About Us
Rainbow Connection started with a simple dream - to share our passion for music with others. With over 15 years of experience, our founders, Paul and Deborah Mellors, have built a reputation for providing high-quality music tuition that caters to individuals of all ages and abilities. Our unique selling point lies in our multi award-winning choirs and our commitment to helping each student achieve their full potential. We believe that music is a universal language that has the power to bring people together, and we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive community where everyone can explore and develop their musical talents.
Now firmly established as one of the UK’s leading choral organisations, Paul & Debbie Mellors, formed ‘The Rainbow Connection Singers’ in 2003, encouraging students to improve their ensemble singing and their ability to sing in harmony. The Current lineup was put together for a trip to Disneyland Resort Paris in 2007.
They sing original arrangements of contemporary songs, in a way which is hopefully as entertaining visually as it is to listen to.
Their ambition, as a Choir, is to engage new audiences who wouldn’t normally listen to Choral Music, and inspire other young people to get involved in music activities.
They are the only choir to have won the open choir title at the BBC Choir of The Year Competition three times, in 2010, 2014, and 2016. The group also won Barnardo’s Choir Of The Year in 2011 and Manchester Amateur Choral Competition in 2017 and were runners up in 2020 and 2024, they wet Gold Medal Winners at The International Choral Competition in Hull 2023 and will be competing again in 2025.
They have performed at many of the country’s leading concert halls:- Birmingham Symphony Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Bridgewater Hall Manchester, The Sage Gateshead, Barbican Centre and the Millennium Centre in Cardiff.
They have entertained guests at Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest since 2010 as part of the Winter Wonderland Season and have just completed the 2024 season.
Memorable moments for the Choir in recent years include being invited to perform alongside the Band of the Coldstream Guards as part of their ‘laying up the colours’ ceremony at Doncaster Minster and having the privilege of paying their respects to one of David Bowie’s original Spiders from Mars, the late Trevor Bolder. When they were requested by his wife to sing his favourite song ‘The Long and Winding Road.’ A real highlight of 2018 was receiving an invitation to take part in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1. A truly humbling experience. In 2022 they were honoured to sing the official Anthem during the beacon lighting for HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Choir.
They have made many appearances on BBC Radio 3’s ‘The Choir’ including a memorable Remembrance Sunday programme from the Sage in Gateshead as part of the ‘Free Thinking Festival’ in 2015.
Who's Who
Deborah Mellors - Vocal Coach
Deborah was born and raised in Hull, (someone has to be!) At the age of sixteen she was awarded a full scholarship to attend the three year Musical Theatre course at Laine Theatre Arts in Surrey. There she gained ISTD teaching qualifications in Ballet and Modern and a Lamda Licentiate in Acting. Whilst being at “Laines” at the same time as Victoria Beckham, and Footballers’ Wives Star Ben Richards, Deborah was the only person in her year to pass the college’s Musical Theatre diploma with Honours, also winning the college’s Drama award and the most achieved award.. Upon leaving college she worked for a contemporary dance company, and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival , before touring Alaska, Mexico, and the Caribbean, for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She met Paul while playing Cinderella in Pantomime in her home town of Hull in 1994, She has since played principal girl and Fairy in York, Mansfield, Doncaster, and Newcastle. Throughout the late nineties Deborah and Paul produced two of their own shows which toured the UK, and worked for P&O cruises on board Oriana, Victoria, Arcadia, and the famous Canberra. Despite becoming a Corporate Presenter for three years for Barclaycard. Deborah’s first love has always been Musical Theatre, and she is delighted to now be able to pass on her wealth of useless trivia on the subject to her students!
Paul Mellors - Musical Director
Before forming Rainbow Connection Paul travelled the world (several times) as a Musical Director. Starting at the bottom around the workingmen’s clubs at the age of 13, Paul quickly discovered that music was to be the only career option of interest and was away on a Summer season immediately after leaving school. From then Paul has been Production MD on over 150 Pantomimes, writing, recording and directing the music for up to 10 shows at a time. Paul has performed on the world’s leading concert stages from the Royal Albert Hall to Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto and most of the UK’s theatre’s including playing The London Palladium for six weeks in Ken Dodd’s record breaking season in 1990. Throughout the 1980’s & 90’s Paul toured extensively with artists such as Ken Dodd, Bob Monkhouse, Ronnie Corbett, Sacha Diestel, Beverley Craven, Dave Willetts and in musicals including Scrooge, Gypsy, Saturday Night Fever, La Cage Aux Folles. Paul spent three years onboard P&O cruise liners as Bandmaster (a fancy title for Musical Director). Paul diversified into recording during the 1990’s and produced the music for Butlins, Warner and Haven shows across the whole of the UK alongside Air Tours, Saga & Thomson cruise lines. Paul’s musical influences are Frank Sinatra (as everyone knows), Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson, Bill Evans and The Who amongst many others.
In 2017 Paul & Debbie were honoured to become Patrons of Rainbows GB which is a charity who support bereaved children.
Contact Us Today
Whether you're looking for private music lessons, group choir sessions, or music theory workshops, we're here to help you achieve your musical goals. Get in touch with us to start your musical journey today.