
I Miss You • The Missing People Choir
“In my dreams, I see your face, walk with you, hold you safe.
Close my eyes, I think of you, until the day, I see you again.”
I founded the Missing People Choir with the charity Missing People in 2014 for those who have had someone missing in their lives. The choir clearly shows how purposeful music and singing touches us on an emotional level, connects us in community and makes a greater impact than ‘usual’ forms of communication
The choir came to the public’s attention when they were catapulted to the final of Britain’s Got Talent 2017. The show made a huge impact. Since BGT 5 people have come home or made contact with their loved ones, including one boy who saw himself of the screen and called his mother. More on the chartiable impact below.
I knew the choir needed its own song, and co-wrote ‘I Miss You’, with the most musical sound engineer I know, the wonderful Simon Rhodes. The music speaks deeply of the loss and love, the searching and hoping experienced by loved ones left behind. Its lyrics were inspired by the words of Peter Boxell whose son Lee went missing aged 14 in 1988. It was the first song that the choir ever performed in December 2014 at the charity Missing People’s Carol Service in St-Martin-In-The-Fields. Later on I arranged for the song to be recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the choir and world-class cellist, Tony Pleath.
What a brilliant idea!
The Impact of The Missing People Choir on Britain’s Got Talent
I rehearsed and conducted The Missing People Choir through the BGT experience, which culminated in a Finals appearance.
Following the TV appearances, the charity received important new information and leads about missing persons, with five people making contact with loved ones or coming home consequently. They also experienced the biggest impact from any single marketing and PR activity in all its 25 years. The choir’s appearance on Britain’s Got Talent reached 20 million people and the charity’s brand awareness increased by 8% in one year.
The legacy of the Missing People choir extends into fundraising. In 2017 alone the choir was responsible for drawing in over £400k and facilitated fundraising more than £150k in 2018.
For more information about Missing People and the choir, please visit the Missing People website.
'I Miss You' Sheet Music for Choirs
I am delighted to release a score of Missing People Choir's song. 'I Miss You' is now available in sheet music for choirs worldwide who would like to share its message.