Central Coast Children’s Choir travels to England
The Central Coast Children’s Choir.
Local kids take part in international festival, perform in historic cathedrals in London and Canterbury
Twenty-six singers from the Central Coast Children’s Choir “crossed the pond” in this summer to take part in the International Children’s Choir Festival in England. Joining with six other children’s choirs from New Zealand, Canada, China and several cities in U.S., the San Luis Obispo-based CCCC singers performed in July in the famed Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury and the Southwark Cathedral in London in late July. CCCC’s participation comes as the choir celebrates 20 years of song.
Led by CCCC Artistic Director and Premiere Choir Director Beth Klemm and Advanced Vocal Ensemble and Concert Choir Director Melody Svennungsen, the choir consisted of 24 girls and two boys, ranging in age from 10 to 18 years, who hail from all over SLO County. For some this was their first trip abroad and found the experience to be “amazing.” Several parents also took part to act as chaperones and enjoy the multiple performances that the children sang in both Canterbury and London.
“It was amazing traveling aboard with my choir,” said one chorister, Adam, 11, who joined CCCC in August 2013. “Singing in two famous cathedrals with the best children’s choir directors, Dr. Flood and Mr. Leck, is something I’ll never forget.”
The International Children’s Choir Festival is an annual event that is in its 27th year. Founded by David Searles and presented by Euro Arts Tours, this festival was led by the renowned choral conductors Dr. David Flood and Henry Leck, and accompanied by organist Thomas Allery.
Canterbury Cathedral is regarded as the oldest Christian church in England, and is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of the England. Evensong has been sung there nightly for about 1,400 years, and on July 22, members of the International Children’s Choir Festival performed Evensong in the cathedral. The children also performed a daytime concert as well as the Festival Choir Concert in the cathedral for the public.
The Southwark Cathedral is believed to be where famed playwright William Shakespeare worshipped while he was involved at the Globe Theater in London, and his brother Edmund is buried at the cathedral. The children performed a public concert in the Southwark Cathedral on July 25.
Both venues offer exceptional acoustics that allowed the angelic voices of the children to reverberate off the beautiful, ancient stone walls.
The children’s musical repertoire included songs from around the world, including:
· Magnificat in c minor, by George Dyson;
· Nunc Dimittis in c minor, by George Dyson;
· Love Divine, by Howard Goodall;
· Ave Marie Stella, by Massenet, arr. Blezzard;
· Like a Rainbow, by Bob Chilcott;
· Adoramus te, by David Hicken;
· ’Dor Vador, by Meir Finkelstein, arr. Thompson;
· Homeland, by Holst, arr. Stroope;
· And, Missa Brevis, by Peter Robb, an American composer who to traveled to England to see the children bring his music to life.
In addition to further honing their musical skills, the festival also broadened the children’s horizons and provided them the unique experience of meeting, befriending, learning and benefitting from the traditions and cultures from children around the globe. During one memorable break, children from the Seraphim Choir of Chilton St. James in Wellington, New Zealand, taught their peers from the CCCC an aborginal Maori game. Children from the CCCC reciprocated and taught the Kiwi children American games and songs.
The CCCC also shared their music with the public at large, with three separate “flash mob” performances in which they sang their acapela rendition of Lead Belly’s Bring Me a Little Water, Slyvie. One performance was done outside the gates of Buckingham Palace to the delight and astonishment of visitors to the famous royal residence.
“The flash mobs were totally awesome,” Adam said. “It was so fun to be walking around then as one, then two and a few more kids from the choir started singing, the rest of us joined in. The looks on the faces of people of around us was cool. They were so surprised that a group of kids randomly broke into a song. Then, when we were done and walked away, they applauded. I loved that!”
In addition to the musical component of the trip, CCCC participants also enjoyed sightseeing, visiting iconic English venues including: Windsor Castle, Tower of London, Hard Rock Café, Big Ben and Westminster, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Leadenhall Market, the setting for Harry Potter movies’ Diagon Alley, and an impromptu stop in Chertsey, one of the oldest towns in England very close to the site where the Magna Carta was signed 800 years ago.
About the Central Coast Children’s Choir
Founded in 1994, the Central Coast Children’s Choir provides children in San Luis Obispo County with the opportunity to experience the job of singing in live choral performances while receiving a high-quality music education. The choir is divided into five chorus: Debut, Apprentice, Premiere, Concert Choir and Advanced Vocal Ensemble, each led by a professional director. Children range in age from six to 17, and come from all parts of SLO County. To join the CCCC, or for more information, go to www.centralcoastchildrenschoir.org.
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