Leeds Conservatoire Contemporary Pop Choir has been chosen as a finalist for this year’s How Sweet The Sound competition at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Contemporary Pop Choir members performing at Leeds Conservatoire. Photo credit throughout: Ian Hodgson
A host of top choirs and spoken word artists will compete across three prize categories on Sunday 20 October. GRAMMY Award winner Donald Lawrence will host the event, with judges from the world of gospel: Kingdom Choir founder Karen Gibson, the London Community Gospel Choir’s Bazil Meade and Premier Gospel radio presenter Muyiwa Olarewaju.
The Contemporary Pop Choir impressed the selection panel with their audition video and will be competing in the Large Choirs category against renowned choirs from Denmark, Italy and the UK. Its members are the youngest in age, all under 30, and the Contemporary Pop Choir is the only one linked to an educational institution in the category.
Comprised of Leeds Conservatoire students and alumni, the Contemporary Pop Choir is a high-octane choral ensemble, showcasing unique and original arrangements of well-known gospel, rock and pop repertoire.
Principal Lecturer Craig Lees
The choir was officially founded in 2015 by Principal Lecturer Craig Lees. Craig is the Musical Director behind Leeds Contemporary Singers, a nine-piece vocal harmony group borne from the Contemporary Pop Choir who rose to fame in 2017 as the winners of BBC One’s Pitch Battle.
“I am so proud of our ensemble for being selected by a panel of esteemed industry experts,” Craig said.
“This is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of all the singers in the choir. I am certain that How Sweet the Sound will be an excellent learning experience for us; we are looking forward to cheering on the other choirs as well as observing how an event of this scale is run."
Last year, the Contemporary Pop Choir wowed gospel artist Volney Morgan in a workshop, which led to them performing together live on two consecutive nights and being played on BBC Radio 4.
