Choir Rescues Free Concert After Weather Disruption

Quick-thinking members of The People’s Show Choir(TPSC) and The People’s Orchestra(TPO) were able to salvage plans for a free outdoor concert and rehearsal after the weather threatened to make it a washout.

As part of preparations for their annual tour, 125 singers and 15 musicians were set to do a dress rehearsal outside at Birmingham’s Chamberlain Square on Saturday, May 16, offering the public a free concert in the process.

Yet when it got closer to the time, rain showers loomed and threatened to spoil the day.

With only days to go, organisers at TPO charity managed to rearrange the rehearsal and impromptu concert to a new venue in Walsall, due to the bad weather.

It was particularly important for everyone heading out on tour to Gdansk in Poland, as it was the only chance they would get to perform together in advance in a full rehearsal.

West Bromwich-based TPSC runs 21 community choirs nationwide, including in Wales and Scotland, and singers from across the UK came together at Walsall’s Alumwell Resource Centre, off Junction 10 of the M6, instead of Birmingham in a last-minute move to save the day.

The alternative venue used is the regular base for The People’s Show Choir in Walsall, who meet every Thursday during term time from 7pm for 90 minutes.

Skills for singing outdoors

The singers and musicians are now spending much of May half term week in the historic Polish city of Gdansk, performing live on the streets to passers-by.

It’s the latest annual trip abroad for choir and orchestra members, which is one of the highlights of their year. Annual tours by TPSC and TPO are sought-after by their members. The first international tour to Krakow in 2024 was a success with members raving about it as “incredible”.

That was followed by a trip to the Scottish Highlands last year, and next year’s will involve a European cruise for the first time.

Read more: TPO European Cruise 2027

Chris Weber from TPSC, who has organised the Gdansk tour, said the four-hour rehearsal gave the choir and orchestra members a chance to do “a full run-through”. The only drawback was that singers did not get to practise singing outside due to the rain – something that requires a different set of skills.

Chris, an experienced choir leader who is also TPO’s Community Engagement Manager, knows how performing outdoors can make singers feel like they are not singing loud enough, causing them to “over-sing and strain their voice”.

“When you’re singing outdoors, you don’t feel like you are singing at all,” explained Chris. “You get nothing back from the acoustics and feel like you are the only one singing, that’s why you need to experience it beforehand.

“It’s hard and all about getting the right balance and being confident with it.

Chris added: “Because we are doing all our performances outdoors in Poland, people need to get used to the lack of acoustics that comes with singing outside. It’s very different and it can lead to people straining their voices or singing badly out of tune.

“That’s why the rehearsal was supposed to be outdoors. It was aimed at getting everyone used to that environment.

“This rehearsal was also about helping people from different choirs and the orchestra come together to perform.”

A choir with a pop soundtrack

Those on tour will sing songs from hit musicals along with pop hits to Gdansk tourists and locals this week.

Everyone enjoying the live music can expect to hear rock hits like Bon Jovi’s Living On A  Prayer to Elton John’s I’m Still Standing and pop favourites from Mama Cass and Katrina And The Waves.

Read more: New Dudley and Netherton Show Choir brings uplifting sense of connection

In previous years, the outdoor rehearsal in Birmingham has gained notoriety on social media. One of the crew touring with Take That heard them rehearsing a song by the band and videoed them, before sharing it online.

This year, the outdoor concert will be remembered for very different reasons, although rain didn’t manage to stop the playing after all.

Get involved

If you are interested in joining a fun, friendly choir or rekindling your love of playing music with the chance of performing in public or going on sociable tours, there are free two-week trials available for The People’s Show Choir and The People’s Orchestra. Check out the website here to find out more.