Seven professional singers from Windsor and Maidenhead have made their contribution to a new anthem composed to raise spirits as the nation combats the Coronavirus.

Windsor residents Hannah Cooke, Tom Lilburn, Nick Madden, Ben Alden, Simon Whiteley and Richard Bannan - with Maidenhead resident Emma Walshe - are all members of the world famous Tenebrae choir.

They all perform on the virtual premiere of Hand of Hope - an anthem celebrating the lives of those lost to COVID-19 and the key workers who continue to work tirelessly every day.

 

 

The anthem’s creators Nigel Short (founder of Tenebrae) and Ex-Eton College student Piers Schmidt developed the simple idea of reinterpreting a much-loved tune to create an uplifting and rallying song to mark the moment.

One of the world’s most prolific authors Alexander McCall Smith has written the words.

It was recorded by the nineteen singers of Tenebrae, each of whom did it remotely during lockdown and then mixed with the organ track, also recorded in lockdown- in Copenhagen.

The jewel in the anthem’s crown is the solo of young South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu, who recorded her contribution in her home city of Port Elizabeth.

All proceeds from the downloads of Hand of Hope will be used by the University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division to fast track the development of research and tools to treat COVID-19.

Communities, choirs and individuals are all invited to download the sheet music, free from www.handofhope.global, and to sing, record and share their own performances @handofhope_2020. When government regulations allow, Tenebrae will record Hand of Hope as a professional track to download.