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Senior Choir – Children Year 11+ (and boys with changed voices)
The Senior Choir is a highly versatile SATB 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 NCC Senior Choir produces engaging, electric performances that are both moving and memorable for their audiences.
‘Thank you all for a fantastic summer course. XXXX had a wonderful week. It really is such a wonderful organisation to be part of which XXX has cherished for years, but I really felt it shone through massively this year. From being able to be yourself, the special NCC family bond, to fabulous musicianship it really is so special.’
Parent of child in Senior Choir
Our members come from throughout the UK, from a wide range of musical backgrounds.
Dan Ludford-Thomas
Musical Director and Senior Choir Conductor
Dan enjoys a busy schedule as a conductor, chorus master and singing teacher in London. He directs a wide variety of choirs from professional ensembles, church choirs, chamber choirs and large symphonic choruses. He performs regularly in major concert venues across the country.
In London, Dan has conducted many large-scale performances for massed choirs and orchestra, including Handel’s Messiah, Brahms’ Requiem, Bach’s B Minor Mass and Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor at the Southbank Centre, Verdi’s Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Fairfield Halls, Croydon and Carmina Burana at Cadogan Hall. He has conducted numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the London Mozart Players, His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts, The Forest Philharmonic and The London Orchestra da Camera.
In 2012 Dan worked as a choirmaster on BBC2’s The Choir: Sing While You Work, subsequently becoming Artistic Director of the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, enjoying success as the co-producer and musical director for the Choir’s 2015 Christmas number one Bridge Over You. He returned in 2013 to work on the second series of the programme, this time with Citibank Choir with whom he has continued as Musical Director; highlights include performing at the Hammersmith Apollo and a series of concerts in New York. In 2015 Dan also worked behind the scenes as choirmaster for The Choir: Gareth Malone’s Great Choir Reunion.
At the 2013 BBC Proms, Dan was the chorus master for the Choir of the Age of Enlightenment, preparing them to sing Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, before returning in 2015 for Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody and Triumphlied, both conducted by Marin Alsop. In 2018, Dan returned to assist Marin, preparing the same choir and orchestra for two more performances of Brahms’ Requiem, the second of which took place at the Royal Festival Hall and was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Dan enjoyed a return to his role as chorus master for the Choir and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the 2022 BBC Proms, preparing the choir for their performance of Bach’s B Minor Mass conducted by John Butt.
Dan is in demand as a singing teacher and is the Head of Vocal Studies at Dulwich College. For over a decade he has taught and given master classes on the Rodolfus Foundation Choral Courses (formerly Eton Choral Courses) and makes regular visits to the University of Durham, giving conducting and vocal master classes. He is the Musical Director of The Hackney Singers, and Musical Director of Lewisham Choral Society.
Dan joined the NCCGB staff in 2012, since when he has conducted both the Senior Choir and the Tour Choirs. In September 2018, Dan was delighted to take up the post of Musical Director of the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain.
At the 2013 BBC Proms, Dan was the chorus master for the Choir of the Age of Enlightenment, preparing them to sing Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, before returning in 2015 for Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody and Triumphlied, both conducted by Marin Alsop. In 2018, Dan returned to assist Marin, preparing the same choir and orchestra for two more performances of Brahms’ Requiem, the second of which took place at the Royal Festival Hall and was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Dan enjoyed a return to his role as chorus master for the Choir and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the 2022 BBC Proms, preparing the choir for their performance of Bach’s B Minor Mass conducted by John Butt.
Dan is in demand as a singing teacher and is the Head of Vocal Studies at Dulwich College. For over a decade he has taught and given master classes on the Rodolfus Foundation Choral Courses (formerly Eton Choral Courses) and makes regular visits to the University of Durham, giving conducting and vocal master classes. He is the Musical Director of The Hackney Singers, and Musical Director of Lewisham Choral Society.
Dan joined the NCCGB staff in 2012, since when he has conducted both the Senior Choir and the Tour Choirs. In September 2018, Dan was delighted to take up the post of Musical Director of the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain
Audition for the NCCGB
We meet twice a year for week-long residential choir courses, one during the Easter holidays and one during the summer holidays. We also run workshops in schools, and choir tours abroad.
Membership of NCCGB is by audition only. Auditions take place in the autumn.
We accept new choir members who would be at least 9 years old when they join their first Easter course. We expect choir members to attend every course, unless there is an unusual event, for example a family wedding.