Farmers’ Choir members prepare to sing for the King at Windsor Castle Coronation Concert

​The singers have been selected to form part of the Coronation Choir, which will perform at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday (7 May).

It will be made up of 300 singers altogether, representing singing groups who are passionate about bringing people together through the power of song and music.

The nine members of the Farmers’ Choir, who will travel to London this weekend to sing in the Coronation Concert, are William Montgomery, Andrew Mackey, Valerie Cubitt, Dawn Stewart, Mary Lou Richmond, Mervyn Kelson, Ruth Kelso and Carol Hill, along with Musical Director Barkley Thompson.

The Farmers’ Choir was set up by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in 2018 to address rural isolation and offer a new way for people to meet and socialise together.

The choir draws it members mainly from the wider Antrim and Ballymena area and meets for practice on a monthly basis in Cullybackey, under the guidance of musical director, Barkley Thompson.

Yvonne Carson, Health and Wellbeing Manager in the Northern Trust, commented: “The Farmers’ Choir has been a very successful initiative for us, and to have this opportunity to be a part of the Coronation Choir is a huge achievement for everyone involved.

“The Coronation Choir will celebrate the great work of choirs like ours, which has been set up to connect people and harness the joy which comes from singing together.

“We know the social outlets connected with the rural landscape have changed dramatically over the years, and through the Farmers’ Choir we wanted to get back to the values of togetherness and friendship which are vital in all our lives.

“We are all very excited to be a part of this, and our participation is a great endorsement for us,” Yvonne added.

Ahead of the Coronation Concert, the Farmers’ Choir members will feature on a specially commissioned programme which charts the creation of the Coronation Choir. ‘Sing for the King,’ will air on BBC One & iPlayer on Friday 5 May at 8pm.