ORGANISERS are on the crest of a wave after the success of a sea-themed community music celebration.

Sounding the Sea in Weymouth was one of 180 events taking part nationwide as part of the government-backed Our Big Gig project, which aims to keep the legacy of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics alive by bringing communities together.

Portland’s Island Voices Choir was awarded a grant from arts organisation Superact and the Department of Communities and Local Government to organise an event locally, and Sounding The Sea was held at St Mary’s Church in Weymouth.

It included a harmony singing workshop and a community concert featuring a new singing group, Sea Sound Singers, plus the Quangle Wangle Choir whose members performed a piece composed for them under the ‘Adopt a Composer’ scheme, which can be heard on Radio 3 in the autumn.

There was also a range of other local musicians including local folk performers John Forsdyke and Pauline Clenshaw, the Weymouth Ukuleleans, singer-songwriter Rob McIlroy, sea shanty group Dorset Wrecks, and Weymouth Accordion Club and women’s acapella group Bagatelle.

John Wilson, a young self-taught pianist who performed at the Weymouth Sailing Olympics opening ceremony in 2012, played two of his own atmospheric compositions, and Island Voices Choir closed the concert with a set of locally-composed songs, joined at the end by participants.

Event organiser Su Lewis said: “We were very excited to be part of Our Big Gig which gave people the chance to enjoy a variety of live performances and have a go at harmony singing and performing themselves.

She continued: “We also raised nearly £100 on the day through donations for our chosen charity, the Fisher-men’s Mission.” Katharine Lane, director at Superact said: “As an Inspired by 2012 project, it was great to see the Olympic spirit on display as volunteers and community organisations teamed up to make these brilliant gigs happen.”