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Almost 1,000 Rockies Come Together at the Natural History Museum
On Saturday 17th October, almost 1,000 Rock Choir Members gathered at London’s Natural History Museum for a landmark event, singing What a Wonderful World beneath Hope, the museum’s magnificent blue whale skeleton.
Inspired by Sir David Attenborough, who celebrated his 100th birthday in May, the event was our way of marking this extraordinary milestone through music. Drawing on his iconic recitation of What a Wonderful World in the BBC’s Planet Earth series, we set out to create a special recording to send to Sir David as a gift from all of us at Rock Choir.
A Night at the Museum was also about giving our Rockies the chance to be part of something exceptional: an exclusive event in one of the UK’s most iconic buildings, bringing hundreds of singers together for an experience far removed from the everyday.
A Day of Singing, with a Remarkable Finale
The event began at the spectacular RHS Lindley Hall in London, where members took part in vocal workshops, warm-ups and rehearsals before heading to the Natural History Museum that evening.
Two choirs of approximately 500 members each attended their respective workshops at Lindley Hall, preparing for the vocal and video recordings that would take place later that evening.
Rockies travelled from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and across the London area to take part. Once the museum had closed to the public, the singers entered Hintze Hall for two exclusive recording sessions, each welcoming around 500 members.
Standing beneath Hope, surrounded by the vast architecture of the hall, the singers performed together in a setting few people ever get to experience in this way. As their voices rose and echoed through the space, the atmosphere was extraordinary. There was something powerful about hearing so many people singing as one, in a place that felt every bit as special as the occasion itself.
For our Rockies, this was more than a recording session. It was the chance to step inside a world-famous museum after hours, share the experience with fellow singers and friends, and be part of a musical moment that will stay with them long after the final note.
A Vision Brought to Life
The idea came from Rock Choir Leader Glen Harvey, who wanted to create an exclusive member event that went beyond a conventional performance. His vision was to bring Rockies together in an iconic setting for an ambitious recording and an experience unlike anything the choir had done before.
Rock Choir Founder and Creative Director Caroline Redman Lusher MBE made a surprise appearance to welcome the choirs, adding another special moment to the day. Caroline spoke of how proud she was of everyone who took part, describing the sound of the choir as breathtaking.
With more than 33,000 members across the UK and Ireland, Rock Choir is known for bringing people together through music and creating opportunities that extend beyond the rehearsal room. A Night at the Museum captured that spirit perfectly: a shared experience built around singing, friendship and taking part in something extraordinary together.
The Team Behind A Night at the Museum
Bringing an event of this scale together involved the combined efforts of our creative team, Rock Choir Leaders and HQ Teams.
Sam Smith, Head of Creative and Company Director, worked alongside Rock Choir Leaders Stacey Davies-Hobday, Danny Gortler, Elaine Williamson and Kathryn Davies to bring the members together for this special occasion.
Between them, the team delivered the vocal workshops and warm-ups, conducted the choirs, provided piano accompaniment and helped guide hundreds of Rockies through the day’s rehearsals and recordings.
Alex Hawker also played an important role in the project, supporting the vocal recording and mixing of members’ voices to help bring the final recordings together.
A special thank you goes to Katy and our supporting HQ and Events Team, whose hard work, planning and coordination helped make such an ambitious event possible. From preparing the venues and welcoming members to supporting the recording sessions and capturing the day, their efforts were an important part of the success.
Capturing an Extraordinary Night
The event was also professionally captured through photography and video, allowing us to share the experience with members and the wider public.
Special thanks to Will Bailey Photography for beautifully capturing the occasion and providing event photography and press images, Wilbee Films for bringing the evening to life through video, and Donna Samuels Photography for capturing the atmosphere and memorable moments shared throughout the event.
We look forward to sharing our official music videos recorded on the night, professional photographs and further coverage across our website and social media channels.
Memories to Last a Lifetime
The recording of What a Wonderful World will be sent to Sir David Attenborough as a gift marking his milestone birthday, but the memories made on the night belong to every Rockie who took part.
For those who were there, A Night at the Museum will be remembered not just for the song, but where they sang it, who they shared it with and the experience of being part of a landmark moment in the history of Rock Choir.
To every Rockie who joined us for this special event, thank you! Your enthusiasm, commitment and voices helped bring an ambitious idea to life and created an experience unlike anything we have done before.
Follow our Night at the Museum Story!
We’ll soon be sharing our official music videos, behind-the-scenes footage, professional photographs and more from this unforgettable day at the Natural History Museum.
Keep an eye on our website and follow us on social media to see the finished recordings, revisit the highlights and hear about future unique opportunities and experiences for our Rock Choir Members.
