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The Power of Singing

Sean Fletcher explores the power of singing to express the Christian faith, and Alexandra Burke speaks of how her late mother inspired her to sing and perform.

Sean Fletcher explores the power of singing to express the Christian faith and also to change people's lives for the better. Sean meets music historian and choir conductor Dr Andrew Gant, who reveals that communal singing may be as old as cave painting and explains its unique relationship with the Christian faith. He attends the True Worship Summit in north London - an international conference celebrating gospel music - and joins hundreds of singers from all over Europe to take part in singing workshops led by some of the biggest names in gospel, including the founder of the London Community Gospel Choir Bazil Meade and Grammy Award-winner Donald Lawrence. Sean speaks to those involved to learn more about the power and purpose of gospel music.

Strictly finalist Alexandra Burke speaks about her Christian faith, and how her late mother inspired her to sing and perform.

And the Rev Kate Bottley meets The Missing People Choir - a remarkable singing group that brings together people who are enduring every family's worst nightmare - they all have loved ones who disappeared. Kate speaks to Peter Boxell, whose son Lee went missing in 1988, and to Peter Lawrence, whose daughter Claudia disappeared in York in 2009. They tell Kate how the choir helps them cope and about reaching the final of Britain's Got Talent last year - which led directly to some families being reunited.

Music:
O Happy Day from LSO St Luke's
And Did Those Feet (Jerusalem) from St John the Baptist Church, Tideswell
Happiness by Ken Dodd and the Love & Joy Gospel Choir
It Is Well with My Soul from Hackney Empire
The Truth Is by Alexandra Burke
Souled Out by the Big Sing Gospel Choir
How Great Thou Art from Holy Trinity, Platt, Manchester.

34 minutes

Stories

True Worship Gospel Summit and a brief history of singing
Sean Fletcher meets leaders and participants at the True Worship Summit – an international Gospel Music conference in London to hear what he should expect from a day of singing workshops. Then he speaks to Dr Andrew Gant, a music historian, to gain a brief overview of the history of singing and why it is so integral to the Christian faith.

The Missing People Choir
The Rev. Kate Bottley meets The Missing People Choir – a remarkable singing group that brings together people who are enduring every family’s worst nightmare, they all have loved ones who disappeared one day and never came home. Kate speaks to Peter Boxell whose son Lee disappeared in 1988 and to Peter Lawrence whose daughter Claudia went missing from her home in York in 2009. They tell Kate what the choir means to them and about reaching the final of Britain’s Got Talent last year – which led directly to some families being reunited.

Alexandra Burke
Strictly Finalist Alexandra Burke opens her heart about how her Christian faith inspires her to promote positive messages in her music and how her late mother inspired her to sing and perform.

The heart of Gospel Music
Sean speaks to some of the biggest names in Gospel Music to find out what’s at the heart of the genre. Grammy Award winner Donald Lawrence explains that it speaks life and restores faith and Karen Gibson, Daniel Thomas and Bazil Meade speak about the importance of the gospel message celebrating the Christian hope and praise of God.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sean Fletcher
Presenter Kate Bottley
Executive Producer Cat Lewis
Executive Producer Emyr Afan
Producer David Waters
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Production Company Avanti Media

Broadcast