About the Youth Choirs

The Junior Choir was founded in September 1988. It was renamed “Youth Choir” in 2005. Preludes our training choir was founded in 1994 and the Alumni Choir was founded in 2002.

The choirs exist:

To promote a lifelong enjoyment of music and singing by the education and development of musicianship in young people

To develop qualities of teamwork, self-confidence and leadership

To aim for excellence in performance

The Youth Choir takes young people from age 9 to 18. Preludes, its training Choir takes children from 7 to 11 years. The overlap allows us to place children appropriately.

The Youth Choirs organise at least 3 concerts each year. The choirs have taken part in many concerts for charity at the invitation of many local organisations

We take new members, for the Youth Choir, subject to audition. There is no audition for Preludes.

The Alumni Choir is an occasional choir of ex-members which meets twice a year for rehearsal and performance in our Christmas and summer concerts.

The Junior Choir was a semi-finalist in the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year Competition in 1994 and 1996. More recently both the Youth Choir and Preludes have won prizes in local competitions.

The Youth Choir members take part in a residential weekend each autumn, in Anglesey, to help the new members integrate, to work on new songs, and to allow the children to establish friendships within the choir.

Youth Choir Tours:
1996 Montreux and Geneva,
1998 Italy - Riva Del Garda
2000 Prague and Krakow
2004 Valkenberg
2006 Gent, Belgium
2008 Wiesbaden and Cologne, Germany

Rehearsals: Every Thursday in term time at the United Reformed Church, Hoole Road, Chester. Preludes rehearse from 6.15 to 7.15 and the Youth Choir rehearses from 6.30 – 8pm

Youth Choir Conductor: Helena Thomas
Youth Choir Accompanist: Stephen Roberts
Preludes Conductor: Katie Wilkes
Preludes Accompanist: Fiona Rushforth

The Junior Choir has commissioned new works from composers such as Bob Chilcott and Brian Hughes. Oxford University Press has published the Bob Chilcott songs.

To join the choirs: Contact 01244 300717 or e:mail . Or simply come along on a Thursday to see us.

The Robin Young Bursary is available to help with choir fees, to encourage participation for all children who pass the audition and wish to join.

A Youth Choirs Fact Sheet can be downloaded here.