IT IS a story that begins in a Moroccan orphanage, with a couple desperate to adopt a child.
Since then, Hull-born Jo Garofalo's Voice In A Million (VIAM) – inspired by her and husband Robert's experiences – has become something of a musical force.
The concerts, which have been staged at venues including London's O2 arena, have, since 2009, seen more than 45,000 children perform on stage.
But behind the exuberance of the productions, one of which is set for Hull City Hall this December, is a serious message.
VIAM's aim is to raise awareness of the millions of children worldwide who, through being orphaned or abandoned, are in need of a loving family.
It is something that Jo, a producer and former West End performer, can relate to.
After years of trying, without success, to adopt in England, the couple travelled to Tangier, Morocco, in 2006.
"We had tried to adopt for about five years, but we found lots of obstructions and we kept getting delayed," said Jo, who lives in Thorpe, Surrey.
"At one point I had IVF, and you can't apply for at least six months after that.
"While there have to be stringent checks, the timescale was so huge that you think there must be many potential adopters who were put off."
The couple had heard about the possibility of adoption in the north African country from Peter, Robert's brother, who works there as a Christian missionary.
Despite admitting in an online account of the visit that she had doubts – "What if none of them like me?," she had wondered – Jo and Robert bonded with an abandoned baby boy, who they named Sam.
After seven months, the paperwork was completed.
Sam, eight, has since been joined in the Garofalo family by Alicia, now four years old, who was adopted in England.
"It still took us almost two years to adopt her, while they say it is eight months from start to finish," said Jo.
"It has improved but it is still a very long process."
These issues are something which VIAM helps to raise through its productions, one of which will be staged at Hull City Hall.
The December performance will include an appearance by Hull groups Johnny Pat and The Aces and vocal trio the Melodies, who performed at VIAM's Wembley Arena show earlier this year.
Now, VIAM is looking for children to take part in a mass choir for the event.
Auditions for the City Hall concert, and for VIAM's Wembley Arena show in March next year, are to be held in Hull next month.
Open to primary and secondary schoolchildren, the criteria is simple: "They just need to like singing and be passionate about it," Jo said.
She has seen first hand the effect that the concert has on audience members, including the vocal coaches David and Carrie Grant, who have worked on TV shows including Pop Idol and Fame Academy.
"I have seen a lot of couples go forward to adopt from coming to our concerts," said Jo.
"In the first year at the O2, David and Carrie, who already had children, decided to adopt.
"They said it was purely from sitting in the audience and deciding they had the time and space and money to do so."
The Hull concert, the third VIAM has staged at City Hall, is always a nostalgic event for Jo.
Raised in east Hull, the former Malet Lambert pupil started singing at 14, encouraged by Hull singer Johnny Pat.
She left to study musical theatre at Laine Theatre Arts in Surrey, and has remained in the south since, but the north still has a strong pull on her.
She hopes to stage a large-scale VIAM concert in Hull during the 2017 UK City of Culture year, and auditions children from the city for the VIAM concerts.
The past five years have seen a number of young singers from Hull performing solo slots at the 02 and Wembley.
There is also Jo's affection for the city, where her family lives.
"Every summer, we come to Hull for a holiday," Jo said.
"I say to my little boy, 'Would you like to go to Turkey or Hull?'
"He says Hull every time. He loves it.
"I left Hull at 16 and have lived down south for 31 years now, but we could run the business from anywhere.
"The north is more friendly than the south.
"I say to my husband 'Why don't we move back?'"
As she prepares for her latest production, Jo says the emotional impact of the concerts remain as strong as ever.
"Sometimes I stand there and think I cannot believe how many children have taken part in these events – it is more than 45,000," said Jo.
"For the first few years I used to get really emotional as I was standing on stage on the night of the concert, when I thought that it had come about because I wanted to have a baby.
"We went through so much to adopt them but I would do it again tomorrow.
"They have changed my life."
• Auditions for the concert will take place on Sunday, July 6, at the Adele Murray dance studio, in Cottingham Road, Hull. Registration takes place at 10.30am. For more information, visit www.voiceinamillion.com or call 01784 240859.
