Join Junior Saints Choir (ages 7-16)

Following on from the success of the 2019 Summer Music Camp (video above), we are pleased to announce the creation of 'Junior Saints Choir'.

Junior Saints is a church choir for children aged 7-16. Based at All Saints Church in Northallerton, the choir will join with the ‘All Saints Choir’ for singing at services and events at the church as well as other venues.

'Voice for Life', the Royal Society of Church Musics acclaimed training scheme, provides a framework for choral singers to develop their vocal skills, their musical understanding and their knowledge of repertoire. Junior Saints members will work towards gaining Bronze, Silver and Gold awards through the Voice for Life scheme.

Junior Saints will develop into a community of friends all sharing their love of singing. Outside of singing, there will be a social element to the choir with away days to a range of activities from laser quest to English heritage site visits.

The Benefits

Children joining Junior Saints will benefit from:

Singing tuition – the ‘Voice for life’ training scheme.
Music theory tuition – the ability to read and sing from music scores
Piano tuition – basic playing to assist with music theory studies
Performing in front of people on a regular basis - this will build confidence that lasts a lifetime
Opportunities to visit and sing in places like York Minster, Ripon Cathedral and many others.
Singing at events within the community
Taking part in CD recordings

The benefits of singing in a choir are many and various. In particular, there are positive physical outcomes and mental health benefits.

These are related to improved cardiovascular fitness (including lung function), as well as improved mood and general alertness, often allied to a feeling of being spiritually uplifted. Because singing involves many different areas of the brain acting in concert, there are often associated cognitive benefits, such as improvements in children’s reading ability that are linked to increased auditory discrimination that supports phonological development.

There are also social and psychosocial benefits, as singing in a collective can improve participants’ sense of belonging and of being socially included by engendering a positive sense of community. Benefits are available across the lifespan and are indicated pre-birth in the final months of foetal life. At the other end of the lifespan, singing can bring a stronger and more positive sense of identity in a context where there is often a sense of loss of control due to the challenges of aging. There are also musical and cultural benefits as participants gain skills, knowledge and understanding of the nature and place of music in their lives and the lives of others.

The commitment

This is a free activity provided by the church however the children will be required to take part in some fundraising events (bag packs, concerts etc) to help cover some of the running costs.

To make the most of this wonderful opportunity, children will be required to be ‘regular’ attendees of the below so that they can learn and develop as a group. It is however appreciated that children will not be able to attend all of the time – we are easy going and flexible!

Weekly rehearsal – Fridays 6:15 -7:30pm. This will include time rehearsing as a junior choir as well as joining with the main church choir for the last part of the rehearsal.
Choral Evensong services: 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month 4:45pm rehearsal, 6pm service
Eucharist service: 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month 10:00am rehearsal, 10:45am service
Special Services throughout the year include Carol services, Patronal Festival (1st November) and Easter weekend.
The month of August is a dedicated holiday for both Adult and Junior Choir.

Please contact tomh@northallertonmusic.com for further info, arrange a taster or to enrol your child.