Gareth Malone
Encyclopedia
Gareth Malone is a British choirmaster and broadcaster, self-described as an "animateur, presenter and populariser of choral singing". He is best known for his television appearances in programmes such as The Choir
which focus on singing and introducing choral music to new participants.
, and studied drama at the University of East Anglia
, Norwich
where he was in the university choir and composed music for theatre productions. After graduating he did private tuition and then applied for a postgraduate course at The Royal Academy of Music
. He passed with distinction in 2005.
Working at the LSO he was awarded the position of Edward Heath
Assistant Animateur in 2001. He entered television work when approached by 20/20, a production company which wanted to make a series about singing in schools. Without knowing who could front the programme they had researched the term "community choirmasters" and discovered Malone’s name. The Choir was very successful, winning two BAFTAs and a Broadcast award.
Until December 2009, Malone worked for the London Symphony Orchestra
at LSO St Luke's where he ran their youth choir and community choir.
On 31 December 2009, Malone conducted the first New Year's Eve Twitter Community Choir performance of Auld Lang Syne
. He asked his followers on Twitter
, and friends on Facebook
, to join in with the event.
A later project was The Knight Crew
, a youth opera based on a book written by Nicky Singer and performed at Glyndebourne
. After choosing approximately 50 cast out of over 400 applicants between the ages of 14-20 through workshops and auditions, and months of rehearsals, The Knight Crew was performed at Glyndebourne between 3 and 6 March 2010. The project was filmed for a television series, Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne and aired on the BBC on 1 July 2010.
In May 2010 Malone was awarded the Freedom of the City of London by Nick Anstee
, Lord Mayor of the City of London in recognition of his music education work in London.
His first book Music for the People: A Journey through the Pleasures and Pitfalls of Classical Music was published on 28 April 2011.
series The Choir
, broadcast on BBC Two. The series focussed on teaching choral singing to people who have no experience of singing, with the first programme set in a comprehensive school
. Subsequent follow-ups continued the theme by taking choral music to challenging situations; Boys Don't Sing (2008) featured pupils at a boys' school who were reluctant to sing, and the third series, entitled Unsung Town, featured the formation of a community choir in South Oxhey
, a suburban town where singing was not a current activity. In 2011, Malone's show Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne was nominated for an International Emmy in the Best Arts Programme category.. In 2010 Gareth's new project was in the form of The Big Performance
in which ten keen but extremely shy young singers took the opportunity to overcome their fears. They performed for a larger audience each week, taking it in turns to be the soloist; the last week they performed for BBC Proms In The Park. Gareth did the same in 2011 with the final week taking place at BBC Children In Need 2011, where the ten singers led a live choir in the studio along with choirs nationwide linked by satellite.
Malone's television appearances include to date:
The Choir: Unsung Town series were also broadcasted by NHK Educational TV
and (NHK Broadcasting Satellite Television 1) in Japan in 2010.
and they live in north-west London with their daughter, Esther. Esther was born on 22 September 2010.
The Choir (TV series)
The Choir is a BAFTA award winning TV series following Gareth Malone as he tackles the task of teaching choral singing to people who have never had the chance, or experience to sing before....
which focus on singing and introducing choral music to new participants.
Biography
Gareth Malone was educated at Bournemouth SchoolBournemouth School
Bournemouth School , is a boys' grammar school and sixth-form college occupying a site in Charminster, Bournemouth, Dorset, England and teaching children from years 7 to 13...
, and studied drama at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
where he was in the university choir and composed music for theatre productions. After graduating he did private tuition and then applied for a postgraduate course at The Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
. He passed with distinction in 2005.
Working at the LSO he was awarded the position of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
Assistant Animateur in 2001. He entered television work when approached by 20/20, a production company which wanted to make a series about singing in schools. Without knowing who could front the programme they had researched the term "community choirmasters" and discovered Malone’s name. The Choir was very successful, winning two BAFTAs and a Broadcast award.
Until December 2009, Malone worked for the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
at LSO St Luke's where he ran their youth choir and community choir.
On 31 December 2009, Malone conducted the first New Year's Eve Twitter Community Choir performance of Auld Lang Syne
Auld Lang Syne
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song . It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight...
. He asked his followers on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, and friends on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, to join in with the event.
A later project was The Knight Crew
Knight Crew (opera)
Knight Crew is an opera composed by Julian Philips with a libretto by Nicky Singer. The opera is based on the novel of the same name, also by Singer, which retells the legend of King Arthur in a modern gangland setting....
, a youth opera based on a book written by Nicky Singer and performed at Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne is a country house, thought to be about six hundred years old, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England. It is also the site of an opera house which, with the exception of its closing during the Second World War, for a few immediate post-war years, and in 1993 during the...
. After choosing approximately 50 cast out of over 400 applicants between the ages of 14-20 through workshops and auditions, and months of rehearsals, The Knight Crew was performed at Glyndebourne between 3 and 6 March 2010. The project was filmed for a television series, Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne and aired on the BBC on 1 July 2010.
In May 2010 Malone was awarded the Freedom of the City of London by Nick Anstee
Nick Anstee
Nicholas John Anstee was the 682nd Lord Mayor of the City of London, from 2009 to 2010. He continues as the Alderman of the Ward of Aldersgate and has served as a representative in the City since his election as a Common Councillor in 1987.-Early life:Alderman Anstee was born in Moreton-in-Marsh,...
, Lord Mayor of the City of London in recognition of his music education work in London.
His first book Music for the People: A Journey through the Pleasures and Pitfalls of Classical Music was published on 28 April 2011.
Television work
Gareth Malone's television appearances began in 2007 with his reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series The Choir
The Choir (TV series)
The Choir is a BAFTA award winning TV series following Gareth Malone as he tackles the task of teaching choral singing to people who have never had the chance, or experience to sing before....
, broadcast on BBC Two. The series focussed on teaching choral singing to people who have no experience of singing, with the first programme set in a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
. Subsequent follow-ups continued the theme by taking choral music to challenging situations; Boys Don't Sing (2008) featured pupils at a boys' school who were reluctant to sing, and the third series, entitled Unsung Town, featured the formation of a community choir in South Oxhey
South Oxhey
South Oxhey is a suburb of Watford in the Watford Rural parish of the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire and close to the boundary with Greater London.-History:...
, a suburban town where singing was not a current activity. In 2011, Malone's show Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne was nominated for an International Emmy in the Best Arts Programme category.. In 2010 Gareth's new project was in the form of The Big Performance
The Big Performance
The Big Performance is a CBBC reality series which sees 10 shy children, who are terrified of performing in front of the public, sing at a huge event...
in which ten keen but extremely shy young singers took the opportunity to overcome their fears. They performed for a larger audience each week, taking it in turns to be the soloist; the last week they performed for BBC Proms In The Park. Gareth did the same in 2011 with the final week taking place at BBC Children In Need 2011, where the ten singers led a live choir in the studio along with choirs nationwide linked by satellite.
Malone's television appearances include to date:
- The Choir (BBC Two series, 2007)
- The Choir: Boys Don't Sing (BBC Two series, 2008)
- The Choir: Unsung Town (BBC Two series, 2009)
- How a Choir Works (BBC Four single documentary, 2009)
- Never Mind the BuzzcocksNever Mind the BuzzcocksNever Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
, (panel show guest 2009) - Sport Relief 2010Sport Relief 2010Sport Relief 2010, was a fund raising event organised by Sport Relief, broadcast live on BBC One and BBC Two from the evening of 19 March 2010 to early the following morning...
, (Guest - conducted the Olympic Choir) - Shanties and Sea Songs with Gareth Malone on BBC Four, 7 May 2010
- Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne (BBC Two series, June 2010)
- Extraordinary School for Boys (BBC Two series, September 2010)
- The Big PerformanceThe Big PerformanceThe Big Performance is a CBBC reality series which sees 10 shy children, who are terrified of performing in front of the public, sing at a huge event...
(CBBC, 2010) - The Choir does Comic Relief 2011 (training celebrity chefs)
- The Choir: Military Wives 2011 (BBC Two series, November 2011)
The Choir: Unsung Town series were also broadcasted by NHK Educational TV
NHK Educational TV
is the second television service of NHK . It is a sister service of NHK General TV, showing programs of a more educational, cultural or intellectual nature, periodically also showing anime...
and (NHK Broadcasting Satellite Television 1) in Japan in 2010.
- The Big PerformanceThe Big PerformanceThe Big Performance is a CBBC reality series which sees 10 shy children, who are terrified of performing in front of the public, sing at a huge event...
(CBBC, 2011)
Personal life
Malone is married to Becky, an English teacherand they live in north-west London with their daughter, Esther. Esther was born on 22 September 2010.