‘I love leading the West Bromwich People’s Show Choir because we’re like a family’

Laughter and singing can be heard ringing out of West Bromwich’s All Saints Parish Church on Wednesday nights. It’s when The People’s Show Choir(TPSC) for West Bromwich get together to rehearse, chat and catch-up like old friends.

When Charlotte Champneys started leading the choir three years ago, there were eight members. Since then, its popularity has soared and she’s now conducting 50 happy singers.

“We love Charlotte,” cooed member Lucy Ford, whose described here how being part of the choir has made a difference to her life. “She’s so wonderful at leading the choir and has become a friend.”

Charlotte became the conductor for the West Bromwich choir in 2022 after being introduced to The People’s Orchestra by its head of Choral Development Manager, Ula Weber.

The self-employed conductor, piano teacher and singing teacher had been around music all her life. She’d grown up with a musical family, where singing and playing instruments was the norm.

“My parents always joke that I could sing before I could talk,” said Charlotte, now 32.

“I sang in choirs throughout my childhood and always dreamed of conducting a choir one day.

“I went on to study music and Chinese at university in Sheffield and eventually moved to Birmingham. It was after a few years of freelancing in Birmingham that I met Ula and got the opportunity to lead this choir.”

Singers in West Bromwich TPSC gather inside the old walls of All Saints Parish Church in All Saints Way from 7pm each Wednesday during term time. Charlotte has got to know them all so well that their bond makes it hard to imagine they were ever all strangers.

They start with a short warm-up before rehearsing songs from show tunes to pop hits for an hour and a half. Time to socialise is always factored in with a short break halfway through to chat to fellow choir members plus more time to catch-up and meet newer members over tea and coffee at the end of rehearsals from 8.30 to 9pm.

“I love leading the West Bromwich choir because we’re like a family,” explained Charlotte. “We’re there for each other.

“We have plenty of laughs and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. I want the members to have a great time together making fabulous music with friends.”

As a talented musician, Charlotte has also created her own songs, one of which choir members sang at a mass performance with other TPSCs from across the country.

“One of my fondest memories is from when the choir sang one of my own songs ‘Shimmer’ at the Shrewsbury Showcase in 2024. It was an amazing moment hearing everyone sing my music.

“West Bromwich was one of the first People’s Show Choirs to start up. When I first took on the group in 2022, there were about eight people coming along each week.

“We now have about 50 members. It’s been wonderful to see the choir go from strength to strength.

“If I had to describe West Brom People’s Show Choir in three words, it would be friendship, fun and family.”

Anyone interested in singing with The People’s Show Choir in West Bromwich can try out two taster sessions first and no audition is required.

The choir meets at All Saints Parish Church in All Saints Road, West Bromwich, on Wednesdays in term time from 7pm to 8.30pm with time to socialise until 9pm. Visit TPSC website here for details and to contact the choir or call  0121 569 2616.