YOUTH
CHOIR PAGE
TAPLOW CHOIR WIN YOUTH CHOIR OF THE YEAR
ALL SMILES: 2008 - Taplow Youth Choir, crowned the best young choir in the UK at the national competition held in Liverpool.
In 2008, Taplow Youth Choir were crowned the best youth choir in the UK after triumphing in a BBC competition. They wowed judges to win the youth section at the prestigious BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year competition.
Gillian was `elated' with the choir's performance, She said: "They were fantastic. For me the feeling of taking young people to that level is so great. They will never look back and they can go on to achieve great things."
The mixed choir, which draws most of its members from Maidenhead, Slough and Windsor, boasts a long list of achievements despite only being set up in September 2006.
Tours have included Amsterdam (2007), Estonia (2009), where the choir competed in the International Choral Competition and were awarded 2nd place in the Youth category and Catalonia (2011) where the choir sang to large audiences, received standing ovations and enjoyed wonderful venues, highlights being the Monastery Church at Monserrat and Barcelona Cathedral. The choir are thrilled to be singing in a programme of Elijah at the BBC Proms season in the Royal Albert Hall on 28th August, with the Gabrieli Consort and Players.
THE MIXED VOICE YOUTH CHOIR
Taplow Choirs is pleased to have a mixed voice Youth Choir which started in September 2006 and meets on alternate Saturdays from 4.30 pm - 7.00 pm. There are approximately 65 members - sopranos, altos, tenors and basses, and entry is by audition. The Choir already has considerable achievements and won the Outstanding Award at the National Festival of Music for Youth in 2008. It rates amongst the top youth choirs in the country and were Choir of the Year, Youth category winners 2008. The choir has also sung in the Schools Prom at the RAH.
VACANCIES - OPEN REHEARSALS & AUDITIONS
Taplow Youth Choir will have vacancies in all voice parts from September, due to senior members moving on to university. There are two Open rehearsals coming up, to which interested young singers (male and female voices) are invited.
Saturday 12th May 4.30 pm – 7.00 pm Taplow Village Centre, SL6 OET
Saturday 26th May 4.30 pm – 7.00 pm Taplow Village Centre, SL6 0ET
The choir admits boys from any age whose voices are changing or have changed, but girls only from Year 11 upwards. Taplow prides itself on the musical balance of its mixed choir. There are about 30 young male singers in a choir of 65 members and it is a hugely exciting environments in which to develop young male voices, with an experienced vocal staff monitoring vocal development.
Auditions are held in June (there are five dates from which to choose) – auditions dates are:
JUNE
Thursday 14th
Tuesday 19th
Wednesday 20th
Tuesday 26th
Thursday 18th
An application can be made, using the back page of the recruitment leaflet. Leaflets will be available at the Open Rehearsals, or you can request one from Gillian Dibden 01628 661182/07799 413746 or by emailing to choirgillian@btinternet.com
Gabrieli Consort & Players
In October 2010 Gabrieli Consort & Players and Paul McCreesh launched at their London home Christ Church, Spitalfields the Gabrieli Young Singers’ Scheme. Working with Chetham’s School of Music, the North East Youth Chorale, Taplow Youth Choir and Ulster Youth Choir, the scheme aims to get young people not only to sing, but to engage with choral repertoire and to perform it to the highest possible standard. Gabrieli website here: www.gabrieli.com
Paul McCreesh (Gabrieli director) and the choir directors and singers tell us more about the scheme, with footage from the performance and rehearsals of Handel’s Solomon (choruses), filmed at the Gabrieli Young Singers’ Scheme launch event. http://www.vimeo.com/19412707