[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   The Sing Up programme for schools was set up by the UK government in January 2007 and was funded by them until April 2012. Their aim is to “give ever...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of songs from traditions across th...

Arranged by Nathan Howe From concert "Voice on the Summer Wind" 1st June 2024

The Zolani Youth Choir hails from a small town called Ashton, in the community called Zolani (Western Cape). When Odwa Mvunge return to his birth community in 2012, after completing his music education studies at Nelson Mandela University, not much has ch...  moreThe Zolani Youth Choir hails from a small town called Ashton, in the community called Zolani (Western Cape). When Odwa Mvunge return to his birth community in 2012, after completing his music education studies at Nelson Mandela University, not much has changed. There still was no place in Zolani for the youth to express themselves in cultural activities that was not offered at school nor in the community. After school the youth would loiter around without direction. This lead to the formation of the Zolani Youth choir. The basic idea and purpose of the Choir is to equip youth of our community with basic music skills. The Choir consists of 25 scholars from different schools who are between the ages of 12 and 26 years. These scholars have no professional training or background in formal music, but have proven to have a passion and love for the art. Our first priority is for the choir to become a trademark attraction which will represent Ashton far beyond the region’s borders. The main objective of the Cho...    less

The Choir of Somerville College Oxford, in its present form, was founded by Francis Knights and Sam Bayliss in 2001. The choir sings evensong every Sunday during term and performs in concerts organised by Somerville Music Society. Somerville Choir is curr...  moreThe Choir of Somerville College Oxford, in its present form, was founded by Francis Knights and Sam Bayliss in 2001. The choir sings evensong every Sunday during term and performs in concerts organised by Somerville Music Society. Somerville Choir is currently being conducted by David Crown. He is assisted by the two organ scholars, Douglas Knight and Robert Pecksmith (http://www.robert-smith.org.uk ), and choir manager Stefan Schwarz. Since David Crown took over as Director of Chapel Music in 2007, the choir has been involved in two opera productions (Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas ' and Gluck's 'Orfeo ed Euridice') as well as concerts in Oxford, Brighton, Wells, Swindon, Upton upon Severn and Steeple Aston. In recent years the choir has also sung evensong at Southwark, Worcester, Winchester, Wells and Berlin Cathedrals. In 2005 and 2009 the choir toured Germany under the patronage of Sir Peter Torry, the British ambassador to Germany...    less