On May 6, 2023, the Royal School of Church Music will bring together over 150 choirs to take part in their “Sing for the King” project.

Featuring a special commission by British singer and composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, Sing for the King” will celebrate the coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom. Currently, over 2,600 singers across over 150 choirs are expected to participate, coming from throughout the U.K. and beyond. They will learn and perform “The Mountains shall bring peace,” which was released as a single on March 17.

The work itself draws from the text of Psalms and is suitable for all choirs in a range of settings. Choirs groups are invited to share their rehearsals and performances with the hashtag #singfortheking .

“I was keen to find words which reflected not only King Charles’s faith but also something of his passion for the natural world and his love of the outdoors,” says L’Estrange. “When I think of our former Prince of Wales, I picture him walking in the Welsh mountains or in the Scottish Highlands. I’m also all too aware that this Coronation is taking place during a very turbulent time for our country and our planet and so I was searching for words which would in some way give us all hope for the future. Central to the commission brief was a big, singable tune, the kind of memorable melody which anyone and everyone can enjoy singing at the tops of their voices.”