Youth choir celebrates musical links with BBC

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90 Singers perform concert at Latymer Upper School

Twenty five young singers from the borough's youth choir joined forces with 90 singers from the BBC Symphony Chorus for a joint concert at Latymer Upper School arts centre in Hammersmith.

The concert, held to celebrate the two-and-a-half-year partnership between the council's music service and
the BBC, was performed for an audience of children who attend other music service groups and tuition as well as parents and invited guests including the mayor, Cllr Charlie Treloggan, and leader of the council, Cllr Stephen Burke.

The music performed at the event on Sunday, 5 March ranged from contemporary songs to a traditional New Zealand folk song. The BBC Symphony Chorus and Hammersmith & Fulham Youth Choir were joined by African drummer Freddie Macha, who leads the Djembe drumming group at Phoenix High School.

The mayor, Cllr Charlie Treloggan, said: "This exciting collaboration between the BBC and the council's music service has provided valuable opportunities for local children to improve their musical skills and perform in high-profile concerts. Singing and playing alongside some of the country's best musicians and singers is an inspiration for local children and young people."

The council's music service runs borough youth and children's orchestras, youth and children's choirs and steel bands as well as after-school instrumental tuition, a Saturday music school and a variety of school-based music projects and curriculum support.

Joint projects between the music service and the BBC have included performances at the Barbican and opportunities for children aged 10 to 14 to learn 'endangered species' of musical instruments, including bassoon, oboe and double-bass.

Lincoln Abbotts, learning manager for the BBC Symphony Chorus, said: "The partnership has been an exciting opportunity for professional musicians and singers from the BBC to work alongside singers and musicians from our local community. Those school and community musicians taking part in concerts and other projects have had the chance to broaden their musical knowledge and experiences, while our
musicians have been able to adapt their skills to engage and reach out to new audiences."

Rehearsals for the borough's children's choir and youth choir take place at Hammersmith Town Hall on Wednesday evenings during term time. The children's choir, for ages six to nine, meets from 5 - 5.45pm and the youth choir, for ages 10 to 17, meets from 6 - 7pm. For more details about the choirs, children's and youth orchestras and other music service projects call Jane Myerson on 020 8753 3607 or email musicservice@lbhf.gov.uk

March 21, 2006