Dear Parents/Carers,
Some updates from the NCCGB:
Summer course
Plans are progressing well for the summer course. I will send out detailed course information two weeks before the start of the course. We will be back at Bromsgrove School again.
Arrival times on Sunday 28th July
10.45 – 11.15 – Tour Choir registration
11.15 – 12.00 Tour Information meeting for parents and carers (I will send further details about this out separately later in June in my next update on the tour.)
1.00 – 1.45 Senior Choir registration
2.00 – 3.00 Blue Choir registration
3.15 – 4.00 Green Choir registration
4.15 – 5.15 Yellow Choir registration
Senior and Tour Choir recital
Just a reminder that Senior and Tour Choir will be giving a recital in St Johns Church in Bromsgrove from 2.30 – 3.30 on Wednesday 31st July. This will be open to the public, and any parents/carers who would like to come and listen are very welcome to do so.
Senior Choir (non tour) Future Talent recording
During the summer course, Senior Choir who are not going on tour will be taking part in a recording for Future Talent’s 20th Anniversary album. We have formed a new partnership with Future Talent. They are a charity who works to remove the barriers to making music for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. They are releasing an album to mark their 20th Anniversary next year. We are excited to have the opportunity to be part of this.
Future Talent | Inspiring Young Musicians
Yellow Choir Friday afternoons recording
Also during the summer course, Yellow Choir will be recording two songs for Friday Afternoons.
Friday Afternoons | Britten Pears Arts
Friday Afternoons is a national singing and songwriting project that provides free music, resources and training to connect teachers and young people through singing. It has been running for 10 years, and during this time, they have released over 100 songs on their song bank. This year their focus has shifted to developing teacher confidence in writing songs with young people. The two songs that Yellow Choir are going to record will form part of this. This is a wonderful opportunity for NCCGB to be part of an important musical project.
I will be sending the songs out to Yellow Choir towards the end of June/beginning of July. We would like Yellow Choir to familiarize themselves with them to give us a head start, given that we will not have much time on the course itself.
Concert
I hope that you have been able to buy your tickets for our public concert – all details are in my email of 23rd May.
Just a reminder that tickets will go on general public sale on 13th June and after this date we cannot guarantee the availability of tickets.
Concert uniform
Please ensure that your child has the correct uniform for the concert. They may not be able to participate in the concert if they do not have the right uniform.
All choirs will be wearing their choir T-shirt, that was given out at Easter – please ensure that they bring this with them as we will not have enough spares for everyone. If your child did not attend at Easter, we will give them their T-shirt at the summer course.
- Smart black trousers
- NCC T-shirt
- Smart flat black shoes with soft soles
- Black socks/knee highs
- Smart black trousers DO NOT include jeans, cords, leggings, cargo trousers, jogger bottoms etc.
- Smart black shoes DO NOT include boots, such as Doc Martens
- Items must be black, not dark grey, charcoal etc.
- All uniform items must be clean and pressed.
- Only minimal make up will be allowed.
- No nail varnish may be worn.
- Hair must be tidy and tied back from the face if necessary.
Summer course balance payment
The balance payment is due by Friday 14th June. The standard payment is £572.
If you are in receipt of a bursary, please refer to your bursary award statement for the final balance. If you are in receipt of a sibling discount, the final balance will be 10% less.
Summer course room share and other information
We realise that many of our choir members are new this year and may have made friends at Easter who they would like to share a room with. We also realise that some information, such as medical information, may have changed since the original registration form.
Please complete the summer information form here… to let us know about room share requests and any updated information. Please return this by Monday 1st July to ensure that I can take your child’s requests into account when I am planning the boarding houses. We always do our best to accommodate everyone’s choices as far as we can, but cannot guarantee that everyone will get their exact requests, because we are constrained by the layout of the accommodation available to us.
Summer cabaret
We have decided that going forward all performances at our cabaret evenings must either be vocal or instrumental. This reflects what our choristers have chosen to do over the last few years.
We have limited spaces as we are constrained by time. If your child would like to perform in the cabaret, please complete the form here… by Monday 1st July. Priority will be given to those who did not get the chance to perform in the Easter cabaret.
NCC Alumni network
I’m looking at the possibility of setting up a NCCGB alumni network, to give ex choristers the chance to come back to be part of the NCC family.
At this stage, I want to gauge interest, to see if people would be interested in this. I have set up a short questionnaire. Details are on our website here…
If any of your children are ex NCC choristers, or you know of any, please do share this with them.
Choral Scholars at Leeds Cathedral
Leeds Cathedral are currently recruiting choral scholars for the 24/25 academic year. They are interested to hear from all voice types and in particular from lower voices. Leeds Choral Scholars sing rehearsal and Mass three times a week in term time, including Sundays, plus extra services, concerts and national broadcasts. As well as singing they receive choral leadership training from the music staff, conducting opportunities and the chance to work with the young choristers. There is a generous scholarship paid termly.
Recent Leeds Cathedral scholars have been drawn from universities in Leeds, Huddersfield and York, on courses including Music, Medicine and Engineering. Two have recently gone on to become full-time Choral Directors at Diocese of Leeds Music, leading whole-class singing sessions and after-school choirs.
They are happy to discuss the opportunity with anyone who is interested and are happy to receive early applications if applicants are hoping to get something in place before September.
This would suit any of our older choristers who may be heading to study in the Leeds area, or who already live in that area.
If you are interested, please contact Louise Wayman in the Music Office, at office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk
Best wishes
Nicole
Links
Future Talent
Friday Afternoon / Britten Pears Arts
Summer Information
Summer Cabaret Form
Join NCCGB Alumni