IT was a meeting of imaginations when Three Choirs administrator Liz Pooley contacted local community music organisation The Music Pool to put in place an inaugural event for this year's festival.

"Many visitors arrive in the county a day early for the internationally renowned festival which starts on a Sunday," said director Rob Strawson.

"The festival realised that there would be an influx of music-lovers with nothing to do on a Saturday evening."

The Music Pool was already well underway with a fund-raising project for St Michael's Hospice. The Three Choirs platform gives the event the international profile it needs.

As many different choral groups as possible have been brought together for two all-encompassing international celebratory singing events, under the title 'The Gathering Wave'; a project co-ordinated and conducted by Hilary Smallwood.

With eight local schools and colleges joining forces with seven adult singing groups in the county, it is certainly a concept that has harnessed a large proportion of local talent.

"Primary school children who don't read music at all have been amalgamated with classical singers in a deliberate process which should provide good experience for all," said Rob.

The programme includes a truly eclectic selection of material drawn from the varied repertoires of the groups involved - songs from Africa, America, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Georgia and England provide a framework for the new composition - 'Hold The Line' - which was commissioned especially for the project and written by Malvern's Richard Chew.

As well as providing a choral curtain raiser for The Three Choirs on August 16 at The Courtyard, The Gathering Wave will continue until October 4 when, as part of the international fund-raising effort 'Voices for hospices 2003', the culmination will take place at Hereford Leisure Centre.

The following organisations have helped make The Gathering Wave a reality: The Elmley Foundation, The Holst Foundation, Hereford City Council and Hereford Cathedral School.