Chorister of the Year

[jonfan]

Well, I saw them both on BBC1.

Looking forward to the final but I'm still confused about the format. There are separate boys and girls semi-finals, presumably because someone involved thinks there is some difference between boys and girls, yet the final is mixed with only one winner. One would think that if they wanted a "gender-blind" final then they would have had mixed semi-finals...

Apologies, it was BBC ONE, maths not my strong point.
Agree there should be a girl and boy winner as used to be the case, I think two years ago. There must be some sort of issue going on here but not sure what. We’re quite happy to have female and male sports teams, seldom do they play against each other. Extreme example I know, but I’m trying to make a point.

[ardcarp]

Thanks for bringing it to our attention, jonfan, and for the links. Quite happy to have two 'winners', a boy and a girl.

[oddoneout]

I've just tried to listen to the final on BBC2, but had to give up. I was prepared for the tiresome "trimmings" that Beeb seems to consider necessary but I hadn't realised that the voices would be "processed", and accompanied by a horrid clanky keyboard sound. Gave up after the second one.
What's the point? Why are we not allowed to hear the voices as they would be heard in their chorister role?

[Pulcinella]

I've just tried to listen to the final on BBC2, but had to give up. I was prepared for the tiresome "trimmings" that Beeb seems to consider necessary but I hadn't realised that the voices would be "processed", and accompanied by a horrid clanky keyboard sound. Gave up after the second one.
What's the point? Why are we not allowed to hear the voices as they would be heard in their chorister role?

Yes; a travesty of what the real role of a chorister is.

[DracoM]

[jonfan]

I think we are forgetting that this is Radio 2 and this is the style of that station. I enjoyed it and all the choristers came across as enthusiastic about their singing. We could have done without Aled joining in at the end and left it to the young singers on their own. He clearly wasn't in the best of voice.

[ardcarp]

Haven't heard the final yet, but so agree with the sentiments of posts 33 - 35.

(a) Are we after a soloist

and

(b) How do you factor out the experience of age between the genders?

[jonfan]

Haven't heard the final yet, but so agree with the sentiments of posts 33 - 35.

(a) Are we after a soloist

and

(b) How do you factor out the experience of age between the genders?

Come on Mr A, are you forming an opinion without hearing the programme? Songs of Praise clearly doesn’t have the budget of Strictly so hiring a Steinway into Gorton Monastery would make a sizeable financial hole. Neil Taylor made very musical sounds from the keyboard and if he was happy with it then so am I.
I think the singers were roughly the same age. We’re looking for a soloist as all of them have passed membership of a choir so that is not being assessed. Many previous entrants have gone on to successful careers in the music profession, as soloists and ensemble singers.
Despite quibbles about the presentation and sound I just loved this programme and the obvious enjoyment of everyone taking part, both performers, judges and audience. It’s wonderful to hear young people talk with such enthusiasm and without artifice.

[chitreb]

A few years ago I recall a very good girl chorister winning over a stunningly good boy chorister "because she smiled". Need I say more?

[ardcarp]

Come on Mr A, are you forming an opinion without hearing the programme? Songs of Praise clearly doesn’t have the budget of Strictly so hiring a Steinway into Gorton Monastery would make a sizeable financial hole. Neil Taylor made very musical sounds from the keyboard and if he was happy with it then so am I.

I don't recall making any comment about the piano? Yes, NT accompanied beautifully.
I think it's great that these youngsters had an airing on Songs of Praise. I do have a bit of a 'thing' about competitive music though. I felt rather the same about The BBC Young Musician of the Year. How do you compare an extroverted percussionist with a fabulous (but largely still) flautist?

Returning to the Young Chorister, we were not really comparing like with like. But the things I found unfair were the semi-finals, where three out of the five were chosen, leaving just two un-chosen. I felt a bit sorry for that minority in both programmes.

Ranging more widely, Mrs A and I attended a 'competitive music festival' in a town in the SW. We went because the prodigiously talented daughter of a good friend (piano) was taking part. She played in the under 18s class even though she was only 8 ! She played to diploma+ standard while the rest were, well, ordinary. I just wonder about the logic of it all. Our friend just wants her daughter to get used to playing 'in public' which I can understand from the 'performance nerves' point of view. [No names, no pack-drill.]

[jonfan]

Fair points Mr A. The reason I mentioned the keyboard was because you endorsed posts 33 to 35 which criticised it.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've just tried to listen to the final on BBC2, but had to give up. I was prepared for the tiresome "trimmings" that Beeb seems to consider necessary but I hadn't realised that the voices would be "processed", and accompanied by a horrid clanky keyboard sound. Gave up after the second one.
What's the point? Why are we not allowed to hear the voices as they would be heard in their chorister role?

I tried the first one and barely lasted 5 minutes. To say the production was saccharine would be an insult to artificial sweeteners

[jonfan]

I tried the first one and barely lasted 5 minutes. To say the production was saccharine would be an insult to artificial sweeteners

Can I politely suggest you try beyond 5 minutes, ignore the saccharine [it is Radio 2 as I've mentoned above] and I'm sure you'll be rewarded, for the sake of the young singers anyway; they are the future, such as it is.

[oddoneout]

Can I politely suggest you try beyond 5 minutes, ignore the saccharine [it is Radio 2 as I've mentoned above] and I'm sure you'll be rewarded, for the sake of the young singers anyway; they are the future, such as it is.

I have nothing but admiration for the young singers and those responsible for their training, but that's why I was so disappointed at what I heard. Even if I was in position to edit out everything but the actual singing slot that wouldn't help as it was the processing of their sound (ie what I was hearing wasn't solely their own voice) that I found unacceptable. Part of that I admit is due to the hearing issues I have which make certain sounds uncomfortable - and the added sounds from the processing several times fell into that category, as did the keyboard. It came as an unwelcome surprise and disappointment as the clips of them "in rehearsal with Aled" (awkward as that set-up was) sounded as I expected (and didn't cause discomfort), and I had assumed the actual performance would be the same.
I have never heard the R2 version, is that what they do for those broadcasts?

[Pulcinella]

Fair points Mr A. The reason I mentioned the keyboard was because you endorsed posts 33 to 35 which criticised it.

Not specifically; my comment was endorsing this:

Why are we not allowed to hear the voices as they would be heard in their chorister role?