The Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury took carol singing to new heights, literally, as they performed a rendition of Ding Dong! Merrily on High while travelling at 45mph and 66ft up in the air on a rollercoaster.
The choir made a thrilling trip to Chessington World of Adventures to perform some of the UK’s favourite carols on the theme park’s Mandrill Mayhem rollercoaster.
Will Bersey, director of music at The King’s School Canterbury, commented: “Such extreme carol singing was an experience our choristers won’t forget any time soon. “
“Singing traditional carols while riding a rollercoaster was a challenge, but one we embraced with great enthusiasm. We’re looking forward to our festive performance at the Winter’s Tail event, though perhaps from a more stationary position.”
The choir is set to kick off Chessington World of Adventures’ Winter’s Tail event, which includes a grotto, live shows and entertainment, and an exclusive carol concert on 23rd November.
Howard Ebison, the divisional director of Chessington World of Adventures, added: “We’re thrilled to have teamed up with the fantastic Crypt Choir of The King’s School Canterbury for this unique performance.”
“We love bringing a little extra excitement to the festive season, and what better way than combining the joy of Christmas carols with the thrills of our rides? “.
A recent survey conducted by Chessington revealed that three in 10 consider carols one of their favourite aspects of the festive season, with 45 per cent still preferring timeless traditional carols over Christmas pop hits.
Over two thirds said that carols are essential in creating the perfect holiday atmosphere, but it was Gen Z who claimed to be the biggest fans, with an astonishing 9 out of 10 enjoying Christmas carols.
A third said that hearing the music reminded them of their school days. While 43 per cent said it helped them recall fond memories with their friends and family.
While 85 per cent of adults either enjoy listening to or singing carols during December, more than half (52 per cent) of young adults aged 18-27 believe November is an acceptable time for Christmas carols to be played.
An eager two fifths of Gen Z hope to attend a carol concert this year, yet 18 per cent confessed they haven’t sung any of the carols since they were in school.
The study found Gen Z were more likely to know the words to classics including ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ than their older Millennial, Gen X and Boomer counterparts.
‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘We Three Kings’ are also among the carols young adults are more likely to be able to sing along to than all other age groups.