LYC is back!

24 September 2021

More than 300 singers start the new term with London Youth Choirs as weekly rehearsals begin.

Following a staggered return to rehearsals in the summer, all eight LYC choirs started the new term together this week. Covid precautions remain in place, but in most ways things were looking and sounding delightfully normal (see gallery below).

In the best possible way, many singers at Monday and Thursday’s rehearsals were finding things far from normal, as they sang with LYC for the first time following summer and early September auditions.

For others like London Youth Choir member Ella who had joined LYC in lockdown, the experience of taking part in real life was almost surreal, having “started my LYC journey at home from my bedroom chair.”

“I felt like it was the first time since joining that I could actually call myself an LYC member”, Ella said. “I was very much in the unknown, walking up the white stairs and was intimidated… however, the buzz of returning members in their safe space gave me a sense of uneasy anticipation.”

“I felt super excited to be joining this family. To be honest, I really had no clue what was going on for the most of it but the sound of the choir was mesmerising.”

“It left a warming impression on me as I walked by the night-life on the Thames afterwards. I felt like a small duckling that just about knows how to act like all the others. I missed a choir larger than 10 and LYC has granted my wish.”

“I look forward to the friendships and the music and the memories. I await the day I can be a welcoming face to new members and I can’t wait for the voice my current one will develop into with all this support and energy. TO LYC!”

There were new (masked!) faces in the staff team too, including LYC’s new Membership Officer Freddie Aitken, who had been eagerly anticipating the first day of rehearsals and the chance to meet LYC’s young people and families face to face for the first time. “The evening was incredible!” he said.

“A sea of happy smiling faces, completely wonderful singing and a real buzz amongst the members and staff. It was great to meet some of the parents, carers and guardians too; I had some lovely conversations. From those, from the apparent joy of our young people, and the enthusiasm of the staff team, it seems clear to me that everyone is ready and raring for another year as part of the LYC family. It’s going to be very, very exciting!”