Forty inexperienced singers from the Blackbird Leys estate are heading for the Royal Albert Hall and they are going to be TV stars, writes Nicola Lisle

The conductor was poised, arms aloft, seemingly unconscious of the camera just centimetres away. In front of him, 40 singers sat alert, trying to ignore the microphone hovering above their heads. A rare sight indeed in the rather run-down community centre at the heart of Blackbird Leys, but then this was a rare experience for all involved.

Since February, these singers most of whom have little or no experience of classical music have been training for their debut at the Royal Albert Hall, no less, where they will perform at the Classic FM concert on April 20, alongside the likes of Julian Lloyd-Webber, G4, the National Youth Choir and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Two months later, they will be on our TV screens in a four-part documentary, Ivor's Choir, which charts their progress from the audition stage to the grand finale in London.

"I've never sung in public before," admits 57-year-old Joy Presley. "But I'm always singing around the home. I always say I sing more than I talk! This has been great. I'm just worried what's going to happen when it's all over. I hope to go on to join a choir."

"I'm usually into soul and r 'n' b," adds 23-year-old Simba Ngei, a media student at High Wycombe University. "But I've found links in this, especially vocal links. I'm definitely going to buy more classical music because I feel I understand it more. There's so much more depth to it than I realised. It's really helped me as an artist. It's exciting, thrilling, and I've learnt so much about technique."

The singers represent a real cross-section of the Blackbird Leys community, with a good mixture of different ethnic groups and ages. "I'm the oldest!" chuckles 71-year-old Eric Hall, a former keyboard player who had his own band during the 1980s. "This is fabulous. I love it. Rehearsals for me could go on all night!"

This unique opportunity has come about courtesy of the Fivearts Cities project, a joint initiative launched in 2004 by Channel 5 and the Arts Council England to bring music to the wider community, helping people to explore their creativity and discover new talents.

The man guiding these singers on their musical journey is conductor and choral scholar Ivor Setterfield, the musical director of the New London Soloists Orchestra and the New London Singers, and a regular performer at the Royal Albert Hall and London's South Bank.

He said: "I think we've got a chance here of doing something really positive. I think it's a fantastic experience, both musically and socially. It's taught me amazing things. I'm fascinated by coming across these people and I enjoy working with them very much.

"All of them have one thing in common. They haven't had the opportunity of formal musical training. But there are some fantastic musicians in there. And it's a joy to me that people are not only getting into classical music, but they're finding a new confidence. I think this is opening doors and possibilities to people. That's what the arts do."

Ivor regularly conducts hundreds of singers every week, but has noticed a unique quality in this choir. "The difference between people I normally conduct and this group is the desire. I think if you're touched by music, quite often you can become complacent, and the sound is very reflective of that. These people absolutely want this opportunity. And once they get the hang of it you can see it in their faces. The whole room lights up with the effort, and that's very infectious for me. If someone gives you something back, no matter how hard you work, you will never feel tired because you are inspired by them."

Ivor has already given his new choir a taste of performing in public, in the unlikely setting of Oxford United football stadium, where they sang in front of hundreds of Oxford and Cheltenham supporters. It proved to be a memorable experience, despite initial barracking from some of the fans. More recently, he took them on a trip to Italy, where they absorbed the musical culture of a country famous for its opera.

But now it's full steam ahead for the Royal Albert Hall, where Ivor expects the singers to do full justice to their three months of training. He said: "Although it's been an enormous challenge for me, I feel confident that come the day they will do themselves proud, do me proud, do the community proud, and do the project proud."

  • For details about the Classic FM concert, call the RAH box office on 020 7589 8212, or visit tickets.royalalberthall.com. Ivor's Choir will be on Channel 5 in June.