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What happens when 9,000 Voices Come Together?
Recorded across 19 special Summer Sessions, our Feeling Good performance brought together over 9,000 Rock Choir Members across the UK and Ireland during summer 2026. The project saw thousands of Rockies unite their voices for a powerful rendition of the song made famous by Nina Simone.
Led by our Rock Choir Leaders and accompanied on piano, members gathered in beautiful local venues to learn a unique arrangement of Feeling Good. Each two-and-a-half-hour session gave Rockies the opportunity to learn, rehearse and record their performance, contributing to one collaborative video that would bring all 19 locations together.
From historic cathedrals to impressive local performance spaces, the Summer Sessions made the most of the acoustics of each venue. Although members were singing in different parts of the UK and Ireland, they were all contributing to the same musical project.
The finished recording captures the voices and moments of over 9,000 Rockies singing as one.
9,000 Voices Perform Nina Simone’s Feeling Good
At the centre of the Rock Choir Summer Sessions was Feeling Good, a song with a particularly powerful history. Written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, it became closely associated with Nina Simone following her celebrated 1965 recording.
With its themes of freedom, resilience and new beginnings, the song has long resonated with audiences. Its connection to the civil rights era made it a meaningful choice for a project bringing thousands of voices together.
Our members learned a specially created arrangement that allowed thousands of individual voices to contribute to one shared performance. With our Choir Leaders accompanying the sessions on piano, the focus was on the strength of the vocals and the harmonies created when Rockies sang together.
Each session had just two and a half hours to learn, rehearse and record the music, before their performances were captured on camera.
Acoustic Performances in Beautiful Venues
The beautiful acoustics of the venues offered an opportunity to hear familiar Rock Choir songs in a different setting. With piano accompaniment from our Choir Leaders, these stripped-back performances placed the focus on the members’ voices and the sound of the choir within each building.
Members enjoyed singing in venues including Belfast Cathedral, Llandaff Cathedral, Eastbourne’s Winter Garden and other iconic locations across the UK and Ireland. The buildings provided memorable surroundings for the sessions, with their individual acoustics contributing to the character of each recording.
These additional performances were brought together into a unique playlist, giving Rockies the chance to revisit their own session and also watch performances of other Rockies elsewhere.
For members who usually sing within their local choir, the finished collection offered a chance to hear how other groups approached familiar songs, while recognising the shared sound of Rock Choir throughout the recordings.
Seeing 9,000 Rockies Sing as One
Bringing all 19 performances together into one music video was the final stage of the project. The finished Rock Choir Feeling Good video combines performances from across the UK and Ireland, capturing thousands of members singing the same arrangement in venues hundreds of miles apart.
For many Rockies, watching the finished recording was the first opportunity to hear the full scale of what they had helped create.
Julie McGill, who attended the Exeter session, shared:
“Goosebumps!!! The arrangement of this iconic song was so fabulous and emotional that Rockies everywhere just took it and ran!!”
Jill Lennon was delighted to recognise the opening footage from Belfast Cathedral, describing the session as “the best experience” and sharing how proud she was to have taken part.
Members from Glasgow, Cambridge, Winchester, Liverpool and other locations across the UK and Ireland also shared their excitement after watching the video, with many commenting on the sound of thousands of voices coming together.
One Rockie, reflected on hearing the completed recording:
“Just listened 🤩 all our voices combined sound amazing I was so happy to be part of this magical experience another Rockie memory to add to my many thank you 😊 ⭐️🎶⭐️ x”
For others, the experience held particular personal meaning.
Jaki Wadely shared:
“It was such a fabulous arrangement to sing. It made me Feel Good when I needed it the most!!”
These reactions captured the pride members felt in contributing to a project that connected Rockies through the same piece of music.
A Summer Experience to Remember
Reflecting on her experience in Winchester, Carrie Ferguson shared:
“What a brilliant time we had, I loved every minute of the experience and feel very proud of all who took part! What a sound!”
Another member, Anne Foster, described the project as “such an emotional and joyful experience”, a sentiment echoed by Rockies who shared their reactions to the finished video.
Watch the Full Summer Sessions Video Collection
While the combined Feeling Good performance brings all 19 sessions together, there’s plenty more music to enjoy from the summer.
Each Summer Session recorded its own acoustic performance, and we’ve brought these videos together in a dedicated YouTube playlist. Members can revisit their own session, discover performances from other venues and enjoy the different interpretations of our Rock Choir repertoire.
Watch the full Rock Choir Summer Sessions video collection here!
We’re incredibly proud of every Rockie who took part, our Choir Leaders who brought the music to life and everyone involved in making the recordings possible.
From 19 individual sessions to one combined performance, Feeling Good has become a wonderful reminder of what our Rock Choir community achieved together during the summer of 2026.
