AN online open-to-all choir set up by an award-winning music maker has launched a film of their first ever road trip – which took place in Chepstow a month ago.

Homechoir was set up during the pandemic by Bristol-based conductor, educator and innovator Ben England BEM, who has received global acclaim for his pioneering work with digital music-making.

Originally called the Quarantine Choir, Ben set it up in March 2020 as a new and free way of learning, singing and performing music online during the lockdown.

The digital choir has gone from strength to strength, becoming a loyal community of singers numbering in the thousands who join Ben (the Internet’s Choirmaster!) on YouTube at 2pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and 11am on Sundays (UK time) for singing, fun and camaraderie.

As well as traditional choir and classical pieces, Ben teaches a wide range of other songs including folk, sea shanties, gospel, children’s songs and silly songs.

Ben has worked with world-famous artists, conductors and composers, and will soon partner with Sir Mark Elder and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus in an exciting live/digital hybrid production of Delius’ A Mass of Life.

At the start of August, he led the first ever Homechoir Road Trip to Chepstow, featuring choir members, and the local Mathern Men’s Choir who performed at the town’s bandstand such songs Men of Harlech and Calon Lân, which was filmed and was launched on YouTube last Friday (September 1).

To view the film go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9DIDkQCEzs