Publication date: March 17 2008/Updated 9 April
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BBC TV's summer schedule delivers
a Saturday night prime time biggie...
a Saturday night prime time biggie...
Choral styles to battle it out on BBC TV's Saturday night prime time show
Intending to do for choristers what STRICTLY COME DANCING did for ballroom dancers, the
team behind 'Strictly' and 'ANY DREAM WILL DO' have now decided to pitch the nation's finest
voices - and choral styles - against each other in a brand new all-singing Saturday night knockout
competition on BBC One.
Apparently singing in choirs is one of the nation's biggest pastimes with over 25,000
registered choirs and at least half a million members.
Gospel, Barbershop, Classical, Pop, A cappella, Folk or Rock - any group can enter the fray,
but it's personality, passion, power and performance that they'll need to make the Choir
Wars cut (it says in the press release)...
Battling it out for the ultimate accolade of being the nation's favourite, the BBC is billing
the show as the biggest singing talent show with the greatest number of contestants ever
mounted on television.
Sceptics scoff at their own risk. The format follows a rich heritage of choral programming on
the BBC, including BBC RADIO 3 CHOIR OF THE YEAR, SONGS OF PRAISE JUNIOR SCHOOL
CHOIR OF THE YEAR and BBC Two's BAFTA award-winning THE CHOIR, let alone the sheer
team behind 'Strictly' and 'ANY DREAM WILL DO' have now decided to pitch the nation's finest
voices - and choral styles - against each other in a brand new all-singing Saturday night knockout
competition on BBC One.
Apparently singing in choirs is one of the nation's biggest pastimes with over 25,000
registered choirs and at least half a million members.
Gospel, Barbershop, Classical, Pop, A cappella, Folk or Rock - any group can enter the fray,
but it's personality, passion, power and performance that they'll need to make the Choir
Wars cut (it says in the press release)...
Battling it out for the ultimate accolade of being the nation's favourite, the BBC is billing
the show as the biggest singing talent show with the greatest number of contestants ever
mounted on television.
Sceptics scoff at their own risk. The format follows a rich heritage of choral programming on
the BBC, including BBC RADIO 3 CHOIR OF THE YEAR, SONGS OF PRAISE JUNIOR SCHOOL
CHOIR OF THE YEAR and BBC Two's BAFTA award-winning THE CHOIR, let alone the sheer
numbers of viewers on shows like STRICTLY COME DANCING and ITV's DANCING ON ICE.
With this being the first time a talent search of this type is going prime time on BBC One,
and given the current popularity of the format, the results should prove interesting.
Will the public take to choral singing like they have skating and ballroom dancing? Only
time will tell.
The BEEB is obviously placing emphasis on spectacle: the press release says a 'rigorous
judging panel' will ensure that only 'the most electrifying groups' make it to the live
shows, but in time-honoured tradition it's down to the viewers to decide who will become
the victors of the search.
With the built in potential for tension and drama that comes with the diverse stories,
music styles and people gathered around a common vocal cause, expect tears and
tantrums and not a few uplifting stories along the way.
Hopefully well be seeing some choirs representing the cause of the gospel.
With this being the first time a talent search of this type is going prime time on BBC One,
and given the current popularity of the format, the results should prove interesting.
Will the public take to choral singing like they have skating and ballroom dancing? Only
time will tell.
The BEEB is obviously placing emphasis on spectacle: the press release says a 'rigorous
judging panel' will ensure that only 'the most electrifying groups' make it to the live
shows, but in time-honoured tradition it's down to the viewers to decide who will become
the victors of the search.
With the built in potential for tension and drama that comes with the diverse stories,
music styles and people gathered around a common vocal cause, expect tears and
tantrums and not a few uplifting stories along the way.
Hopefully well be seeing some choirs representing the cause of the gospel.
Go on: enter you choir. You know you want to...
LINKS & CREDITS
BBC CHOIR SEARCH website
CHOIR WARS application form
CHOIR WARS application form
Deadline extended to Friday 18th April at 6pm
UPDATED INFORMATION
HOME
- BBC filming teams will be available nationwide to film audition videos for choirs.
- Audition videos accepted with or without musical accompaniment.
- One choir representative can complete the main body of the application form on behalf of the whole choir.
- All choir members included in the Audition Video to add their signature to the single release form attached to the application form.
If you have any questions relating to the application process, please get in touch with the team on 020 7576 1763.
- Audition videos accepted with or without musical accompaniment.
- One choir representative can complete the main body of the application form on behalf of the whole choir.
- All choir members included in the Audition Video to add their signature to the single release form attached to the application form.
If you have any questions relating to the application process, please get in touch with the team on 020 7576 1763.
