National Children's Choir of Great Britain to Perform Summer Concert and Free Recital

The National Children's Choir of Great Britain (NCCGB) - four choirs for children aged 9-10 from the length and breadth of the country - has a jam-packed summer of activity as they take part in their second week-long residential course of the year, culminating in concerts and even an international tour.

NCCGB's Summer Concert

All four of the NCCGB's choirs will take to the stage at the Aston Webb Great Hall, University of Birmingham for their annual Summer Concert (Saturday 8 August, 3.30pm). Tickets for this concert may be booked via the University of Birmingham website.

Following two week-long residential courses, the four choirs - with singers aged 9-19 - will sing music from sacred to secular, ancient to modern and everything in between. The Musical Direction is by Dan Ludford-Thomas, with a music team that includes conductors Stuart Overington, Rachel Smith and Suzzie Vango, and pianists ALEX AITKEN, Claire Dunham and Melissa Morris.

A flagship event for members of NCCGB, the concert is a fabulous showcase of the four choirs' remarkable work ethic. The choirs will perform on their own, and in different combinations during the concert, as they share just some of the music they have learned this calendar year.

Music by a range of composers is featured on the programme, showing the incredible range of styles - and languages - that each of the choirs can turn their hands to. Green Choir (School Year 8 - 10) will perform a cappella (without accompaniment) in Bulgarian and Pakpaknese, while Blue Choir have been working on their French pronunciation with Poulenc's Le hérisson.

Alongside this Senior Choir (Year 11 - age 19) will sing works - and styles - that span over 450 years, from Francisco Guerrero's Ave virgo to Anders Edenroth's Words.

Also on the programme is We Can All Do Better, a new song by brothers Nick and Anthony Drewe, performed by Yellow Choir (ages 9 to Year 6). Originally composed as a gift to Sir David Attenborough for his 100th birthday in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the natural world, the song will also be performed by hundreds of schools nationwide this September as part of Sing2Save, a new environmental fundraising initiative. With a suggested donation of £1 per child, all proceeds will support Butterfly Conservation.

A Free Lunchtime Recital

On Wednesday 5 August, the NCCGB's Senior Choir will perform a free lunchtime concert in St John's Church, Bromsgrove, with the performance beginning at 2.30pm. No ticket is required for entry - audience members may simply turn up.

The programme, which will showcase the breadth of the choir's repertoire, will range from ancient sacred works by Josquin des Prez and Guerrero, to music by contemporary composers Joanna Marsh and Sarah Quartel, and will even have the audience tapping their feet to popular music with popular hits by The Superman Lovers and Abba.

The Senior Choir is a highly versatile SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) choir capable of singing standard classical repertoire, gospel and pop. Singers work together in interactive rehearsals to generate the high energy and remarkable sound of this group. Their conductor, Dan Ludford-Thomas, emphasises the importance of teamwork in the choir, and the singers build lasting friendships through their shared musical experience. Through connecting the music to the emotion, the NCCGB Senior Choir produces engaging, electric performances that are both moving and memorable for their audiences. The lunchtime concert will convey all of the energy and passion that the Senior Choir possesses.

Touring Sweden

Older members of the choirs, along with conductor Dan Ludford Thomas, and assistant conductor / pianist Phil Mitchell will also embark on a tour of Sweden between Friday 14 and Wednesday 19 August. The specially formed Tour Choir will perform in Skärholmens kyrka (Saturday 15 August), Västerås Domkyrka, (Sunday 16 August) and in Stockholm Cathedral / Storkyrkan (Tuesday 18 August).

The Tour Choir will be performing a programme of NCCGB's favourite music including works by: Josquin des Prez, Francisco Guerrero, Heinrich Schütz, Déodat de Séverac, Joanna Marsh, Cecilia McDowall, Sarah Quartel, Andrea Ramsey, Jón Leifs, Kim André Arnesen, Carl Rütti, Anders Edenroth, Laura Mvula and The Supermen Lovers.

The young singers in the Tour Choir will also have the opportunity to visit some popular Stockholm landmarks such as Vasa Museum, Skansen and Drottinggatan, and to learn more about Sweden's impact on arts and culture with a guided tour of the Kungliga Opera House and a visit to the Performance Arts Museum (Scenkonstmuseet). Previous tours have seen the NCCGB perform in Germany, China, Italy, and Spain.

Auditioning for NCCGB

Children accepted into NCCGB participate in two courses per year, intensive weeks of singing. The NCCGB choirs sing a wide range of diverse repertoire and members learn choral discipline, musicality, vocal techniques and practical skills such as taking care of their voice. They also receive one-on-one singing lessons with a singing teacher. There are performance opportunities in public concerts in prestigious venues in the UK, and on choral tours abroad.

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