Programme for Saturday

Welcome! Grab a coffee, meet colleagues and have a first look at the exhibition

Widening our impact. Many of this year's Convention sessions address the topic of widening the membership of our choirs in all ways, and our opening session will give us all much to consider over the weekend. The Choir with No Name runs choirs and builds joyful singing communities with people impacted by homelessness and marginalisation around the UK. Kate Wareham, their Chief Executive, shares some of their approach to inclusion andaccessibility to inspire and support all of us to think about accessibility in our own groups. Jeremy Haneman is Co-Director of Together Productions, a company that produces ground-breaking work using music and the arts to inspire social change. It harnesses the power of music and the arts to break down barriers, reduce isolation and enhance wellbeing. Where others build walls, Together Productions builds choirs! Jeremy shares some of their philosophies, and you can hear more about their projects in his later session.

With greater inclusion of underrepresented composers, choral repertoire continues to expand. With so much music to choose from, this session will consider the function, goals and structure of concerts, philosophical priorities, and benefits of inter and multi-disciplinary performances. Chris will share ideas for themes, concert presentation and sourcing music and highlight less familiar music by American composers and arrangers.

Singing For Our Minds is a ground-breaking new training programme for choral leaders that blends practical tips with current research, leadership training, and learning resources to support people who lead singing in any form, to build an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere which positively impacts mental health. The session include some highlights of the full training and will empower you to maximise wellbeing outcomes in your leadership approach whilst still getting great results with your choir, as well as managing your own wellbeing.

*In this first repertoire discovery session, discover lots of new music for your school or youth choir, including changing voices. Sue will lead you through highlights, and you can explore the full range on our website. Bring your own tablet or i-Pad if possible to get the best out of the session.

Ever thought there was more to rhythm than just counting beats? What is it about rhythmic music that makes you want to move your feet? This is a workshop to help you develop your personal sense of rhythm and improve your internal metronome through exercises and games which can be applied in many contexts and formats -- the "inner drummer".

In the second of our repertoire discovery sessions, discover new sacred and secular music for adult community choirs singing mainly in one or two parts. You'll be able to sing highlights with Tom, and you can explore the full range on our website. Bring your own tablet or i-Pad if possible to get the most out of the session.

*Opera North believes opera and music is for everyone, and champions diversity in artists, repertoire and audiences. This session will explore how musicianship and creative performance skills can be taught as integrated practices within choral delivery, with a focus on primary school-age singers.  We will look into the pedagogical approach taken by the In Harmony Opera North team in their weekly musicianship and choral sessions in schools and will share some of their favourite resources for you to use with your own groups!

Join Andrew Dibb, Chief Examiner for ABRSM, for an introduction to their new Music Directing Diplomas. These innovative qualifications provide a pathway for anyone involved in music directing, reflecting the realities of the role across a wide range of contexts - from leading choirs and vocal groups to directing community ensembles. In this session, Andrew will outline the three diploma levels and their Units of study, explain what is required for each, show how the Units fit together, and guide you through the entry process.

A Convention favourite, our composers' forum is a unique gathering of composers, each with their own distinctive sound. Find out their different working methods which bring about their success and chat with them about their current projects. This year’s panel session is a not-to-be-missed birthday special! Our composers include Bob Chilcott and Douglas Coombes, both celebrating a big birthday this year, who are joined by Kerensa Briggs. The panel is chaired by Angus Smith, Choral Ambassador for Stainer and Bell, and a founder member of the Orlando Consort.

*Founder of the award-winning Barnsley Youth Choir, Mat explores the pillars that underpin exciting and vibrant choir communities. He considers values, ethos and vision and how to harness the collective power of a community in a positive way. What does your organisation stand for and what is your ‘brand’? Great organisations are unashamedly ambitious, have a thirst to learn, connect and collaborate. They are also focused on providing exceptional experiences and, in doing so, make a huge difference to the lives of those that they serve. Mat will discuss the importance of inclusivity and accessibility and look at whether this is possible without lowering standards or expectations.

Many amateur classical choirs might worry about ageing membership, but how do we address this, particularly with current challenges in music education? Where do all those enthusiastic teenage singers go? This session, with plenty of opportunity for discussion, explores working with multi-generational choirs and how groups might sustainably expand the age-range of their membership.

In the third of our repertoire discovery sessions, discover new sacred and secular music for adult choirs singing in three or more parts. You'll be able to sing highlights with Sarah, and you can explore the full range on our website. Bring your own tablet or i-Pad if possible to get the most out of the session.

* In this workshop we will focus on how to promote and protect your health and wellbeing as ensemble directors, with a particular focus on hearing health and psychological wellbeing. Come along ready to sing and get involved!

Enjoy an early evening performance from the international award-winning Barnsley Youth Choir. BYC was established in 2009 by Mat Wright MBE and Keith Norton and is currently the highest ranked choir from Great Britain in the Interkultur World Rankings. ‍BYC is highly inclusive and the choir’s 10 sections consist of around 700 singers aged 0-24 years old. The choir also helped to establish a community adult choir, Barnsley Singers, that now has around 150 members.  The choir maintains a wide and diverse repertoire including Popular, Gospel, Spiritual, Folk, World and more Classical genres. It has developed a significant international reputation and has represented Great Britain in 9 major competitions including the European Choir Games and World Choir Games, winning 8 of them, including 3 Grand Prix titles.

Enjoy a sociable two course meal. The bar will be open until 10.30pm! (Please note this needs to be booked separately to your Convention place). The clocks go back tonight, so an extra hour in bed!