London Community Gospel Choir

GOSPEL SENSATIONS TO STAR AT SIX NATIONS

The Nation’s Favourite Choir – the London Community Gospel Choir - will lead the centenary celebrations at Twickenham tomorrow (February 6, 2010).

For the first time, the conducting baton will be passed from the choir’s founder Rev. Bazil Meade to his 25 year old daughter Stephanie Oyerinde (née Meade) who will lead the performance in front of 80,000 people in the stadium and to an estimated television audience of 10 million viewers.

The London Community Gospel Choir, which was founded in 1982, is largely recognised as the pioneer of Gospel music in the UK and the nation’s favourite choir. The choir of choice for sporting occasions (including the 2009 FA Cup), celebrity events (such as Wayne Rooney’s wedding & Live 8) and TV shows such as X Factor and Royal Variety Performance, the LCGC have also sung with some of the world's biggest artists, from Madonna and Elton John to Gorillaz and P Diddy, and for such notable dignitaries as Nelson Mandela.

Pitch-side entertainment starts at 4pm, and the centrepiece of the pre-match show will be the singing of Jerusalem and the National Anthem by over 300 members of massed choirs laid out in a huge human St. George Cross, with choristers drawn from local schools and amateur choirs and the London Community Gospel Choir backed by the Royal Artillery Band.

The London Community Gospel Choir will also sing its own version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot which will be performed in the choir's own unique style prior to kick off of the match. The choir will add a very different look and feel to the traditional pre-match entertainment expected at the England RBS 6 Nations Championship matches. On this occasion the choir will perform traditional arrangements of the songs chosen in order for the military band and amateur choirs to accompany them.

The LCGC are currently putting the finishing touches to their first ever ‘crossover’ album which will be released this Easter. The album entitled ‘Glorious’ will capture the choir's glorious vocal harmonies on a range of material from some of the greatest inspirational songs, to big contemporary anthems (including Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) and some unique covers of pop favourites.

The opening match of this year's RBS 6 Nations on 6 February sees England taking on Wales in Twickenham Stadium's Centenary Match marking 100 years since the two nations' first encounter at the famous stadium. In recognition of this landmark occasion the RFU has put together a wide range of pre-match and half time entertainment that reflects the rich history of the stadium and the match but which also has contemporary relevance.

The occasion will also include events to recognise the support of the local community, the achievements of the grassroots game and confirm the Union's strong historic ties with the military.