News
Only Men Aloud!
1 October 2008
Only Men Aloud
sign record deal with Universal
Only Men Aloud, the Welsh singing sensation
and winners of BBC’s Last Choir Standing have signed a
multi-million pound deal with Universal Music.
‘It’s cool to be in a Choir again,’
says Universal Music’s Dickon Stainer
OMA’s first album will be released on November
17 and will include Don’t Rain on My Parade, the
show-stopping performnace that won them so many fans when they
performed it on the BBC show. Universal looks after some of the
world’s biggest talent including Girls Aloud and Elton John.
‘The tradition of choral singing in Wales
is from the ground up,’ says Dickon Stainer. ‘The Welsh
choirs in the final of Last Choir Standing were full of young
people. They weren’t frumpy, they weren’t old, they weren’t frosty,
it was accessible, young people singing with a smile.’
Choral Director,Tim Rhys-Evans revealed that
OMA had been approached by four record companies before signing to
Universal after a frenzied bidding war. ‘The biggest prize from
this competition has been the reports I’ve been getting about
memberships of choirs going through the roof. I’m only really
interested in sharing the experience of what a wonderful
life-enhancing joy a choir can be.’
Universal were aware of Only Men Aloud before
they shot to fame: ‘The quality of their singing is
incredible;’ continues Dickon Stainer. ‘They’re not
frightened to be a bit adventurous with their repertoire. They are
incredibly accessible.’
The choir is directed by Royal Welsh College
vocal tutor Tim Rhys-Evans and accompanied by Jeffrey Howard, who
also coaches singers at the College. Only Men Aloud!
rehearses regularly at the College and its members include current
students and graduates as well as teachers, musicians, a gardener
and a pharmacist. Formed in 2000, Only Men Aloud! Is
an exciting young male voice choir tackling music not usually
performed by traditional male voice choirs.
This September the Royal Welsh College
started a new two-year postgraduate Choral Conducting course, led
by Adrian Partington, with Simon Halsey as International Chair of
Choral Conducting, two of the most prestigious choral conductors in
music today.
Since taking the title of Last Choir Standing, Only Men
Aloud! have already recorded a dream gig with Katherine
Jenkins at St David’s Hall for Songs of Praise. They are
also going to appear on the Royal Variety Show and in the BBC Radio
3 Choir of the Year final.
To see their audition videos, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/lastchoirstanding/choirs/onlymen/.
You can also see the lads performing live at this year’s
National Eisteddfod on 7th August. To find out more
about the choir and future performances, visit their website at
http://www.onlymenaloud.com/