Following the success of Gareth Malone’s Passion last year, the beloved choirmaster is back at it, this time taking on Handel’s Messiah for an unforgettable Easter performance.
In his latest TV endeavour, Gareth Malone has teamed up with eight singing newbies, preparing them for a monumental day, although not without hitches.
“One person collapsed during Thou Shalt Break Them” Gareth disclosed. “It was at the point where the music was the most intense. Doctors even turned up.”
However, he identified an even more significant obstacle: self-doubt. “There was also quite a lot of people doubting themselves.,” he remarked, “That was kind of the major thing, they were doubting their capacity to do it.”
Set to broadcast on Good Friday and Easter Sunday on BBC One and BBC Wales, Gareth Malone’s Messiah will chart the 49 year old’s journey as he guides his team towards a show-stopping recital at Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral, in aid of BBC Children In Need.
For Gareth, the choice of Messiah felt instinctual; one of his earliest musical memories is of attending the oratorio with his parents, and his Welsh grandmother once performed it in her choir.
Yet, when it comes to moulding his singers, Gareth is exacting. “You know quickly whether someone’s going to have a musical memory for learning vast swathes of music,” he asserts, “It’s more of a mind thing than a vocal thing.”
The filming schedule for the show was quite gruelling, causing exhaustion even for the seasoned artist. “One day in Halifax, we started at 8 am and finished rehearsal at quarter to ten at night,” he recalls. “You’re wired from working all day, I couldn’t sleep until 2 am. The next morning, I hit the wall.”
Returning for a second year gave everyone involved a better grasp of the experience. “Bringing the choir together with the orchestra can be challenging,” notes Gareth.
“This time, there was more understanding from the orchestra, because they’d seen last year’s performance. But when they did it, they didn’t know these people’s stories,” he explains.
“They all watched last year’s and found it moving, so I felt that they understood the whole thing. It’s also my job to act as a bridge between the amateur singers and the professionals. “.
The commutes from Cardiff, where much of the filming took place, back to his abode in North London provided some much-needed downtime. “During the three-hour journey, I’d reflect on the day, read, or listen to music. I was obsessed with Dune, it’s an awesome film.”
Despite his fascination with the cinematic work, his jam-packed filming days often left him too fatigued to fully enjoy it. “Dune’s soundtrack is great,” he admits, “But I can’t sit and watch it through – I’m too tired to concentrate!”.
Gareth knows all too well the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. “Running a choir rehearsal is physically demanding, you’re using your muscles. So when you come out of it, you’re ready for a seat” he shares.
Despite the physical demands, Gareth still dedicates time to stay fit and has recently embraced a new passion: “I’ve just taken up hot yoga. I’ve done about 20 sessions of hot yoga in the last few weeks, and I love it.”
At home, the soundtrack of life plays on without pause. Gareth, his wife Becky, and their three children – Esther, 15, Gilbert, 12, and Dvora, 6 – are all ardent music enthusiasts.
“There’s no special music time in my house, there’s just music permeating the walls,” he remarked, explaining how his family has even introduced him to new sounds like Chappell Roan.
Despite some eyebrows being raised at his approachable style of sharing classical music, Gareth remains unfazed. “Some people do this at an elite level and that’s amazing – those are the people I want to see. I’m better at popularising and advocating for music,” he asserts.
For anyone who thinks they could surpass his efforts, he openly encourages, “Go on. There’s plenty of space for people. If it’s better – fantastic!”.