Urgh."

Ready...and...

WOMEN: # Qua. #

Yay, altos! That's an alto sound. And...

# Qua resurget... #

Yes! I think you've got another gear. And...

# Qua... #

Yes!

# Resurget. #

Really good. We've tackled the notes last night, didn't we?

We worked late and worked hard on that,

so now we need to go away and sing the same notes but as women.

Yes, alto, strong women. Authority.

You've got three managers sitting here.

But I think people take altos more seriously

because you don't sound all frilly. OK. I'm definitely bossy, though.

I feel like I've built you up too much here, frankly.

Don't, it'll help! On that thought, I'll leave you. See you later.

Stay on it. Stay on it.

# Lacrimosa

# Dies illa

# Ex favilla. #

Finally!

Good afternoon, fire people.

The judges will not only be marking the choirs on their technical

singing ability but also on their performance.

The reason why we rehearse a lot in live musical theatre

or in theatre as a whole, opera, whatever it is, is to

accommodate for the fact that we have to do it one time.

So there are no second chances for what you are about to do.

It's Cheshire's turn with Head of Musical Theatre Bjorn Dobbelaere,

and he's got an idea to bring their operatic performance alive.

Can you just start talking to each other, softly?

PIANO PLAYS

Keep talking.

THEY MUTTER WHILE PIANO PLAYS

Are you ready? And...

THEY SING

Great, great. That's a story right there.

That's theatre, that's playing, that's performing. I like it.

Because we've started doing that little acting bit,

we're sort of beginning to feel a bit more Italian,

like we're acting as opposed to just singing, so I think...

We've said to ourselves that we can't be Italian enough on this.

We can't be Italian enough so we're going for it.

# Ave Maria... #

Gareth's last appointment is with Sainsbury's.

They've been locked in lessons all day,

but have they finally managed to pull together?

# Amen

# Amen. #

Sorry, I was looking for Sainsbury's Choir?

That was genuinely lovely, and it feels like the sun's come out.

Thank God.

That's good, yeah.

It's the end of the second day, and there are now no more lessons.

There's an end-of-term feeling in the Royal Academy.

# Shake it up, baby, now

# Shake it up, baby

# Twist and shout... #

By tomorrow, one choir will leave the contest.

# Ah-ah

# Ah-ah! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

It's the last day. Yay!

Competition day! Woo!

I woke up singing the song.

You did? Yeah.

HE HUMS

I feel stressed, nervous, sick.

I feel really sick this morning, actually.

I had a little nightmare last night that we just did really...

like, we were just terrible.

And I couldn't get my... I couldn't sing, I lost my voice.

To find yourself singing Italian opera

at the Royal Academy of Music in London, it sounds bizarre, really.

It is! It's amazing, yeah.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Right back at you.

Good morning! ALL: Morning.

Here we are, this is it, the last day.

You've been... I know. You've been working really hard for two days,

so you should be ready to perform, yes?

ALL: Yes! Good!

This time, you're going to be performing in front of a much tougher audience.

Each other.

It doesn't get more brutal than that, or does it?

The stakes are going to be much higher than that,

because I've invited an audience of people who really

know their Elgar from their elbows.

There's going to be record company executives, Radio 3 presenters,

musicians, composers,

people that really understand classical music.

APPLAUSE

OK, let's go and perform.

What a crazy three days. Phew!

Some of these guys had never sung classical music

before in their lives.

Here I am in the Barbirolli Room at the Royal Academy of Music

about to go and conduct five choirs in classical music!

It just feels...it feels very...

It's exciting, it's now exciting, I'm looking forward to it.

No nerves. No? No.

We were born ready. Born ready for this.

There's a weird unity about us right now, which is odd because, you know,

36 hours ago, man, we were like...

I know! And now it's like... It feels like, if anything,

everything that's happened has made us stronger.

I feel like we understand each other more. It's better for us.

Hopefully we're going to absolutely smash it. Hmm.

Rather. THEY LAUGH

I need you to sing the second part with me cos the words have gone.

They've not gone, they're in your folder.

No, I saw them, I can't remember the tune.

If the choirs weren't nervous enough,

some of the classical music industry's most respected names

are arriving at the Royal Academy's theatre.

If they approach it in the right way with the right spirit,

and if they're all feeling the same feeling,

then we could get beyond the simple words and the music,

we could get to something really magical.

Of course, it could go the other way as well, but let's hope not.

As the guests take their seats, the judges arrive,

each acclaimed musicians.

Gospel choir director Ken Burton,

Royal Wedding composer Paul Mealor

and international soprano Sarah Fox.

Look at this.

It's quite a closed... It's quite claustrophobic, isn't it, for them?

I suspect they're really, really nervous at this stage,

cos this is brand-new music.

You know the thing that I think will get them,

got me when I was a choirboy, was singing in Latin or French.

If you've never sung in languages or you don't even speak them

or you don't know them, that's a tricky thing.

I think it's going to be wonderful for us to hear them

all together, at the same time, one after the other.

They've got to believe in themselves, that they can do it.

I'm too excited, I can't wait. Let's just go and sit down.

Let's get it going, come on!

The culmination of three days' intensive work

now comes down to just one performance.

I've performed in here so many times,

and I think this is the most nervous I've ever been.

APPLAUSE

Good evening. Welcome, everyone, and thank you for coming today.

The choirs walked in through the doors of this building

three days ago, and I announced to them that they would be

performing for you classical music.

They've worked incredibly hard,

and I think they've got something of the atmosphere of the building,

and a little bit of the pressure as well, is that fair?

CHOIRS: Yes.

Tonight, for the first time, one of these choirs will be leaving.

So here to sing the Domine Fili, Unigenite

from Vivaldi's Gloria, Birmingham City Council Choir.

APPLAUSE

# Domine Fili, unigenite

# Jesu Christe

# Domine Fili, unigenite

# Jesu Christe

# Domine Fili, Domine Fili

# Unigenite

# Jesu Christe

# Domine Fili, unigenite

# Jesu Christe. #

APPLAUSE

The tenors were brilliant, as we knew they would be!

Just probably nerves just kicked in a little bit, man.

We just...we weren't on point.

I don't know if it's enough.

Next up is P Cross-Channel Ferries.

APPLAUSE

# Lacrimosa

# Deus illa

# Qua resurget

# Ex favilla

# Judicandus

# Homo reus

# Huic ergo

# Parce Deus

# Pie Jesu

# Jesu Domine. #

We did it! We did it!

It just...

For the first time in my life, I was nervous, like, big style.

That was something else!

We smashed it! We really... I'm so proud of everyone!

And now, singing The Ave Maria by Schubert, Sainsbury's Choir.

# Ave Maria

# Gratia plena

# Maria, gratia plena

# Et benedictus fructus ventris

# Ventris tui, Iesus

# Ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah-ah

# Amen

# Amen. #

No way! As soon as they started playing, that was it.

I think we've done enough to get ourselves through,

which means we would be on the stage again. I really hope so.

I just want to be on the happy bus that leaves here

and not the distraught one!

Tenors! Yes! Well done.

Next onto the stage is Citi, the bank.

# Sous le dome epais

# Ou le blanc jasmin

# A la rose s'assemble

# Ah, glissons

# De son flot charmant

# Suivons le courant fuyant

# Dans l'onde fremissante

# D'une main nonchalante

# Sous le dome epais

# Ou le blanc jasmin

# Descendons

# Ensemble! #

APPLAUSE

We did remember our song.

Yes, we did. Yes. Posture.

I think we did really well. I think so, too. Well done, us.

Woo!

Our final choir tonight to perform

will be the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

They're going to sing, from Il Trovatore, The Anvil Chorus.

JAUNTY PIANO MUSIC

Hey! Hey!

CHEERING AND CHAT

# Vedi! Le fosche notturne spoglie

# De'cieli sveste l'immensa volta

# All'opra! All'opra!

# Dagli

# Martella

# Chi del gitano i giorni abbella?

# Chi? Chi?

# Chi giorni abbella?

# La zingarella!

# La zingarella! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

MUSIC: "Hallelujah Chorus" by Handel

Ah, it was amazing, like, I can't stop smiling.

The back of my neck is hurting from smiling.

I'm overwhelmed, to be honest with you. I'm just so proud

of everything that's been achieved by this group of people.

If we were voted the worst of that,

it's no biggie, that, cos they were all fabulous,

but we were better.

LAUGHTER

The fate of all the choirs now lies in the hands of the judges.

So, the Fire Service. I thought they were fantastic.

The theatre at the beginning drew us in.

Citibank - the sops were flat.

The overall blend, I think they just made it look quite easy, actually.

P To be honest, I think P win the "Who's Improved The Most" prize.

Absolutely. Sainsbury's...

I was impressed with them.

Well, I wasn't very impressed with them, to be honest. For me,

one of the most important things is that I got no sense of dynamic.

Birmingham - I was expecting them to be a lot better, really,

and I think it just sounded a bit messy a lot of the time.

Right, decision time.

You know, it's so lovely to see

they're doing it not just for each other in the choir

but they're doing it for their own company pride,

and you can see that etched on their faces.

They're all really proud to be in this choir,

they all feel like they've earned their place. These are new choirs,

they've been together for a matter of months,

and to pull off a performance like that, for some of them,

I think is really impressive.

Oh, dear. There's going to be some very unhappy people.

It is a competition. They did know that.

Ladies and gentlemen, the judges are returning.

APPLAUSE

Thank you and well done to all of you on your performances today.

Now, each of us is going to give you some feedback.

Birmingham, you sang a fast-paced piece

and a fast-paced piece needs drive,

but it also needs rhythmic discipline.

You weren't always disciplined in your rhythms.

I'd love to have heard a little bit more power in the upper voices,

but being a member of the bass brigade, I must say,

the basses, you really shone. You did it for me. Well done.

Well, P, last time we met, you almost tried to kill me.

However, last time I heard you, it wasn't very good, was it?

This time, I was blown away. Some very good singing.

Well done, all of you.

However, basses, still a couple of wrong notes in there.

Just watch those in the Lacrimosa, but love you.

Sainsbury's - now, we had a bit of a disagreement about you

because I felt actually that your performance was very good.

However, we did all feel that it did lack technical accuracy.

Citi choir, you made it look easy.

When you make it look easy, we feel at ease with you.

There was some good balance and good blend.

Your tuning started off well, emphasis on "started off".

It didn't quite continue with the same security it began with,

so something to watch out for.

So, Cheshire Fire Service...

There's a manly shout.

Well done. Excellent singing. I really enjoyed it today.

It had real theatre. You drew us in.

From the minute you came on stage, I wanted to listen to you.

I was down on the streets with the rest of the peasants.

It was just a fantastic feel in that song, it's where I deserve to be.

Thank you very much.

So it's decision time.

AUDIENCE OOHS

It's been very difficult and it was down to two choirs in the end,

and it took us a while to agree,

but we did all agree in the end, taking both rounds into account.

So, the choir leaving us today is...

..Sainsbury's.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

MUSIC: "Ave Maria"

It's been wonderful in parts,

it's been extremely frustrating and challenging in parts,

but overall it's just been such a privilege to be a part of it all,

and to sing at the Royal Academy has just been...

It's been brilliant. Very proud of you.

Music does bring people together.

Just because we're out of the competition,

we're definitely not going to stop as a choir.

Sainsbury's, hello.

What can I say? I am really sorry.

I'm gutted for you and I thought you did an absolutely sterling job

across both performances.

Look what you've done. You've come to the Royal Academy of Music,

you've put together a very impressive performance in however many hours,

three days, I can't do the maths, but really, really well done.

That's a huge, huge life achievement.

Thank you for letting me be your choirmaster. Thank you very much.

Thank you for the opportunity. It's been great. Thank you.

Hugs? Or... Yeah, hugs.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sainsbury's.

Go to the bar.

That shows how tough the contest is

and it's only going to get tougher

because I know what they're in for next,

I know what their next musical challenge is,

and I think that it's anyone's game.

This has been a warning shot across the bows for some of those choirs,

and they will be really feeling the pressure now.

I think it's going to get very, very serious

because nobody wants to go home now. It's horrible to be first out,

but the disappointment the next choir that goes will have

is going to be almost unbearable.

Next time, it's gospel,

and Gareth wants the semifinalists to find their souls,

their rhythm...

This dad dancing, that is banned!

..and their conviction.

Welcome to choir therapy. We've all got that emotion inside us.

But strike action could snuff out the firefighters' chances.

# Gonna let my little light shine. #

In this room is a crisis management meeting,

which is to discuss the strike.

Will they be able to perform at the semifinals?

# Sing

# Sing

# Sing

# Sing

# Sing

# Ah

# Sing

# Colder, crying on your shoulder

# Hold her, and tell her everything's gonna be fine

# Surely, you've been going too

# You've been going too You've been going too

# Hurry, cos no-one's gonna be stopped, no, no, no, no

# But if you sing, sing, sing

# Sing, sing, sing, sing

# For the love you bring won't mean a thing

# Unless you sing

# Sing, sing, sing. #

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