As far as musical genres go, you can’t get further apart on the scale than Take That and the Crouch End Festival Chorus (CEFC), and this week I had the pleasure to see both within just 24 hours. While I took little persuading to go and see the mighty four, a gentle push from the CEFC’s musical director David Temple during our interview last week was enough to make me take a step outside my comfort zone and head to the Barbican on Monday for my first ever choral performance.

Presenting a contrasting programme of Fauré’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony, two composers, a generation apart with two very different styles, I had been told by Temple to expect to be “completely overwhelmed”.

Having been in a state of euphoria the night before for an emotional rendition of Never Forget at Wembley Stadium, I questioned whether choral music would have the same effect, but within the first minutes of Requiem I had goosebumps. Singing with military precision the chorus’ stirring forte moments and poetic piano sections were beautifully executed under Temple’s enthusiastic direction, with the London Orchestra da Camera easily living up to its reputation as one of the capital’s best ensembles.

Takng the solo spotlights were 15-year-old soprano Maeve Campbell and baritone Grant Doyle, and while Doyle’s subtle interpretation suited the piece wonderfully, I’m afraid Campbell was slightly out of her depth. While to be commended for performing in the Barbican Hall, a nerve-wracking feat not to be sniffed at, her talents were sadly stretched beyond their limits.

The second half of the programme was as theatrical as the first was contemplative and saw the introduction of Naomi Harvey as the soprano. With a powerful operatic voice that filled the hall (and probably most of the car park below), Harvey drew on her experience with the Welsh National Opera to dramatic effect, almost, at times, to the expense of Doyle’s measured tones.

As something of a choral novice, I was surprised by how easily I got swept up in the evening, the first half in particular, and with the CEFC’s track record of performing with hit artists such as Oasis and Ray Davies here’s hoping a Take That collaboration is only a chance meeting away!