Lockdown life reflected in Corby community choir song

The Deep Roots, Tall Trees choir which had to meet online during the pandemic

Members of an innovative community choir in Corby have released the video of a song they helped to compose – reflecting on life in lockdown and their positivity for the future.

The choir is run by local arts organisation Deep Roots Tall Trees and led by award winning choir director Gareth Fuller.

They largely perform original work created within the organisation and, on this occasion, they worked with a creative team from Sinfonia Viva – the East Midlands’ professional orchestra - to compose the song ‘Doorstep Delight’.

Peter Letanka, who brought the group's ideas together

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.”

Marianne Barraclough, Sinfonia Viva’s Deputy Chief Executive: Programme, 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.”

DRTT 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.

‘Doorstep Delight’ is also featured on the choir’s first EP which will be released soon. You can watch the video online here.

The project was funded by Arts Council England, Northampton Community Foundation and The Kenneth Fund.