Fancy stepping into Gareth's shoes?

[ardcarp]

On our local TV station in the Southwest, they asked today if any itinerant choirmasters want to take on the Forces' WAG's choir. It rather brings home the fact (and I don't want to be sniffy about Mr Malone) that this ia all a TV show. In the very first one, where he got a load of kids to sing in a 'rough' school, the new choir was abandoned by him as soon as the series ended. (In fact my son-in-law was approached to take it over....but didn't). So it's reality TV with a load of cash thrown at it for a very short period of time. It has engendered quite a lot of public interest, which I suppose is a good thing.

[Anna]

Gareth Malone is so cute, you have to love him, he is like the nerdy science teacher you had in the 6th Form who wore jumpers knitted by his Mum and who you had a mega crush on and fantasies.

Having said that - one can soon tire of Boy Wonders.

[Mary Chambers]

Gareth Malone is so cute, you have to love him, he is like the nerdy science teacher you had in the 6th Form who wore jumpers knitted by his Mum and who you had a mega crush on and fantansies.

Having said that - one can soon tire of Boy Wonders.

I'm tired of him, believe me, though I agree he's cute. If he taught the choirs decent music I'd be more impressed, but it's all very mediocre. I had to stop watching the WAGs series because it was just so sentimental, they couldn't sing in tune, and very little of the programme was about singing anyway.

Sorry, not feeling charitable this evening.

[ardcarp]

and who you had a mega crush on and fantasies

.

I don't feel quite that way about him Anna.

[MrGongGong]

I'm tired of him, believe me, though I agree he's cute. If he taught the choirs decent music I'd be more impressed, but it's all very mediocre. I had to stop watching the WAGs series because it was just so sentimental, they couldn't sing in tune, and very little of the programme was about singing anyway.
.

Why would you expect it to be about singing ?
Its TV, it's a "story" the choir is a vehicle for the story
I've never watched one of these but used to work with Gareth a bit when he did the LSO community choir, he has boundless enthusiasm and is a fine musician.
It can only be a good thing if people get an experience of participating in music even if one doesn't like the music they are participating in.
Music is very wide. Personally , I don't like much of the music that many people love (Musical Theatre anyone ??) but that's fine really as long as folk get a glimpse that there is another "way to be". There has been an ongoing debate in music education around this for many years, is it better that people participate regardless of the content ? or should participation always be associated with music that we think of as having "quality". There are problems with both ...

One shouldn't confuse success with expansion or longevity

[jean]

In the very first one, where he got a load of kids to sing in a 'rough' school, the new choir was abandoned by him as soon as the series ended. (In fact my son-in-law was approached to take it over....but didn't).

Did anyone?

I'd think it was more important that the projects he started should continue in his absence than that he should stay with them himself.

And that doesn't seem impossible, since we all know that the only thing necessary to make people realise how wonderful singing is is to get them started in the first place.

I know at least one previous non-singer who's been inspired to find herself a choir just by watching his programmes. I don't suppose she's the only one.

[Mary Chambers]

Why would you expect it to be about singing ?
Its TV, it's a "story" the choir is a vehicle for the story
I've never watched one of these but used to work with Gareth a bit when he did the LSO community choir, he has boundless enthusiasm and is a fine musician.

It's because I know he's a good musician that I'm disappointed in the sort of music he seems to be teaching now. Surely there's no reason not to introduce people to better music. It doesn't have to be difficult, but it could surely be above mediocre.

I suppose I shouldn't really expect it to be about singing, but since that's what interests me that's one of several reasons why I stopped watching.