Working with Deep Roots Tall Trees and an innovative community choir based in Corby, we collaborated to produce a brand new song and accompanying music video during lockdown in 2020.

The project began in June 2020 and took place entirely online. The choir itself is run by local arts organisation Deep Roots Tall Trees and led by award winning choir director Gareth Fuller.

The choir largely perform original work created within the organisation and, on this occasion, they worked with us to compose the song ‘Doorstep Delight’.

Deep Roots Tall Trees Artistic Director Neil Paris explained that the creative process, which started early in the first national lockdown, was very much an experiment but, thanks to the commitment of everyone involved – the results were outstanding.

He said: “The choir members came up with ideas for lyrics and melodies and fed these back to Sinfonia Viva’s composer Peter Letanka who brought it all together.

“These were further developed in a digital live session with Viva’s musicians before the score was agreed and everyone recorded themselves singing at home on mobile phones.

“Members of our dance theatre group created a movement response for the video and we worked with a BSL signer and a professional song signer to ensure the video was fully accessible.

  

“We did not know how this would all turn out but everyone was keen to try something new which I think captured the spirit at the time.

“The whole experience has been hugely positive and has really moved forward the choir as a whole and boosted the self confidence of many of the individual choir members.

“We are now looking forward to working again with Viva with an in-person creative project.”

For our Deputy Chief Executive: Programme, Marianne Baraclough it was a learning curve and one that was well worth the challenge. She said “we thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone at Deep Roots Tall Trees and applaud their commitment to working outside of their comfort zone.

“It was a huge ask for many people to sing a new score on their own which was then mixed together for the video and everyone is very proud of the finished song.

“‘Doorstep Delight’ is hugely uplifting and wonderfully reflects the sense of community spirit amongst choir members and the area that they represent.”

The Deep Roots Tall Trees Choir is made up of people from Corby and the surrounding area.  There are no auditions and the choir (in normal times) has a busy performance programme. If you're interested or want more information please visit there website by CLICKING HERE