The Croydon Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Gospel Choir will be featuring on a number of Songs of Praise programmes on BBC1 television. The choir, celebrating forty years of unbroken service, is no stranger to the programme. In conjunction with the Kingdom Choir, of Royal Wedding fame, the choir formed part of a 'double-choir' act, a concept of then Croydon-based television producer Roy Francis. The choir had the privilege of working on the programme with the gospel giants Andrae Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Donnie McClurkin, Gloria Gaynor, and Jessie Dixon. The choir's relationship with the programme continued with producer Garry Boon, who was a former radio presenter who came to the Croydon Seventh-day Adventist church to produce a worship programme for Radio 4.
Songs of Praise is one of the longest running music series in the world, and a flagship programme of the BBC. The programme is a combination of featured stories, with relevant sacred songs performed by congregations or performing artists from around the UK, and beyond.
In the early days of the programme, all songs came from one central place. As the programme developed, alongside the growth of technology and travel, programmes have a focus which is more national, rather than regional, although there is still typically a main venue featured in most programmes. Recordings take place in a location, where several songs are recorded, which are used when required. A choir or praise team is at the front leading and enhancing the singing. The Croydon SDA Gospel Choir was engaged to lead the congregational singing for twelve songs filmed at Reading Town Hall. The first Light of The World aired on 1 December. The producer of the filming described the choir as 'formidable'.
The programmes are not fully finalised until a day or two before broadcast, in order to keep content fresh, and therefore it is not possible to give a definite date when each song will be aired. Information regarding the song lists are available on the programme's Facebook page (BBC Songs of Praise), and its website www.bbc.co.uk/songsofpraise.
DECEMBER Schedule of Events
TELEVISION
Sunday 1: Croydon SDA Gospel Choir featured on BBC Songs of Praise
Sunday 8: Croydon SDA Gospel Choir features on BBC Songs of Praise
Sunday 22: Ken Burton conducts BBC Songs of Praise: Christmas Big Sing
Sunday 29: Ken Burton conducts BBC Songs of Praise: Belfast Big Sing
PERFORMANCES
Saturday 7 pm: London Adventist Chorale at Clonter Opera Theatre (clonteropera.com).
Saturday 14 pm: Croydon SDA Gospel Choir concert, Otford Methodist Church, Otford, Kent.
Sunday 15 pm: London Adventist Chorale, Paul Lee & Felicia Fara, 'Sounds of The Season' concert, The Advent Centre.
Sunday 22 7:30 pm: Festival of Sound − Croydon Seventh-day Adventist church, featuring the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir and Paul Lee.