SINGERS returned to the music hall at Barnard Castle's arts centre for the first time since lockdown – however, this was no ordinary show.
There was no audience and the 19 members of the group had pre-recorded their parts at home. Their efforts had been edited by composer Will Todd and the singers were filmed miming to the computer playback.
It was all part of project involving arts charity Northern Heartlands dubbed Heartlands Songbook.
Northern Heartlands director Jill Cole said the Heartlands Songbook music, comprising three songs, had been created in community workshops held across Teesdale and Weardale last year.
Composer Mr Todd then worked with local musicians Saul Rose, Andy Yeadon and percussionist Brendan Murphy to fine tune the Heartlands Songbook.
Ms Cole added: “We are extremely grateful to The Witham for enabling us to use their space for the first time since lockdown to film our community chorus, who were very happy indeed to be meeting physically after months of appearing on Zoom together.
“The event was very carefully managed, everyone kept socially distanced, everyone was temperature checked as they entered the building in a staggered queue, and wore masks except for when the filming took place.”
Ms Cole said more filming by the project's digital producer Austen Atkinson would be carried out at locations across Teesdale in the coming weeks and the finished ten-minute video would then be made available to view.
