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Published: 19 March 2010
by PETER GRUNER

THE founder of 1980s pop band Harvey and the Wallbangers is set to ­performing for charity in a less frenetic mood at St Luke’s church in ­Holloway.

Harvey Brough will be conducting a 90-strong choir next Sunday, March 28, in a performance of his classical spectacular Requiem In Blue to raise £12,000 for the Haiti disaster ­emergency appeal.

Harvey, 52, who lives on the fringes of Islington close to Clissold Park, said: “It’s going to be a great, uplifting evening. We hope to raise the roof!”

Requiem In Blue was written by Harvey in 1998 as a highly personal response to the untimely death of his older brother Lester. 

It was commissioned by East England Arts and premiered that same year.

It is based on the ­traditional Latin mass but incorporates folksong, blues, jazz, gospel and improvised elements. The final movement, Lux Aeterna, features words from the play Spoonface Steinberg by Lee Hall, in an uplifting prayer for redemption.

The choir, Vox Holloway, founded by Justin Butcher, organist and choirmaster at St Luke’s,  will be joining forces with Highbury Young Singers, St Luke’s Youth Choir and St Mary Magdalene Academy Choir, plus a six-piece jazz band and two soloists.

Mr Butcher said: “I started Vox Holloway last autumn as a community choral society for all – no auditions, no previous experience of choral singing needed, no profession of faith required – with St Luke’s as its home, but to include participants from far and wide.”

The choir’s first ­project was a performance of Handel’s Messiah in December which raised more than £6,000 for the Street Child World Cup charity.

For the past 30 years, Harvey has worked professionally in music as a performer, arranger, ­conductor, producer and composer in the theatre, film, TV and radio.

• Requiem in Blue is at St Luke’s Church, Hillmartin Road, N7 on March 28, 7pm, tickets £12 (£8 conc) by emailing voxholloway@gmail.com