Peterborough Youth Choir

My first concert with PYC 3 years ago!

As I said in my last post, I am a part of Peterborough youth choir and have been so since March 2012 when I was 10. I have developed a lot in this choir, both vocally and personally. I regret saying this now because I am kind of obliged to show pictures now. Oh god! L You get my point though, this choir has had a big impact on my life for the last few years. As I don’t want to be too repetitive from my last post I suggest you check that out for times etc. and also some (hopefully) useful tips on warming up! Basically we meet on Wednesdays in the Broadway theatre Peterborough. We are led by Will Prideaux, who also leads Peterborough Male Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices, who are our sister choirs and who we perform with mostly. Peterborough Youth choir is a successful choir who have performed in Joseph and Evita at the Broadway theatre, with the Grimethorpe colliery Band as well as winning their class in the Oundle music festival for the last few years.

Former members of our choir have gone on to specialist music schools and gained places with acclaimed ensembles including Durham Cathedral Choir, the choir of King's College, Cambridge, and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain.



We sing a few different types of music at my choir. We have sung items from Oliver and My Fair Lady, as well as songs by Eric Clapton and Cyndi Lauper. More recently we have learnt Sting’s Fields of Gold, a song I really love now and that sounds great in parts. Another thing I said in my last post is that I have a relatively low range from a girl. I sing with the altos in PYC and really enjoy getting a different view of songs that I know, and songs that I don’t. I also mentioned that I go for the whole session. This usually means I will learn the tune before learning the second part. This can get quite confusing as I will tend to revert back to what I know (and annoy many of the other altos around me who are still learning… sorry?). I do enjoy going for the whole time though because it is easier to go straight there from school!

Another thing I have had the opportunity to do with youth choir is the Peterborough Music Hub SING! it is an opportunity being run by the Peterborough Music Partnership for children all over Peterborough. there have been three so far, one on WW1 songs, one on rock and role, and one on musical theatre. I have enjoyed these thoroughly and hope to also attend all future events. 

I have met many friends at youth choir who I would never meet if it weren’t for it, be them people much elder than me or people from other schools. So here’s to 3 years of youth choir and many more to come!

Another thing is I now also sing with the woman's choir in the same family as this youth choir. I was asked to sing with them late summer term and have now preformed two concerts with them, including one in London and both with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which was, obviously, an incredible opportunity. in these concerts we preformed a piece specifically composed for us by Errollyn Wallen. This was a very difficult piece to learn but in the end it has improved our skills greatly. 

 

This section of my blog is for the ‘taking part’ section of the arts award. To complete my arts award I need to prove that: I take part in an arts activity; be inspired by an artist or arts organisation; experience an event and share my skills. Of course the final stage is to create a portfolio of it. For my portfolio I am writing this blog and I hope this is living up to all the things that I must do!

Peterborough Youth Choir