This weekend at the hallowed Maida Vale studios in West London, Meanwood C of E Primary School triumphed in the BBC 6 Music Weekend Breakfast Show's unusual competition to find the best choral version of a rock/pop song. The 53-strong choir from Meanwood C of E Primary School stole the final with their tearjerking performance of 'Saltwater' by Julian Lennon. Weekend Breakfast Show presenter Natasha Desborough was very impressed: "Saltwater did well in my eyes! It was a brilliant performance. The kids were amazing". The famous studios in Maida Vale – scene of recordings by The Beatles, Stones and Kaiser Chiefs - was packed to the rafters with excitable school kids who'd been up since 2am in order to travel considerable distances from Halifax, Dorset and Leeds, to make it to the studios for the live breakfast performance and to raise the roof with their choral rock songs.
 | | The winners! |
The idea for the competition was sparked by a choral version of the Kaiser Chiefs hit 'I Predict A Riot' given the full choir treatment by Warrington-based choir - The Cheshire Chord Company. The song was given to the ladies choir by the mother of a Kaiser Chief roadie. Natasha Desborough – the presenter of BBC6 Music's Weekend Breakfast Show heard the spine-tingling version and launched the competition to find the best kids choral version of a classic 6 Music Song. 'This is Hardchoral' – the UK-wide competition really caught the public's attention and looks set to change the way choirmasters recruit in the future! BBC6 Music listeners – known for their credible music tastes deluged the studio with their texts and emails in response to the competition. The final was judged by Ross Millard from The Futureheads, Shaun Keaveney (BBC 6 Music Breakfast presenter) and Denise Lines, Musical Director of the Cheshire Chord Company. In the end the judges unanimously decided that the passion shown by the Meanwood Choir was worthy of the trophy and the prize – two weeks airplay on BBC6 Music. | 
