Video games industry veteran and founder of Choir of the Earth, Mark Strachan BEM, and Ben England BEM, Musical Director of gamechoir, have announced the launch of gamechoir, a thrilling new video game-inspired initiative with the goal of bringing fans of the legendary Halo series together to take up the challenge of recording the worlds biggest Halo chant.
This ambitious FREE project plans to press the recording button on 10th July with a teaching session live-streamed on YouTube to get participants up to scratch. Once ready, those taking part are invited to record their voices using their phones, tablets or computers in their own time, which will then be added to the final edit planned to be broadcast on YouTube on 17th August 2023.
Written and composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, the iconic Gregorian-inspired chant was first heard in 2002 with the launch of the original Halo game and, in the 20-plus years since, has continued to build its legacy as one of the most enchanting and critically-praised pieces of gaming music created. It led to viral videos of students in high school bathrooms gathering to sing it en masse and fans descending deep into underground caverns searching for the perfect reverb. This makes it the ideal choice for gamechoir, which aims to bring people together through the power of video games and music spanning generations, countries, and octaves, utilising a blend of musical talent and video game industry knowledge.
All that is required to take part is a device with a microphone. Even for those who don’t feel they have a good singing voice, a free teaching session where gamechoir guides everyone through how to produce a good sound and how to sing in tune will take place via YouTube on Monday 10th July 2023, at 7pm UK time. Afterwards, participants will be encouraged to practise using professionally recorded backing tracks and record their part; whether high, medium or low voice, people can submit multiple parts. The final performance will be shared with each participant in a LIVESTREAM on YouTube on Wednesday, 16th August 2023 and then posted on Twitter, TikTok, Discord, and other platforms. Participants are encouraged to sing their part as many times as they like!
gamechoir’s roots stem from two people; former Ubisoft UK CEO Mark Strachan – a pioneer of the games industry and the founder of the world-famous and ongoing Choir of the Earth project, which played a vital role in reducing loneliness levels during the many lockdowns throughout the pandemic and continues to raise awareness of loneliness. And Musical Director Ben England – an internationally renowned conductor, avid gamer, world-leading educator, and innovator who has received global acclaim for his pioneering work with digital music-making.
Both Mark and Ben were awarded the British Empire Medal by the late Queen for services to Musicians and Choral Music during the pandemic.
