Radio 2 Young Chorister of the Year 2006

[Mark]

Hi Martin & everyone

It was good to catch up with a few of you at Westminster Abbey, in particular Steve, Stuart & Dave. In attempting to take some photo's of Hayley and All Angels however, I somehow didnt get to say hello to Roger or Drew, who I only recognised at a distance due to the distinctive rose ! Sorry Drew, I didnt spot you to introduce myself after the show. I am also sorry to say that I didnt recognise you Martin, nor did I seem to see Peter - next time I am sure !

Anyway, to add to Martins comments I too was very impressed with the performances of the 8 contenders, my wife Karen & daughter Sophie were with me and we really enjoyed the whole thing.

Between Karen & myself, we managed to take a few shots which I have added below. The shots inside are not that good as the lighting was very poor (no flash) but I thought you would like to see them.

I actually managed to have a few words with Hayley and to introduce Sophie to her for an autograph. We spoke about last week when Hayley joined Belinda's chat and I had logged out just minutes before ! She was her usual charming self and as always it was a pleasure to meet her.

Here is the audience waiting to go into the Abbey



You may recognise our own Stuart & Steve in the crowd


Here is Hayley having just arrived


Drew, here you are greeting Hayley as she arrives






Here are the two winners


All Angels after thier performance



Hayley meeting some of the audience



With best wishes

Mark

[roger]

Hi Martin,

I am so sorry that our paths didn't cross last night. Dave and I were sitting alongside Steve, Stuart and Peter so you should have had a good view of the back of our heads!

I am equally sorry that I didn't spot Mark either. I am sure further opportunities will arise in future.

It was certainly a thoroughly enjoyable evening and we were able to spend a little time with Hayley and All Angels afterwards.

No doubt Steve, Stuart and Dave will be posting pictures in due course but here are a couple of mine for the time being.

Roger

[Martin]

Thanks Roger and that's a great photo of Hayley.

Best Wishes
Martin

[Mark]

Hi Roger

A couple of good photo's, I took the same shot of All Angels but without flash and it wasn't as good as yours, so I didnt post it. I am hoping Steve & Stuart got some good shots, I think Steve may have taken one of me and Sophie talking to Hayley !

Best wishes
Mark.

[Stuart H]

Here are some pictures of Hayley after the event yesterday.

Hayley with one of last night's winners, Emma Whiteley.

Who's that good looking bloke behind Hayley?

[Steve H]

Nice pics Stu,

Here are a few I took after the show,

Hayley with Camilla Seale (Left) and Amy Dow of Angelis (Centre)



Hayley with Camilla Seale (Left) Amy Dow (2nd left) and Natalie Grace Chua (on Hayley's right) from Angelis

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Hayley with Emma Whiteley one of the winners of the BBC Radio 2 Chorister of the year 2006.

Steve

[postscript]

This seems as good an opportunity as any to post a tease:

First, a 'thank you' to all photographers for magnificent efforts, despite intense opposition!

Regarding the finalists.

They both come from Harrogate.

On the 15th December Hayley is singing... in Harrogate, I shall be there.

Its Christmas, one of teh judges etc etc. Any chance she might have said to their promoters, care to perform a duet in my show?

Of course, such people wil be in huge demand now and may either stand true to local commitments (or those commitments will say, 'grab your opportunities'), or be elsewhere for other additional demands and are of course young and NOT in the professional mode, so have to be treated very carefully.

Nonetheless... could I experience something unique, or at least a 'one-off'?

Peter S

[postscript]

tinky3344 said:

Hi Martin & everyone

You may recognise our own Stuart & Steve in the crowd


Mark

You didn't see me Mark? Yet I'm in your picture! That's my beard right hand edge just after the railings start!
Peter S.

[Mark]

Hi Peter

I am so sorry not to have recognised you ! Somehow, we were both present but didn't meet - yet again !. It was my wife who took that picture and she doesn't really know what any of the HWI forum members look like, it was only afterwards that I spotted Stuart & Steve, so please dont feel left out

It was all a bit crazy after the performance, everyone trying to get photo's and speak to the performers. Once I had spoken to Hayley, I couldnt concentrate on anything - if you know what I mean. It was a great afternoon though wasnt it.

Best regards
Mark

[Dave]

Hello everybody!

I have made two audio files of highlights from the BBC radio 2 broadcast yesterday, they are at 48kbps and should be playable and downloadable by everyone including dial-up connections. You can listen to the entire one hour show at the BBC for the next week and possibly longer, it is here

My edited highlights are as follows:

Short highlights are here (18m, 48 kbps, 6 MB) containing:

Shortened introduction
Interview and song by Emma Whiteley (age 15, female winner)
Short interview with Judge Hayley Westenra (5 minutes in)
Interview and song by William Dutton (age 11, male winner)
"Angels" by All Angels (10 minutes in)
Announcement of the result, short interviews and a duet by the winners.

Extended highlights are here (30m, 48 kbps, 10.5 MB) containing:

Full introduction
Interview and song by Emma Whiteley (age 15, female winner)
Interview and two songs by Lexie Stobie (age 16 - she's different!) She was possibly the audience's favourite.
Interviews with the Judges including Hayley Westenra (12 minutes in)
Interview and two songs by William Dutton (age 11, male winner)
"Angels" by All Angels (22 minutes in)
Announcement of the result, short interviews and a duet by the winners.

I will post this message at HWI forum and AAI forum. Some of the performances - all done by youngsters under extreme pressure - were no less than amazing! All Angels were pretty good, too! If you missed it or cannot get the BBC replays, enjoy!

Cheers, Dave

[Dave]

Well in case anyone hasn't wanted to download the largish files of this event, I now give you... the final notes of Emma Whiteley in her winning song (at 128 kbps, recorded direct from radio).

Emma Whiteley - final notes.

If anyone who listens to this ten second clip of Emma's final notes doesn't now want to hear her entire song, I'll eat my hat! I cannot stress enough what a magnificent singer I think this girl will turn out be. She started out a bit wobbly with Morning has Broken, improved at the start of her final song then got better... and better... and better as the song went on. Just listen to her exquisite voice control (for her age) by the end of the song... just listen!.

Oh Son of Mary by Emma Whiteley - 128 kbps, 3MB and - LIVE.

Hehe, I've been gushing... better stop now! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Cheers, Dave

[postscript]

Thank you, Dave. A superb effort on your part as always. Very grateful.

Peter S.

[Richard]

Thanks Dave!

I listened to the programme on Sunday evening, and I thought at the time that 'Oh Son of Mary' was the real highlight of the competition. Emma Whiteley has an incredible voice for her age, and she is a very worthy winner!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[stevemacdonald]

Thanks for making these audio files available. I was most impressed with Emma Whiteley and All Angels.

There is indeed something very special about Emma Whiteley's singing. I'm no expert, but I'd say she has a strong mezzo soprano voice in-the-making and certain to go the distance. Tonally it reminds me a bit of Charlotte Church at that same age but without the excessive vibrato.

Let's keep an eye -- or should I say ear -- on Miss Whiteley's future progress because I'm sure she is gifted to an enormous degree. Hayley and her fellow judges are to be commended for selecting her for top honors.

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

Here is an article from Harrogate Today.

Young musicians sound a high note by taking top title
By Susannah Berry

HARROGATE has proved itself to be a mecca for music after not one but two of its youngsters have been crowned BBC Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year.

Emma Whiteley, 15, and William Dutton, 11, both sang their way to success in the final stage of the national contest held at Westminster Abbey last Saturday.

They performed two pieces each in front of a panel of top judges, which included international singer Hayley Westenra.

And their voices were broadcast to millions around the country when the contest was broadcast on Radio 2 last Sunday night.

Emma, a pupil at Harrogate Ladies’ College, and William, a pupil at St Aidan’s School, both attend Harrogate’s award-winning youth choir Verse And Chorus.

The choir’s director, David Darling, who has taught Emma for four years, said everyone in the choir was delighted to hear the latest news.

“It’s fantastic not only for us, but also for Harrogate, and maintains the excellent record of success by Harrogate musicians over the years,” he said.

“Emma is an absolute dream pupil. She is so hard-working and totally dedicated to her singing. I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of the honour of Young Chorister Of The Year.

“And we are doubly proud of William, who was entered for the competition by St Mark’s Church in Harrogate; he has just done so well.”

Both winners have received a trophy, a prize of £500, plus £1,000 for their choir, and the opportunity to appear on more BBC radio and TV programmes.

Emma has now set her sights on becoming a professional singer. However, William, who also plays violin with the National Children's Orchestra, revealed a more unusual wish – to serve ice cream from a van!

And it was granted when the vicar of St Mark's in Harrogate, Paul Hooper, arranged for an ice cream van to be waiting outside the church after morning service to mark his achievement!

Emma and William will feature in Verse And Chorus’ next concert next Friday, at St. Mark’s Church on Leeds Road at 7.30pm.

The free concert will launch the choir’s debut CD All Aboard! and will include a première of a new commissioned work, New Songs Of Celebration.

The upbeat programme will celebrate the achievements of the choir, which include the top prize at the Harrogate Competitive Festival in March, and appearances in the National Choral Festival in July.

[e-mail]
10 November 2006

Richard