The Choir

[PaulaYatesBiggestFan]

BLUB

ooh this is good, hope he gets somewhere

oh I hope he can get Imran to come round and sing... did you see the bit at the very beginning where he had a tear on his cheek (Gareth I mean) - aaawww

Anyone else enjoy it last night ? Wasn't entirely convinced that Guildford County was a fair comparison !

rather hoped he'd have a slightly more cool car though...

Is Guidlford County a private school?

Or grammar? Or community?

I was horrified by the main school - lancaster something - that macho slobby 'I don't sing' overbearing male teacher.

Agree Blu. He spoke to the pupils as if they barely human.

Much preferred Gareth's approach.

loved the last series

thought that macho head of year is half the problem,he was good at discipline though wasn't he.

dd's state senior school has fantastic music and choir ,including a boys choir .

Guildford County is a state school but also a music specialist college

Different sort of catchment area I'd hazard too Lizs

I love Gareth. He is a diminutive good deed in a naughty tone-deaf world

There are some nice lads at Lancaster, I am really rooting for the choir to make a significant difference for people like Michael and Imran

Was delighted to see sculpted-hair football jock be the no 1 to sign up

Since when did all the music teachers get so glamorous btw? Mine was a nun with a wart on her nose! Great singing voice though!

I am always amused by the hilarious hairstyles of boys.

yes, so much really long hair !

i bet the head of year has alot of trouble to deal with, he seemed at the end of his tether!

the hairstyles were funny, that side swept look is in isn't it.

yes dh and I were at the flowing locks too ...

it's sad/touching to see the boys so lacking in self-confidence ...you really get to see behind the bravado and the tough hoodie image ...

[ digression - why are the confidence levels of these boys so low? Is it just their age? Or is it something lacking in the education system? Or is it a greater problem in society - skewed values - comparing themselves to supposed media "icons" etc I wonder ????]

I didn't see the programme but say the boys choir perform at their first public concert last year.

I found Gareth Malone particulaly uninspiring compared with some of the fantastic teachers and choral directors I saw that day.

He had very little of substance to say to us, an audience of music/singing choir teachers.

There were a couple of soloists at the performance I saw who did have great potential as singers though.

watch the programme and you'll see how great he is !

I don't think it matters that someone who does something well isn't good at standing up in front of an audience and saying something well/inspiring.......does it??

Well compared to the primary school teacher from Bolton who had never spoken to such a number of people before but had such a love of music and enthusiasm for her kids and had achieved wonderful things, he fell totally flat.

He talked a lot of meaningless rhetoric, I didn't rate him at all.

but you haven't seen him on telly...

I saw the last series and didn't like his methods very much.

fair enough, but I do think he has something !

If you want an example of someone who has made a big difference to singing in an inner city primary school but who hasn't had the advantage of being in the TV Helen Rigby of this school is your woman.

www.bishop-bridgeman.bolton.sch.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26

what's wrong with his methods islandofsodor?
(Not being snippy, genuinely interested ...)

It's just that I thought he came across as positive, kind, passionate about his subject and genuinely interested in the individual children (he also managed to say "please" and "thank you" when he spoke to them, rather than barking orders). I thought he was great! Roll on Friday night!

yes, that's what I thought too