Community choir sings ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ for NHS workers, melts our hearts

24 April 2020, 12:57

BSO Voices - Over The Rainbow

By Rosie Pentreath

Take a moment out of your day to watch this beautiful version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ – and reflect on those beautiful handmade rainbows you have seen in windows around the country.

BSO Voices, the community choir of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, has performed a moving tribute to NHS workers (watch above).

Opting for ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ in a nod to the symbol of the NHS depicted in sweet rainbow drawings from kids around the country, the choir sang their hearts out in a virtual chorus last night (Thursday 23 April), just before the weekly 8pm #ClapforourCarers activity started around the UK.

What’s more is hundreds of children from across the southwest, where the choir is based, contributed rainbow drawings for the video. Our hearts.

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23rd April - Applaud Our NHS Heroes - Clap for our Carers

The choir was set to perform in Southhampton this month alongside the BSO, but the concert was cancelled due to coronavirus. Members of the choir continued to meet weekly, and now we have this beautiful virtual performance.

Some members are among the NHS and other frontline workers the choir paid tribute to – including Laura, who says: “Working for the NHS for the past month has felt like a whirlwind, but it’s helped to keep in touch with BSO Voices – we talk about music instead of viruses!

“So although singing at home in front of a camera has felt strange, it also felt like something familiar, and has been such an important distraction for me personally.”

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is Classic FM’s Orchestra in the South of England.