Choirs to ‘Clash’ this holiday season

by Joshua Maloni
Niagara Frontier Publications, December 6, 2007

Celebrity choir master Michael Bolton with his New Have, Conn., choir
(NBC photo by Eric Liebowitz/copyright NBC Universal)

Regardless of your religious preference, chances are you’ll see some sort of musical group perform during the holidays. Whether it’s a gospel choir, a band of carolers or a street corner quartet, music makers will be out in force through the new year.

In the spirit of the season, NBC thought it would be fun to put these singers in competition with each other. To that end, the Peacock hired five celebrity choir directors – Michael Bolton, Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, Kelly Rowland and Blake Shelton – and sent each to their respective hometown (New Haven, Conn.; Philadelphia; Cincinnati; Houston; and Oklahoma City) in search of singers to form five choirs. Those diamonds in the rough will perform in front of millions of television viewers when “Clash of the Choirs” premieres live on Monday at 8 p.m.

The reality program continues at that time through Thursday, when one team will walk away with bragging rights.

Each headliner sought performers who could both shine individually and work cohesively within a choir.

“The process starts where we’re talking about how we get these individual singers to sing as one choir, to sing as one voice,” Bolton explained in a conference call last week. “And there’s – there are different schools on this, but no matter what happens and how organic the process is, and how naturally gifted the singers are, there is a certain amount of scrutinizing that we have to do – that I have to listen and decide that one of the altos is phrasing something differently or pronouncing a vowel or a word differently.

“And I have to say, ‘OK, can we tighten this up? What’s going on right here,’ and point out that the tenors are – one tenor is doing a certain turn and, very technically, adding a half step or a note that wasn’t written as part of the part.

“And you do have to scrutinize it. But at the same time, you have to let the choir become comfortable and find their own zone of comfort by just letting them sing and letting them feel good, and relaxed – letting their instruments do what they love to do.

“Then you go in and start tweaking and start really defining their notes, and the process organically tightens up as we go. Each rehearsal it gets better and better.”

Celebrity choir master Patti LaBelle with her Philadelphia choir
(NBC photo by Eric Liebowitz/copyright NBC Universal)

Equally challenging is teaching these vocalists to step up and become the audience’s main focus. As choirs go, singers are often in the background, working behind a lead singer.

“I always say to them, ‘Do you know how to get a standing ovation?’ And they’ll all say ‘no.’ I say, ‘Well now is the time to learn.’ ” LaBelle said. “So I scare them. … I scare them because you know what it is – and Michael knows too – some people have voices and they’re lazy to use them.

“They don’t want to use them to their full ability. So mentally I tell all of them to act like you’re the lead singer of this choir. Every one – all 20 of you – are the lead singer of this one choir. You have to carry everybody.”

On the show, viewers can expect a wide range of songs – not just stereotypical gospel numbers.

“It’s a pretty wide list of songs to choose from,” Bolton said. “So – and I think that was wise. I think, fortunately, it’s a wide range of music that I think will appeal to a wide range of people around our country and several demographics.”

The winning team, as decided by the viewing public, will be granted the ability to make a sizeable charitable contribution to its community. NBC says that could range from the construction of a new school gym to the building of a neighborhood playground.

“This is a fairly selfless act ... it’s a team sport and they really are playing for giving this charitable gift back to their community and being, you know, hometown heroes,” producer Jason Raff said.

Actress and “Today Show” correspondent Maria Menounos hosts “Clash of the Choirs.” The NBC (Ch. 2) show makes its two-hour debut on Monday, Dec. 17, at 8 p.m. It will air Tuesday and Wednesday, from 8 to 10 p.m. The finale is Thursday at 8 p.m.