The link to the course launch stream will appear here closer to the time
Choir of the Earth is delighted to be the first online choir to learn, sing and record an exciting new work by Alexander L’Estrange and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange: Wellspring! The Way of Water.
This fantastic work also includes the opportunity to play and record body percussion, tuned water glasses, and even get young singers involved in the children’s chorus.
With coaching and rehearsal tracks from the charismatic composers themselves, plus detailed teaching for each voice part from our marvellous Musical Director Ben England, this is absolutely one not to miss. Whether you’re an experienced choral singer seeking something new, or you’re just getting started with choral singing, we’re going to have a lot of fun!
What we will learn
Our Musical Director - the brilliant Ben England - will teach us every note, line and voice part of Wellspring! The Way of Water by Alexander L'Estrange and Joanna Forbes L'Estrange.
The work celebrates the life-giving, healing and spiritual power of water. Scored for SATB choir, unison children’s choir and an instrumental jazz quintet, it incorporates a range of musical styles, including folk, gospel, minimalist, jazz and Taizé, as well as movements that call for body percussion and even the playing of tuned water glasses by the choir!
About the composers
Alexander L’Estrange and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange are British composers and performers whose music brings together their love of choral singing and jazz. As husband and wife, they have collaborated on works that bring singers of different ages and levels of experience together, combining memorable melodies with lively rhythms and plenty of opportunities to try something new.
Alexander is a composer, arranger and jazz musician, while Joanna is a soprano, composer and former Musical Director of The Swingles. Both are already familiar to many Choir of the Earth singers: Joanna led our course on Alexander’s arrangement of How Do You Keep the Music Playing, as well as our Sunshine! course, which featured his arrangements of Bring Me Sunshine, Smile, What a Wonderful World and You Are the Sunshine of My Life. More recently, we enjoyed learning and recording Joanna’s A Season to Sing.
We’re delighted to be working with both composers on Wellspring! The Way of Water. They understand our unique way of working and are great supporters of our approach to online music-making. With their coaching and rehearsal tracks, we’ll have the opportunity to explore the music with guidance directly from the people who wrote it!
A little about the piece
Wellspring! The Way of Water celebrates the life-giving, healing and spiritual power of water. Commissioned by Millfield School in Somerset, near the historic springs and wells of Glastonbury, this 40-minute work explores our connection with water through ten contrasting movements. Alongside its lively moments, there is space for calm and reflection, with themes of wellbeing and renewal running throughout.
The piece begins with singers playing tuned water glasses, introducing four notes that return throughout the work. Mixed voices and a children’s chorus come together, with body percussion adding to the fun! There’s plenty to enjoy as the music moves between the swing of jazz, the energy of gospel and the storytelling of folk, with the gentle, meditative repetition of Taizé offering a chance to pause and take a breath.
Listen to the trailer for Wellspring! The Way of Water here:
Find out more about this exciting work here on Alexander L’Estrange’s website and and here on the L’Estrange Music website.
Our teaching and resources
Our online courses are designed to be flexible and welcoming. You will get:
A one-hour full choir rehearsal each week of the course, led by our Musical Director, Ben England
A one-hour sectional rehearsal focused on your voice part (soprano, alto, tenor or bass) each week, with the option to attend any others you like - learn and record as many voice parts as you like, or just come along to enjoy the music and live chat
Additional coaching videos from Alexander L’Estrange and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange
Rehearsal tracks recorded by Alexander L’Estrange and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange
The option to record and submit your own recordings, which will be combined with singers around the world to create a final mixed performance
Our rehearsals take place between 17:00 to 19:00 UK time - a full schedule will be provided on our exclusive Members’ Area prior to the course launch. Can’t make it live? No problem - our rehearsals are recorded and available immediately so you can catch up at a time that suits you!
At the end of the course, our global recording will be premiered on YouTube as a concert - a celebration of what we have learned and created together.
You don’t need any previous choral experience to take part in our courses - just a love of singing and a way to get online.
As this work is under copyright, it will be necessary to purchase a score for a small extra cost, but we will provide all the information you need to obtain a copy.
Our innovative learning tools mean you will learn this stunning music in a depth you don’t get with any other choir.
ℹ️ Find out more about how Choir of the Earth works here.
Be part of it
Our course launch session on Monday 5 April 2027 will be open to all, so please do come along to hear more about the music and how the course will work.
If you would like to sing Wellspring! The Way of Water with Choir of the Earth, simply sign up as a member. Sign up for an annual membership to enjoy the rest of our amazing programme and save around 12% across the year (that’s 6 weeks of singing absolutely free!)
We hope to sing with you soon!
Enjoy Choir of the Earth perform Alexander L’Estrange’s arrangements alongside Joanna Forbes L’Estrange here:
Discover Choir of the Earth with a full sample week of rehearsals - learn the Sanctus from Haydn’s Harmoniemesse with us here:
Find the score and sample rehearsal tracks from Richard Gowers and Fieri Consort in the description underneath each video
Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure that courses proceed on the dates and with the content advertised, unforeseen circumstances may require changes on occasion. We endeavour to minimise such alterations, but we reserve the right to make adjustments if necessary.