The Herefordshire Junior Singing Club was formed in September 2003 as an outcome of a singing workshop for 100 local primary school children held in Hereford cathedral.
The workshop was hosted by the cathedral as part of a nation-wide initiative aimed at encouraging children to sing. Since June 2003 some 18 further workshops have been held, one each term, reaching some 2000 youngsters in over 50 of the county's 80 primary schools. Last summer, under the aegis of the government's SING UP! Programme, the cathedral was awarded a substantial grant to enable it to extend this work with local primary schools.
Central to the scheme is the participation of the cathedral choristers who take part in the workshops and visit some of the schools in the period of preparation. The scheme is led by Martyn Lane in conjunction with the cathedral's Director of Music and Organist, Geraint Bowen supported by his assistant, Peter Dyke and, on occasion, the Lay Clerks. The club benefits greatly from the experience of vocal coach Josephine Williamson, formerly of Scottish Opera.
The members of the Singing Club, who are not auditioned, come from many of Herefordshire's primary schools. The present membership includes a strong core of singers who joined at the inauguration of the club and who now have moved on to secondary school.
The club performs regularly in the region. At Christmas it sings in the cathedral at the launch of the Christmas crib and at the Carols for Shoppers service. It shares an annual summer concert, A Celebration of Song, with the cathedral choir and local primary schools. Members of the club have also provided the ripieno choir in the cathedral choir's biennial performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. The club's repertoire also includes music from shows such as The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In March this year the club was selected to sing at the annual Herefordshire Schools Showcase Concert. Today's concert is the club's début at the Three Choirs Festival.
New members are always welcome. Children interested, or their parents, are invited to contact Martyn Lane on 01531 670 337.
