Everyone knows that teenage boys don’t sing. But the second season of “The Choir” is looking to change that stereotype. Gareth is back, this time at an all-boys’ school, attempting to put together a choir of 100 boys fir to perform at Royal Albert Hall, and make music and singing part of the school’s culture again.
He has his work cut out for him from the beginning. To say that most of the boys are resistant to participating in music would be an understatement. Many of the boys claim that singing is only for girls or, even worse, that it’s boring, like church. But a funny thing starts to happen as the boys of the Lancaster school are more and more exposed to music. They may talk tough, but when the boys actually participate, or even just experience and listen to the music, their barriers of male bravado break down.
I already have a favorite. Ten-year-old Michael won my heart with the first few notes of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” on his karaoke machine. Sure, Imran has a great voice and can sing Michael Jackson in a British accent like nobody’s business, but who couldn’t love Michael’s earnestness and excitement for singing?
Lancaster allows Gareth (Mr. Malone) to teach a few music classes before attempting to start the choir, but many of the boys will have none of it. They talk and goof off, don’t pay attention, don’t take anything seriously. Basically, do what teenage boys are best at. The entire sequence made me understand why some cultures of the past were so eager to send their young men off to war. Maybe we should send all teenage boys to Mars or something, and let them come back when they turn 25.
Rather surprisingly, when the time finally comes for choir sign-ups, over 170 boys show up, interested in singing in the choir. Quite a good turn-out for a school so seemingly antagonistic toward choral music. But will they all make it to Royal Albert Hall? Here’s a peak at their final performance. Can you count 170 boys there?
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