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On
Saturday 6th October, Sheffield Cathedral launched its exciting new
SING! initiative. In collaboration with local primary schools,
the scheme aims to get the children of Sheffield singing again! It has
deliberately been aimed at schools in areas of Sheffield where
opportunities for music-making are less available.
 The
initiative is three-fold. On the one hand, the Cathedral sends out an animateur, Nick Cox, to nine primary schools all over Sheffield (Limpsfield,
Lower Meadow, Prince Edward, St Joseph's, Byron Wood, Lowfield,
Netherthorpe, St Catherine's and Wybourne) where he takes hour-long
singing sessions with the children (fifteen in all over the year). In
these sessions, through chanting, games, movement, questions, and (of
course!) singing, children are given an environment in which they
can learn to sing properly with confidence and feeling.
In
the second branch of the scheme
- and in conjunction with the animateur visits - The Master of the
Music, Neil Taylor, will be taking members of the Cathedral's three
choirs to each school once a year to do singing workshops. Hopefully,
the school visits will not only give children a taste of the joy of singing, but it will
also inspire and encourage them to take their music-making to the next
level. Which is where part three of the initiative comes in...
 The Cathedral
Junior choir (ages 7-11) runs every Saturday morning in term-time
from 10-11 and is completely free to all children! The choir will
rehearse and perform challenging repertoire under the expert direction
of our Assistant Master of the Music, Anthony Gowing. There will also
be a concert at the Cathedral on Saturday December 15th, where the
children will get the chance to sing in front of an audience in one of
the oldest and most awe-inspiring buildings in the city (and despite
being based at the Cathedral, it only includes non-religious music). If
you think that your child would like to be a part of this exciting
new choir, just bring them along for a taste of the action on a Saturday
morning. We meet at the side entrance of the Cathedral (the East Parade
door, by the car park) at 9.40! (Note, however, that due to half-term
the next session will be on Saturday November 10.)
To see a
video clip of the SING! launch, click here.
(You will need Real Player to view this - if you do not have this on
your computer, you can click here to
down load it free of charge.) |
