The Positive Change Choir: Secondary School Singing
Published 9 August 2024
An update on our first year of The Positive Change Choir, LYC’s secondary school project based in Tower Hamlets
The Positive Change Choir is a new LYC Experience project this year for teenagers which started with an evening led by LYC Chamber Choir in early 2024. The project involved young people in years 7-9 at two secondary schools in Tower Hamlets: George Green’s School and Morpeth School. In collaboration with THAMES (Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service), the project aimed to get young people singing who had never tried it before, reinvigorating choir as a part of school life.
The project culminated in a combined-forces choir of 50 pupils from the 2 schools, singing 4 rousing songs, in a sharing concert for their families this summer at Rich Mix Cultural Foundation; the first time they all performed together. It was an exciting afternoon filled with the high level of energy the workshops had brought coupled with the exhilaration of performing on a professional stage.
We are proud that a new choir of 40 pupils at George Green’s School has been created in the borough with just 8 LYC workshops, one full rehearsal and a concert afternoon. The project workshops were led by Naveen Arles, who conducts LYC Cambiata Boys, supported by the LYC Artistic Team. Nav used his expertise with this voice-changing age group to support all of the young people, alongside considerable organisation from teaching staff, with the energy and discipline needed to achieve a lot from scratch. The young people rose to the challenge and raised up their voices on stage! There were also some notable moments showcasing individual students at the concert, featuring a year 8 band and a solo singer.
We are pleased to say that we have been successful in our bid to continue the Positive Change Choir project in the new school year 2024-2025 with further funding from THAMES and a contribution from George Green’s School. We look forward to working with the fledgling choir at George Green’s School again so that we can create a real legacy for the borough by enabling teachers to maintain and sustain the choir. With a new cohort of year 7s in September, the aim is to immediately involve them in school life through the socialising and enjoyment that singing in the choir will bring. We want to continue to build on this year’s success by inviting back the same young people who took part last time and many more!
We will also engage and work with 4 additional secondary schools in this project, culminating in a Big Sing concert in summer 2025 with around 150 teenagers singing together at a Tower Hamlets neighbourhood venue.
“This project has been fantastic. It has been incredibly popular with our pupils…Workshops have been led in a supportive and engaging way, where all pupils have been able to access the repertoire (including pupils with SEN and ASC)…I have learnt a great deal…which I am now able to take into my own practice. The project has been the perfect springboard to boost our school choir and embed a lasting legacy of singing at George Green’s School.” James Bevan, Head of Music, George Green’s School
