From time to time I get sent recordings and videos from other choirs in the UK and abroad, singing songs I’ve written. They always move me, as the songs are always sung with a unique twist and reflect the personality of the singers performing them. This rendition of Unto This Land was sent to me recently by Dick Jackson who, with Cathy Baker, leads the Gettin’ Higher Choir in British Columbia in Canada. Their choir joined up with Wavelengths Community Choir, led by Denis Donnelly, to sing & record this video. Truly beautiful.
Links & Projects
Glorious Chorus featured on BBC Radio 3’s ‘The Choir’
Helen’s performance choir Glorious Chorus was featured in the ‘Meet My Choir’ slot on The Choir programme on Sunday 5th June 2016 – catch it on iPlayer.
Shakti Sings We Got All The Love at Glasto
Shakti Sings Glastonbury Festival choir of green guardians sings Helen’s song ‘We Got All The Love’ in the mud at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. The choir, led by friend and colleague Susie Prater, add their unique flavour to this community choir favourite. Listen to it and smile…!
Glorious Chorus performs Helen’s new arrangement of Jerusalem
Note from Helen about this arrangement: ‘I was persuaded to write an arrangement of Jerusalem by a friend after initially having reservations about the song. But after researching the origins of Jerusalem I soon fell headlong in-love with it.’ Read more
You can purchase this arrangement on the Scores Page.
Freedom Flame celebrations in Hull, 8th May 2015
The Montgomery Freedom Flame project is an initiative in the spirit of international camaraderie and cooperation. Originally lit in Portsmouth in 1948, the torch was carried to France and the Netherlands, both occupied nations during World War II, where it has been kept ever since, to represent justice and liberation. Now the Freedom Flame has been brought back to the UK and is now installed in Princes Quay in Hull. 2015 was the 70th anniversary of the end of the war and was marked in Hull by a series of celebrations in the name of freedom, culminating in a major event on 8th May, the 70th anniversary date.
Helen was commissioned to write a piece of music especially for this event. Her song ‘Freedom Flame’ was sung by the big Hull Freedom Chorus mass choir on 8th May.
Helen brings One World to Hull and London
After the success of the One World inaugural performances in the South West, Helen brought the show to Hull in 2017 to celebrate the city’s City of Culture award. In 2019 the show was presented in London in three sell-out performances. In both instances Helen created an auditioned choir from the region and commissioned spoken word artists to read specially for the show.
For all information about the One World show visit the One World page.
Glorious Chorus – ‘Money’
Watch Glorious Chorus’s amazing video of Helen’s ‘Money Medley’ arrangement. Choreography by Catherine Wilcox (tenor). This song won the choir a place in the finals of Charles Hazlewood’s inaugural Orchestra In A Field choir competition 2012.
Stronger Acoustic Version fundraiser for Amnesty International
Listen to Rob Johns (Glorious Chorus) play Stronger, the anthem written by Helen. They produced the song together and all proceeds of iTunes sales of this song go to Amnesty International. Helen’s daughter Lucy created the beautiful video slideshow for this song.