All together now, MOAN!

If you do nothing else today, take time out of your schedule to watch an 8minute video:
http://www.complaintschoir.org/helsinki/complaintschoir_video_hel.html

The Complaints Choir started as an idea by two people in Helsinki. Apparently the Finnish language has a word ("Valituskuoro") that means Complaints Choir, used when lots of people complain simultaneously. Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta Kalleinen wondered what it would be like if everyone sang their complaints instead of speaking them.

The idea took off in Birmingham (makes sense to me!) and so the first Complaints Choir made its debut in the UK in May 2005. The Finnish couple have now set up a website at http://www.complaintschoir.org and are inviting people from all over the world to complain together.

Various choirs from all over the world (Russia, Alaska, US, Australia, Israel, Hungary, Malaysia etc) have uploaded videos of their Valituskuoro. The Birmingham choir are worth watching as the first outing of the idea (and a very catchy chorus), but for sheer fun and ingenuity, check out the Helsinki choir, moaning about bad sauna etiquette, mobile phone ringtones and always losing the Eurovision Song Contest. It's good singing, too!

10/10 to Tellervo and Oliver for a simply brilliant concept. And congratulations to all the participants who ran with the idea. Love it.


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