Stuart Macbeth meets the man who brought choirs up to date

Gareth Malone sits unnoticed in the café, on the fifth floor of Foyles’ Bookshop on London’s Charing Cross Road, on the eve of the new UK tour which brings him to Oxford... and that’s just the way he likes it.

Having arranged to meet him, it takes time to trace his trademark glasses and lanky frame across the tables. When I express surprise that he isn’t surrounded by autograph hunters, Gareth smiles politely. “I’m unfazed by fame,” he says.

“We have thousands of people coming to the shows every night and it’s just amazing to walk out in front of all those people. But at the same time I like it that I can sit in a café like this and no-one bothers me. It’s not like I’m the Queen, after all.”

Gareth is bashful but his is the success story which no-one could have predicted – a celebrity choirmaster for the 21st century, with widespread appeal.

He first appeared on TV screens in the three-part BBC documentary series The Choir in 2006, which saw him take on the challenge of bringing music into the lives of people who had never sung before, ultimately taking them to compete in the World Choir Games in China. “My life definitely changed when I received that phone call from ITV,” he agrees. “Everything shifted. My heart was racing. Finally, I thought, this could be it!

“As it turned out it wasn’t, immediately. But after a few series we gathered momentum.”

Gareth’s next big hit was The Choir: Military Wives, whose phenomenal success took him by surprise as he watched his Twitter feed fill with thousands of compliments.

“From there on,” he smiles “it exploded.”

Gareth’s most recent series The Naked Choir, which included Oxford acapella group Out of the Blue, pulled in two million viewers per week on BBC2. In 2010 he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London and he has been awarded the OBE for Services to Music.

“It’s all pretty remarkable” he blushes. “I have had such a good run of amazing projects and I feel very lucky to be waking up every morning, doing music. My secret is that I have a good work ethic and keep chipping away.

“There are plenty more talented people than myself, but I am quite driven and determined so if there is something I can’t do I will challenge myself. I never rest on my laurels.”

His career highlight to date was conducting the choir during The Queen’s official Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in 2012.

“That was remarkable! To be in Abbey Road working on the song with Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber was amazing. But to stand on the Mall in front of The Queen with 250,000 people looking on is the absolutely pinnacle of what you can achieve.

“When I am 70 or 80 I will still look back on that as my proudest moment.

“Her Majesty didn’t make eye contact during the gig but in person she is exactly as you would expect.

“She has a very dry sense of humour which suits me well.”

Gareth experienced his epiphany at the age of 12 when he joined the school choir at Bournemouth Grammar School.

There he was inspired by an enigmatic music teacher who set him off on a path of discovery that led Gareth to the sing in the Chorus of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, study at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, pass his Postgraduate studies with distinction at the Royal Academy of Music, and secure an early job running the Youth Choir for the London Symphony Orchestra.

Last year, he put together the Gareth Malone Voices Choir, made up of 16 singers aged 18-27, who embarked on a successful UK tour.

Now Gareth and the Choir are coming back to the New Theatre, with a new show for 2015.

“Touring is my absolute favourite thing” he says, glowing. “I just love working with the choir.

“There are all such talented people.

“They are all trained, flexible young professionals.

“It’s predominately a new bunch this year as we decided to step up a gear from students to professionals, but five of this year’s choir were in the show at the New Theatre last time.

“People were quite surprised when the choir played in Oxford in 2014.

“I really think that people didn’t know what to expect!”

The show will embody what Gareth calls his “vision for the future of choral music.”

“Choral singing is bright, clear, British music with soaring melodies, glorious harmonies and a rich tone,” Gareth explains.

Oxford Mail:

  • Gareth Malone who is bringing his choir to Oxford tomorrow

“There are times when you can just hear a voice, or voices singing in a choir.

“It’s such a wonderful thing.”

Another key to the choirmaster’s success is his appeal across all age groups: “We don’t just attract traditional choir audiences.

“I’ve also worked with young people, and I have made series for children’s television – like the Big Performance for CBBC – so younger people know who I am as well,” says Gareth.

Among older material, the show will include Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk, Retrograde by James Blake and songs by Ed Sheeran. It’s an entertainment show.

“I do love a good melody and a tune,” he says.

“If you’re 11 you might want to hear Taylor Swift, whereas I prefer something slightly more sophisticated.

“But I’m trying to present a bit of both worlds.

Go along tomorrow and you may even find yourself sharing the limelight with Gareth.

“This year we are also looking for a soloist” he reveals.

“As part of the show in Oxford I will be auditioning members of the audience to sing a five minute medley of all your favourite Christmas songs.

“It will be a very enjoyable evening!”

Gareth says he keeps his OBE medal in a box, waiting for a special occasion on which to wear it.

That occasion may well be his next birthday, which he celebrates this month.

It is hard to believe that the slender father-of-two is about to turn 40.

“I’m having a huge party” he smiles, stirring at his cappuccino.

“I’ve invited almost everyone I know. I’ve never had a proper party before, apart from my wedding.

“I just hope I don’t get any surprises.”

Where and when
Gareth Malone’s Voices
New Theatre, Oxford
Friday, November 27
Tickets: 0844 8713020/atgtickets.com/oxford