Military Wives

Outdoor event will also feature soprano Claire Rutter, tenor Wynne Evans, the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, and Capital Voices

Claire Rutter

The Military Wives Choir, who had a surprise Christmas number one hit, head to Kent this weekend.

The singers, made up of wives of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, will be performing at Leeds Castle.

The group were formed last year by BBC Two reality show The Choir, and now they are performing to packed audiences around the UK.

The wives’ choir will be at the Open Air Classical Concert on Saturday, July 14.

Leeds Castle

Organisers say the event will be far more than simply a concert – there will be a diverse classical orchestral programme, interwoven with specially selected choral and solo pieces, plus the visual spectacle of military musicians, field guns, fireworks and iconic aircraft displays.

A spokesman said: “This is a spectacular signature event which is unique to Leeds Castle.”

Choir master Gareth Malone put together the Military Wives’ Choir, and they won the race to reach the Christmas number one slot beating others like X Factor winners Little Mix, Stacey Solomon and Alex Day.

Their song Wherever You Are was made up of lines from the wives’ love letters to their husbands in Afghanistan and captured the hearts of the nation.

The choir’s rise to the top has seen an extraordinary few months for the 100-strong choir from Devon. They have performed for royalty, dignitaries and celebrities and they received a nomination at this year’s Brit Awards.

Also on the bill is British soprano Claire Rutter, who has performed for the English National Opera and is currently sharing the leading role in a new production by of Verdi’s masterpiece, Aida at the Royal Albert Hall.

The outdoor event at Leeds Castle also sees the return of conductor John Rigby, and includes performances by leading tenor Wynne Evans, the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, and Capital Voices, returning to perform songs by Queen.

A castle spokesmansaid: “The dynamic conductor and orchestra partnership promises to provide an exceptional and diverse musical repertoire, accompanied by spectacles such as air display by nostalgic aircraft such as the Spitfire.”

The concert site opens 4pm, live music is from 5pm, and the main concert begins at 7.30pm.

Tickets are on sale and can be bought online at www.heritageevents.co.uk.