Community choir will champion 'otherworldly' music

A composer has set up a new community choir which he says will embrace "weird and otherworldly" music and champion diversity.

Wyrd Voices in Northampton promotes itself as an inclusive group that does not require prior musical experience to attend.

The group met for the first time on Tuesday and will continue to host weekly meetings at The Black Diamond in the town.

Musical director Matt Winkworth said he welcomed "any kind of singing voice" and no auditioning was necessary.

"It's going to be different to your regular choir," he said.

The initial meeting had an "amazing first turnout" and doubled his expectations, Winkworth added.

Speaking to Bernie Keith on BBC Radio Northampton, Winkworth said he was considering music that was "thematically a bit weird".

"Or it's weird as in kind of 'other', in terms of the composers. [I'm] trying to make sure we're using voices that are historically less heard," he explained.

"I've learned from running choirs that it is impossible to please everybody because we all have different tastes.

"I'll always try and make sure there's quite a variety and some [songs] that people know."

Winkworth said one of the first hits the choir would sing would be Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush, along with Charlie XCX's Chains of Love, inspired by the new Wuthering Heights film featuring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

"[We'll be] pairing two women that have written these songs nearly 50 years apart, inspired by the same story in very different ways," he said.

"We'll see where it goes but I'd love to be doing concerts with a band and maybe festival gigs [in future]."

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