Three Choirs Festival – meet Ben Cooper

You travel to many antiques fairs for work. What’s the most exciting thing you’ve ever seen or found? 

In my work, I do indeed, travel a lot to fairs up and down the country. My most exciting find was nearly 20 years ago at the Malvern Flea Market. I bought a small, Chinese, blue and white wine ewer. I had a feeling it was ‘right’ and it was!  I paid £25 and after research confirmed that it was Chinese Imperial porcelain, dating from the Yongzheng reign (1723-35), I sold it on for £5,800!

You’ve been a chorus member at the Three Choirs Festival since 2009. What’s been the highlight of your many years performing as part of the Festival?

My Festival highlight was back in 2021 at the ‘Covid’ festival in Worcester. The first choral work on the opening night was Elgar’s The Music Makers. It was so emotional for all – only 10 days prior the country was observing social distancing, and there we were singing side by side, the Philharmonia in front of us. As we sang “we are the music makers…” there was not a dry eye in the house.

Do you have a favourite choral work? What is it and why?

My favourite choral work keeps changing! I do adore singing Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, but then there’s Verdi’s Requiem… and Bach’s Mass in B minor. Too difficult to choose!

Can you tell us a bit more about your role in the concert and Cecilia McDowall’s Shipping Forecast? 

In Shipping Forecast I’m the narrator. A totally new role for me.  I often do public speaking, but have never narrated in a choral work. So it should be fun, if a little nerve wracking!

What three things are you listening to at the moment? 

I drive a lot so always have music on. Currently for a long drive I’m addicted to Bach’s Mass in B minor, but if I need perking up you can’t beat a bit of Dolly Parton! At home I often listen to the comedian Cally Beaton’s podcast, Namaste Motherf**kers – she always has interesting guests and you learn so much about people.