Gareth Malone's Easter Passion

I wanted to take a moment to share with you an incredible experience I recently had the privilege to be a part of. So, imagine this: eight untrained singers, including yours truly, given the opportunity to perform Bach's St John Passion under the guidance of none other than the legendary choirmaster, Gareth Malone. Yep, you heard that right!

For eight weeks, we dove headfirst into the world of Bach, with intense rehearsals in Cardiff. Now, I won't sugarcoat it – going from singing the pop divas in Drag to performing alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales was no walk in the park. But with Gareth's expert guidance and support, we grew in ways we never thought possible.

The performance itself was breathtaking. Standing on stage at Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall, surrounded by world-class musicians and the BBC Singers, I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment like never before. And when the music swelled and our voices joined in harmony, it was pure magic.

But beyond the performance itself, what truly stood out to me was the sense of growth we experienced as a choir. We laughed, we cried, and we learned. It was a journey of self-discovery and musical enlightenment that I will cherish forever.

I am incredibly grateful to Gareth Malone, the BBC, and everyone else involved in making this project a reality. It was an honour to be a part of something so special.

Lastly, a huge shoutout to RNIB Cymru and the RNIB music transcription service for making this journey an accessible one. I could never have done it without my big print Bach.

You can watch the two part documentary and concert now on BBC iPlayer.