Episode #1.1 - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone wants to re-instill the love of public singing back into teen-aged boys, who have reached a stage in their life where it is not seen as being fashionable. Starting in April 2007, Gareth conducts a nine-month ...See moreChoirmaster Gareth Malone wants to re-instill the love of public singing back into teen-aged boys, who have reached a stage in their life where it is not seen as being fashionable. Starting in April 2007, Gareth conducts a nine-month experiment at Lancaster Boys School in Leicester: have a 100-strong boys choir sing credibly by the end of the project. There is a strong academic and sports program at Lancaster, but only a fledgling music program in which there is no singing at all. He learns that there once was a thriving music program at the school which included a choir, but which faded away in the 1980's. Going in, Gareth realizes the enormous challenge he is facing. To achieve his goal, he believes the most amenable students will be the ten in the existing music program. He finds that even they are apprehensive. In roaming around the school, he finds no boys, beyond a clique of schoolyard rappers (who both Gareth and boys themselves don't see what they do as singing), who would admit in public to their friends the want to sing. One of those rappers, Imran Siddiquee, Gareth learns does sing well. Gareth and Imran begin what is a sometimes supportive and sometimes rocky teacher/student relationship. Gareth also feels that the support of the staff, especially who he sees as the alpha male teachers to who the boys look up, is key to success. Another way he sees to get singing back into the school's consciousness is to have group singing at the daily assemblies. To spread the word about singing, Gareth manages to make singing a mandatory class. He meets resistance from a number of students. Regardless, Gareth, who has made both individual and group efforts in recruitment, feels prepared to have an official choir sign up one month into his tenure. The sign up has the potential of no one showing up. To prepare himself mentally for the challenge, Gareth visits Guildford County School, where there is an established choral music program, especially amongst the boys. Written by Huggo See less