Pupils sing for 40,000 fans at big rugby final

STUART PIKE

VALLEY school pupils gained a standing ovation from the 40,000 crowd at the Four Nations rugby final.

On a field more familiar to football, Liverpool’s home ground of Anfield saw the 300-strong Chant Productions Choir sing the Liverpool anthem ‘ You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and a specially created mash-up of eight wellknown songs, including a Beatles medley.

The final saw the Kangaroos thump the Kiwis as Australia demolished New Zealand 34-8.

A quarter of the choir was comprised of pupils from Rossendale, represented by Bacup’s St Saviour’s and Northern schools and Tor View in Haslingden.

The match started in true antipodean-style with a Haka, the traditional war dance of the Maori people from New Zealand, which followed the choir’s performance.

Chant Productions was set up by Bacup-born international opera singer Sean Ruane, who shares his passion for music with schoolchildren across the country.

Project co-ordinator Vicky Johnson-Brown said: “We had a choir of around 300 primary school children, with 100 adults.

“As usual the behaviour of all the children was exemplary, but because Chant comes from Rossendale we were delighted to have the largest ever contingent of pupils from Rossendale schools at a sporting event.

“This was such a big event that we had to arrive five hours ahead of the start so we could rehearse getting on and off the pitch.

“Everyone had to know exactly where they had to go so they could get off safely before they came on to perform the Haka.”

All of the schools involved had five weeks of ●» The mass choir of school children gained a standing ovation from the 40,000 crowd at the Four Nations rugby final rehearsals led by a Chant practitioner and the teachers had access to Chant Voices to help with rehearsals.

When they all arrived at Anfield it was the first time the combined choir had sung the mash-up and anthem together and so more rehearsals were held.

Vicky added: “The forecast had been for rain, but although it was cold it was dry and we had bright skies.

“We get a lot of positive feedback from teachers and headteachers about the effect introducing singing has had on their school.”

To find out more about Chant productions visit www.chantproductions. co.uk or email info@ chantproductions.co.uk.