Fyling Hall’s school choir was invited to perform on Songs of Praise in Malton on Tuesday 25th November. Our students joined the Salvation Army brass band and a hardy group of locals in the icy air, performing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” for the television cameras. Alethea Shepherd in Year 9 said “I was so cold, I thought my toes were going to fall off! But it was so worth it. I loved singing for the cameras.” The occasion ended on a Dickensian note with a short monologue from “A Christmas Carol”, delivered by a local actor in full costume.
For those of you that want to catch a sight of the choir in full swing, our pupils will be seen in the opening and closing credits as well as singing on the show, which will be broadcasted on 7th December.
Tegan Robson said “The Songs of Praise filming was such an amazing experience! I loved meeting the presenters and it was really interesting seeing how they filmed the show.”
Presenter Josie d’Arby and local celebrity chef James Martin cheered the assembled singers and performers with mulled wine for the adults and gingerbread biscuits for the young people. The pupils were excited to meet the celebrities and both Martin and d’Arby were keen to ask us where we had come from and to praise our singing. Jeremy Normanton in Year 6 particularly enjoyed the gingerbread, although he was not so pleased when James Martin snapped his biscuit in half to share with another pupil!
Mrs Wormald was pleased to practise for our upcoming concerts in between camera set-ups when Fyling Hall’s students and the brass band entertained the local residents by bandying other favourite Christmas songs back and forth.
Anna-Luisa Ayckbourn, a year 11 pupil, said “I loved going to Songs of Praise yesterday! It was such an amazing opportunity for us all and I really loved singing with the brass band. The biscuits were lovely too.”
This Songs of Praise episode featuring Fyling Hall students in Malton will be broadcast on BBC1 at 4.15pm on Sunday, 7th December, and afterwards will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
You will also have a chance to hear our young people sing at the school carol service at St Stephen’s in Fylingthorpe on the morning of the 10th December.
[BBC iPlayer link can be provided here: it is http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5]