Listen to these amazing on-song Hartlepool singers in their first performance under lockdown

Even though they can’t get together to sing, the women’s choir Melodramatics produced this version of Stand By Me from their own homes.

And even more impressive is, they all did it individually before their voices were combined thank to the wonders of modern technology.

Every one of the singers featured in the video is a key worker, whether they are in the NHS or in teaching.

And for those of you thinking you could do this, the 20-strong Melodramatics are keen to hear from more would-be members.

Peter Scott is the musical director of the choir which before the coronavirus, met on Thursdays from 6.30pm and is based at Hartlepool Stage Society in Glamorgan Grove. It is still going strong but with its members getting involved on social media.

He said: “We have been going about three years and we are a non-profit organisation.

“We have 20 members but we are open for more. It is not a formal choir, it is a group of women who come together for different reasons.

“Some love singing and some love the social aspect of it all, and it can help with anxiety and mental health issues.”

But under lockdown, the choir is still ‘meeting’ and you can find out more at the Facebook page at The Melodramatics.

Lockdown has brought its own challenges especially on the technology side.

But each member was given a practice track which they sang and then sent back to the co-musical director Sarah Charlton who combined the tracks.

The end result was the production of the Stand By Me version which the choir wanted to produce to say thank you to every hero who is working hard to keep people safe under the coronavirus.

Peter added: “That was our first video. We are working on I Will Follow Him from Sister Act and Everybody Hurts from REM.

“We do a number of different genres and we have a big age range of members from 18 to the 70s.”

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