LDSM composer looks likely to snatch Christmas No.1 from X Factor

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

With bookmakers William Hill putting ‘Wherever You Are’ by the Military Wives choir as clear favourite, Lake District Summer Music is hoping one of its composers will be celebrating a Happy Christmas by snatching the coveted Christmas No.1 spot in the charts.

It is all part of a meteoric climb to fame by Paul Mealor who took part in LDSM's inaugural 4x4 Composer Residency back in 2001. Mealor was selected to write a new work for the Royal Wedding of William and Kate this summer and is already at No.1 in the classical specialist charts with a CD of his music by choral group Tenebrae. Now Paul is hoping to be top of the pops too with the piece he wrote for the Military Wives as part of BBC TV's The Choir.

LDSM Senior Executive Officer Andrew Lucas says: "We are so thrilled for Paul and the Military Wives choir. The single is such a great example of how music can profoundly affect people. Paul's music speaks from the heart and it's no surprise that he has managed to touch so many thousands of people with this piece weaving together fragments of letters written by members of the choir to their loved ones fighting for their country overseas. They deserve our support."

Proceeds from the single will go to The Royal British Legion and SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) Forces Help. News reports have suggested that Paul's disc has been selling 100 copies for every 1 CD by chart rivals Little Mix from X Factor. It has raced past some of the bestselling albums of the last decade, from artists including Take That, Coldplay and Susan Boyle, to become the most pre-ordered music product of all-time at Amazon.co.uk. 

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