Second day in Auckland & Competition Time! Wednesday 17th July

Today started with rehearsals in a church just up the road and finished with a very impressive performance in the Sacred Music category that everyone could be extremely proud of. It’s late & has been a very busy day. I’ll let the pictures do the talking!

First full day! Tuesday 16th July

Today we had our stage rehearsal for the Secondary Schools competition in the town hall. This just involves working out where we will stand, walking on and off and having a quick sing to hear what the acoustic sounds like. After that we had the huge privilege of singing in a flashmob for the World Choir Council. We sang alongside two other choirs, one from New Zealand and another from China. It was great to meet these other singers and to learn a Maori song alongside them.

After lunch, we headed down to Quay Street for the parade of nations. Again the singers mingled with singers from choirs all over the world - China, the USA, and India - to name a few. The atmosphere was fantastic. There were also a few impromptu rehearsals, including in the local park, before a well-earned early night.

Arrival day! Monday 15th July - Auckland!

And we’re all here! It was great for the FYC advance party - Patrick, Melanie and Anna to greet the choir members and adults as they arrived at our hotel at lunchtime. Once rooms were sorted out, some went for a nap while others went for a swim (and created a synchronised swimming routine!). We went for a delicious dinner at Elliott Stables, before returning to the hotel for a quick stretch of the vocal chords and bed. The adults are so impressed with how maturely the singers have dealt with the long and stressful journey. Everyone was happy to go to bed.

FREE summer holiday singing workshops - places still available

Thanks to funding from Farnham Town Council, FYC Training Choir conductor Claire Robins will be running two FREE singing workshops in the summer holidays.

The workshops are for children in current school years 2-5 and will take place on 21st and 22nd August 10am-12pm at Farnham Maltings, and will be lots of fun! Children are encouraged to come to both sessions and there will be an informal performance for parents and carers at the end of the last session.

To sign up, email community@fyc.org.uk by 9th August.

Singing Spree 2024 goes down a storm

On Friday 21st June 2024, Farnham Maltings was ringing with the sound of children’s voices, as Farnham Youth Choir (FYC) held their annual Singing Spree. Once again, 300 Year 2 children from eight local schools were joined by FYC’s three choirs on stage for a free, fun-filled singing workshop. The morning was led by Artistic Director Patrick Barrett and Training Choir conductor Claire Robins, accompanied by Susan Norman, and was a thoroughly joyful occasion!

Everyone sang We Are One by Mark and Helen Johnson, which many of the schools had learned in advance, as well as lots of shorter action songs involving clapping and moving, to keep everyone engaged. The schoolchildren were also treated to a performance of Fly written by local composer and FYC alum, Suzzie Vango, and FYC Senior Choir’s performance of Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho had the young audience riveted. 

An engaging, interactive singing workshop, spreading the joy of music and filling the room with happiness and laughter.

St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Farnham 

A lovely inclusive event that all children enjoyed!

 St John’s C of E Infant School, Churt

FYC are very grateful to Farnham Town Council for helping to fund this event, and we were delighted to have had its co-leader Councillor Graham White and Deputy Mayor, Councillor George Murray in attendance. 

Farnham Youth Choir’s next performance will be in Auckland, New Zealand, as they jet off to represent the UK at the World Choir Games on 13th July. You can follow their progress on www.facebook.com/farnhamyouthchoir or their website www.fyc.org.uk

If you have a child aged 6-18 who loves to sing, Farnham Youth Choir are holding free open rehearsals for all three choirs at 5.15pm on 11th and 18th September at Farnham Maltings. Go to www.fyc.org.uk/joinus to register.

Senior Choir Secures Valuable Tour Sponsorship

Farnham Youth Choir is delighted to be partnering with QuadConsult, a leading civil and structural engineering consultancy. QuadConsult are sponsoring the choir’s tour apparel, allowing the young singers to fly the flag for Great Britain at the World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand. Both organisations prize skill and expertise, QuadConsult’s staff have decades’ worth of experience in their field with the expertise of the FYC music team running into similar numbers. 

FYC Chair of Trustees, Melanie Hancox, said, “we are delighted with this partnership. It not only brings us much-needed financial support, but it’s also great to expand the band of well-wishers who we know will be cheering us on as the choir competes against the rest of the world.” 

QuadConsult Managing Director, Chris Usher said, “It is a wonderful opportunity, and we are pleased to be associated with it.” 

A recent graduate from FYC, Anna, a budding engineer who studies maths at the University of Bath, said, “I always enjoyed maths at school and I believe there are important parallels to be drawn between maths and music. Music is a language all on its own, with its own logic, and while what we produce as singers is aesthetically beautiful and creative, it is grounded in a technical understanding of that language. Singing with FYC taught me the importance of hard work and determination, and also gave me confidence, team-working and leadership skills.” 

The World Choir Games takes place every four years, and Farnham Youth Choir is one of only four UK choirs to have won gold medals, first in China in 2006. The choir has also won double gold medals at the European Choir Games in 2015, Germany and 2019, Sweden. FYC is a registered charity with a bursary scheme that ensures all children have the opportunity to experience music-making at the highest level. FYC is a family of choirs that not only provides quality music education to young people, but also offers community, enduring friendships, and promotes good mental health and well-being, amongst many other benefits.