IMAGINE being a songwriter and getting a call to say one of the UK’s finest acting knights of the realm is going to record a song you’ve written.
That’s exactly what’s happened to satirical singer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Tavener, who has collaborated on an animated film with Sir Ian McKellen and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The 26-year-old, originally from Weaverham, is part of a project established by Alexander Bodin Saphir, author in residence at the children’s hospital, who reached out to Chris after hearing his debut album and live DVD.
Titled 'The Meteor and the Moon', the song forms part of a film series based on ideas and stories from children at the hospital and Chris describes it as the greatest honour of his music career so far.
The song tells the story of how a charming meteor crash lands into a lonely moon, kick-starting an unlikely relationship. The meteor regales the moon with a song of his adventures through space as they terraform the moon together and discover the most important thing of all – a place to call home.
Chris explained: “It started in August 2018, when I was contacted by Alexander Bodin Saphir of Breaking Productions. He told me he was the author in residence at Great Ormond Street Hospital and wanted a comedy song written for a film starring Sir Ian McKellen and James Corden. I nearly fell off my chair.
“He said he’d heard my album and would like me to try writing for him.”
An anxious month of writing and waiting passed before Chris’s song was finally selected and he set to work with animators Beorn Leonard and Sarah Feldlaufer who made the film come to life.
Chris added: “More than a year later, James Corden had stepped down from the project, CBBC had turned down the chance to screen it and in desperation, they offered me the role of the meteor! Joking aside, I’m delighted to have been a part of this wonderful film for a very charitable cause.”
Although Chris hasn’t yet met Sir Ian, a renowned theatre actor and known to many for his roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The X-Men series, he is hopeful that the opportunity may one day arise.
“We recorded our parts in separate studios, which is often the way these days, but I would be absolutely delighted to meet him in the future. This is by far one the most exciting and greatest things to have happened in my career so far.”
As for what’s next for the aspiring musician, who has also shared a stage with the likes of Peter Hook, Rony Hadley, Mark Radcliffe, Clint Boon – not to mention Peep Show’s Super Hans – it’s all about the festive season.
Although he now lives in Didsbury, in order to be closer to the Manchester music scene, he often returns to his hometown and was part of the Northwich Christmas Extravaganza celebrations.
And over the festive season he is concentrating on getting back to the creative drawing board and planning for 2020.
He said: “Its going to be nice to have a bit of a rest. For the past four years, I’ve been touring constantly, performing in the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Sometimes performing up to 350 gigs a year.
“I’m going to concentrate on more writing and working towards what comes next. It’s good to have a bit of time to stop and think.”
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