General:

Aled Jones hosts a celebration concert at Gorton Monestary featuring finalists of the Song of Praise School Choir of the Year 2008 competition. Judges Bazil Meade, Howard Goodall and Lesley Garrett reveal who will take the top awards as Junior and Senior School Choirs of the Year 2008.

Interviews:

JUNIOR SCHOOL WINNER Lindley Junior School, Huddersfield. Conductor: Alison Watkins OTHER JUNIOR SCHOOLS COMPETING Putney High School Junior Department, London. Conductor: Wendy Archibald Heath Mount School, Hertford. Conductor: Carolyn Godlee SENIOR SCHOOL WINNER Coventry Blue Coat CE School Conductor: Philip Formstone OTHER SENIOR SCHOOLS COMPETING Twyford CofE High School, London. Conductor: The Rev. Lloyd Crossfield Rugby School Conductor: Richard Dunster-Sigtermans JUDGES Howard Goodall TV Presenter, Composer of choral music + TV theme tunes Lesley Garrett Soprano / Opera singer Bazil Meade Founder-director of The London Community Gospel Choir

Music:

Conductor Douglas Coombes Music Adviser Robert Prizeman Piano Richard Baker Organ Graham Eccles Music one: Name: All Glory, Laud and Honour Music: By Melchior Teschner (1584-1635) based on harmony by W H Monk (1823-1889) Tune: St Theodulph Arranger: Douglas Coombes Words: Theodulph of Orleans (d821) tr JMNeale (1818-66) altd Performers: Putney High School Junior Department Choir, Lindley Junior School Choir, Heath Mount School Choir, Coventry Blue Coat CE School Choir, Twyford CofE High School Choir, Rugby School Choir, conductor Douglas Coombes and pianist Richard Baker and organist Graham Eccles + audience at Gorton Monestary. Music two: Name: Abba Father MusicandWords:Dave Bilbrough © Dave Bilbrough Songs administered by Thank you Music PO Box 75 Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN23 6NW Tune: Abba Father Source: SOP Hymnbook #284 pg534/5 Oxford University Press ISBN 0191473251 Performers: Putney High School Junior Department Choir, conductor Wendy Archibald and pianist Jo Nicholls Music three: Name: Rhythm of Life Music: C Y Coleman Words: Dorothy Fields Arranger: Richard Barnes Performers: Lindley Junior School Choir, conductor Alison Watkins and pianist Emma Binns Music four: Name: The Lord's My Shepherd Music: Scottish Psalter, 1650 based on Psalm 23 Arrangement: Richard Dunster-Sigtermans Tune: Brother James' Air Words: Based on psalm 23 Source: SOP Hymnbook #27 pg 51 Oxford University Press ISBN 0191473251 Performers: Rugby School Choir, conductor Richard Dunster-Sigtermans and pianist Rob Colley Music five: Name: One More Step Musicandwords:Sydney Carter (b1915) Tune: Southcote Published: © Stainer and Bell Ltd Source: SOP Hymnbook #340 pg 636/7 Oxford University Press ISBN 0191473251 Performers: Heath Mount School Choir, conductor Carolyn Godlee and pianist Matthew Woodward + audience at Gorton Monestary. Music six: Name: Solid Rock Music: Patricia A Gill Words: Walter Hawkins Performers: Twyford CofE High School Choir, conductor The Rev. Lloyd Crossfield and pianist Joshua Cadman Music seven: Name: How Great Thou Art Composer: Swedish Folk melody Tune: How Great Thou Art Words: Russian hymn tr Stuart K Hine (1899-1989) © 1953 Stuart K Hine/the Kingsway Trust Source: SOP Hymnbook #13 pg 24/5 Oxford University Press ISBN 0191473251 Performers: Coventry Blue Coat CofE School Choir, conductor Philip Formstone and pianist Chris Howard + audience at Gorton Monastery Music eight: Name: The World in Union Music: Gustav Holst Words: Charles Skarbek Arranger: Douglas Coombes Performers: Putney High School Junior Department Choir, Lindley Junior School Choir, Heath Mount School Choir, Coventry Blue Coat CE School Choir, Twyford CofE High School Choir, Rugby School Choir, conductor Douglas Coombes and pianist Richard Baker Music nine: Name: Lord of the Dance Musicandwords:Adapted from a shaker hymn by Sydney Carter (b1915) Tune: Shaker tune Arranger: Douglas Coombes Copyright: Stainer and Bell Ltd., London. Performers: Putney High School Junior Department Choir, Lindley Junior School Choir, Heath Mount School Choir, Coventry Blue Coat CE School Choir, Twyford CofE High School Choir, Rugby School Choir, conductor Douglas Coombes and pianist Richard Baker and organist Graham Eccles + audience at Gorton Monastery.

Locations:

School Choir of the Year competition took place in studio 7, BBC Manchester Gala Concert venue was Gorton Monastery, Gorton Lane, Gorton. Manchester, M12 5WF Tel: 0161 223 3211 themonastery.co.uk

Other Information: