The Singing Estate

Music

Could 40 residents of Blackbird Leys estate in Oxford be transformed from aspiring singers into a classical choir in three months? This is the challenge that conductor Ivor Setterfield takes on when he auditioned 133 people at the estate's community centre one cold January day. They come from all age groups and backgrounds, and sing in any style they wanted. Ivor chose 40 for his choir, plus eight ‘covers' to stand in for anyone who couldn't make it to the performance at the Royal Albert Hall.