A new song was heard publicly for the first time at a free choir festival in Milton Keynes.
Viewers of the Milton Keynes Community Choir Festival 2023 in Campbell Park were treated to a reworking of Amazing Grace.
The 250 Voices Choir sang Forever? at the free festival on Saturday (17 June).
Musical director Craig McLeish led the performance which was undertaken by a choir formed especially for the event.
Amazing Grace, is believed to be the most recorded hymn in history, and was first written in nearby Olney.
Reverend John Newton, is credited with penning the song, when he was serving at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the Bucks town.
Despite its roots in the Milton Keynes area, the song gained most prominence in the United States. Historians say the song gained real traction in the American South in the early 1900s.
Roderick Williams, who performed at the King’s Coronation, composed the song, Rommi Smith, a respected poet, wrote it.
Overall, 10 separate choirs in joined forces for the premiere performance.
The choir show, which ran from noon to 9pm, was part of a wider group of events organised for Milton Keynes’ International Festival.
In connection to the event, singing workshops were held in Olney, that were open to singers from almost all vocal backgrounds.
Musicians from the acclaimed Chineke! Orchestra are visiting schools to conduct musical workshops as part of the event.
Spaces at the event were open to the public, choirs could apply to perform for 25 minutes at the showcase.
Other Amazing Grace 250 events have been held across the country, as organisers have created a year-long celebration of the world-famous hymn.
Further events headed by John Newton, Rommi Smith, and Chineke! Orchestra are planned in Milton Keynes in 2023.
A premiere version of Forever? being performed by Chineke! Orchestra will take place at Milton Keynes International Festival on 22 July at The Stables.
You can take a closer look at Saturday’s event by clicking through the below photo gallery, showcasing the work of local photographer, Jane Russell:
2. Picnics
Plenty of residents enjoyed the performances at Campbell Park, photo by Jane Russell Photo: Jane Russell
