FELSTED pupils followed in the footsteps of some of the greatest musicians of all time after recording at the Abbey Road studios in London. Under the guidance of a school parent, Andrew Sunnocks, the Felsted Twenty choir recorded tracks for an online UK m

FELSTED pupils followed in the footsteps of some of the greatest musicians of all time after recording at the Abbey Road studios in London.

Under the guidance of a school parent, Andrew Sunnocks, the Felsted Twenty choir recorded tracks for an online UK music library - but the experience was all the more amazing for the fact they were in the same studio used by The Beatles.

The school's director of music, James Lowry, said: "This was an incredible experience for pupils and staff alike. The choir recorded for four hours and discovered that it was a very different way of singing and performing - it is a new experience to perform wearing headphones.

"The recording staff were amazed with the talent and maturity of our pupils - they could not believe we were not a professional choir."

Seven pieces were recorded in total, in styles ranging from contemporary to traditional choral and African-style chanting. The choir were congratulated by both composers and the staff at Abbey Road for their professionalism and performance.

The pupils sang in Studio Two - which The Beatles always used when they recorded - and they even had the opportunity to see the mixing desk that their albums were recorded on. Oasis, U2, Dido and The Spice Girls have all also used the studio.

Choir member Toby Oxnam, 18, was one of the lucky ones; the boarding pupil has just completed an International Baccalaureate at the school.

He said: "It was an unforgettable day for all of us. I've been really lucky, singing with the 20 has given me some amazing opportunities, from performing Paris last year to singing at Westminster Cathedral earlier this term.

"However, recording in The Abbey Road studios must count as the top musical highlight of my time here."

The choir sings regularly in Felsted's new state-of-the-art music school, opened recently by Dame Evelyn Glennie, but also delights audiences across the region and abroad.