FREE summer holiday singing workshops - places still available

Thanks to funding from Farnham Town Council, FYC Training Choir conductor Claire Robins will be running two FREE singing workshops in the summer holidays.

The workshops are for children in current school years 2-5 and will take place on 21st and 22nd August 10am-12pm at Farnham Maltings, and will be lots of fun! Children are encouraged to come to both sessions and there will be an informal performance for parents and carers at the end of the last session.

To sign up, email community@fyc.org.uk by 9th August.

Singing Spree 2024 goes down a storm

On Friday 21st June 2024, Farnham Maltings was ringing with the sound of children’s voices, as Farnham Youth Choir (FYC) held their annual Singing Spree. Once again, 300 Year 2 children from eight local schools were joined by FYC’s three choirs on stage for a free, fun-filled singing workshop. The morning was led by Artistic Director Patrick Barrett and Training Choir conductor Claire Robins, accompanied by Susan Norman, and was a thoroughly joyful occasion!

Everyone sang We Are One by Mark and Helen Johnson, which many of the schools had learned in advance, as well as lots of shorter action songs involving clapping and moving, to keep everyone engaged. The schoolchildren were also treated to a performance of Fly written by local composer and FYC alum, Suzzie Vango, and FYC Senior Choir’s performance of Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho had the young audience riveted. 

An engaging, interactive singing workshop, spreading the joy of music and filling the room with happiness and laughter.

St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Farnham 

A lovely inclusive event that all children enjoyed!

 St John’s C of E Infant School, Churt

FYC are very grateful to Farnham Town Council for helping to fund this event, and we were delighted to have had its co-leader Councillor Graham White and Deputy Mayor, Councillor George Murray in attendance. 

Farnham Youth Choir’s next performance will be in Auckland, New Zealand, as they jet off to represent the UK at the World Choir Games on 13th July. You can follow their progress on www.facebook.com/farnhamyouthchoir or their website www.fyc.org.uk

If you have a child aged 6-18 who loves to sing, Farnham Youth Choir are holding free open rehearsals for all three choirs at 5.15pm on 11th and 18th September at Farnham Maltings. Go to www.fyc.org.uk/joinus to register.

Senior Choir Secures Valuable Tour Sponsorship

Farnham Youth Choir is delighted to be partnering with QuadConsult, a leading civil and structural engineering consultancy. QuadConsult are sponsoring the choir’s tour apparel, allowing the young singers to fly the flag for Great Britain at the World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand. Both organisations prize skill and expertise, QuadConsult’s staff have decades’ worth of experience in their field with the expertise of the FYC music team running into similar numbers. 

FYC Chair of Trustees, Melanie Hancox, said, “we are delighted with this partnership. It not only brings us much-needed financial support, but it’s also great to expand the band of well-wishers who we know will be cheering us on as the choir competes against the rest of the world.” 

QuadConsult Managing Director, Chris Usher said, “It is a wonderful opportunity, and we are pleased to be associated with it.” 

A recent graduate from FYC, Anna, a budding engineer who studies maths at the University of Bath, said, “I always enjoyed maths at school and I believe there are important parallels to be drawn between maths and music. Music is a language all on its own, with its own logic, and while what we produce as singers is aesthetically beautiful and creative, it is grounded in a technical understanding of that language. Singing with FYC taught me the importance of hard work and determination, and also gave me confidence, team-working and leadership skills.” 

The World Choir Games takes place every four years, and Farnham Youth Choir is one of only four UK choirs to have won gold medals, first in China in 2006. The choir has also won double gold medals at the European Choir Games in 2015, Germany and 2019, Sweden. FYC is a registered charity with a bursary scheme that ensures all children have the opportunity to experience music-making at the highest level. FYC is a family of choirs that not only provides quality music education to young people, but also offers community, enduring friendships, and promotes good mental health and well-being, amongst many other benefits.

September Open Rehearsals

The next open rehearsals for all three FYC choirs will be Wednesdays 11th and 18th September (Training Choir Years 2-4, Junior Choir Years 5-7 and Senior Choir Years 7-13).

All rehearsals take place at Farnham Maltings at 5.15pm.

We’d love to see you there! Please go to fyc.org.uk/joinus to register.

First ever FYC Company Choirs' Competition is a hit!

A brilliant time was had on the evening of Thursday, 25th April at the first ever Farnham Youth Choir Company Choirs’ Competition, in London. The evening was a real celebration of workplace singing, with choirs from Shell, Nomura, Rothschild and Co, CMS Law, ITV Studios, BCLP Law and Schroders performing to win the praise of the judges, Anthony Harris and Charlotte Brosnan. Repertoire ranged from the classical Locus Iste by Bruckner, through musical theatre with songs from Rent and Guys and Dolls to 'One Day Like This' by Elbow. During the judging, the audience was treated to a short performance from the FYC Ensemble, who acquitted themselves wonderfully. FYC accompanist, Matthew Rickard, said, 'I always love watching the faces on audience members when the FYC Ensemble starts singing!'

FYC Ensemble

All the choirs performed brilliantly! However, it was a competition and there had to be winners. ITV Studios won the audience’s favourite song prize, BCLP Law were overall runners-up and CMS Law scooped the top prize.

FYC Chair of Trustees, Melanie Hancox, said, 'the evening was really enjoyable. There was a great atmosphere, with lots of people who clearly love choral singing, all making music together. And we are hugely grateful for the support shown to our young singers.'

(L to R) FYC Ensemble with a representative from ITV Studios and judges Charlotte Brosnan and Anthony Harris

Winners CMS Law Choir performing

FYC in spectacular voice at 40th anniversary concert

On March 9th, the award-winning Farnham Youth Choir celebrated its 40th anniversary with a concert at the beautiful Holy Trinity Church, in London’s Sloane Square. The packed concert was attended by family, friends, former conductors, patrons and alumni of the choir, as well as the Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Alan Earwaker and Councillor Graham White, co-leader of Farnham Town Council. The choir received many messages of support and congratulations including notably from His Majesty, King Charles III. 

The King would have me pass on his warmest wishes to you all at Farnham Youth Choir upon your 40th anniversary, and wishes you the best of luck for the World Choir Games later this year.

All FYC choirs

This special evening included performances from all three choirs in the FYC family – Training, Junior and Senior choirs – expertly conducted by Claire Robins, Margaret O’Shea and Patrick Barrett, accompanied by pianists Matthew Rickard and Susan Norman, and organist Brian Cotterill. Additionally, the concert included an Alumni Choir, made up of members from throughout the choir’s 40-year history, and an impressive performance by the FYC ensemble – a chamber choir made up of the choir’s current oldest members.

FYC Ensemble

FYC Alumni Choir

The programme ranged from the 1500s with Croce’s Cantate Domino to works by contemporary composers Michael Higgins and Tracy Wong, an arrangement of the folk song Drunken Sailor, a medley from Mary Poppins, choral favourite The Lord Bless You And Keep You by John Rutter, and many others – there really was something to suit all musical tastes! One audience member described it as ‘An absolutely captivating array of beautiful music’. 

A particular highlight was the performance by all choirs of the spiritual I’m Goin’ Up A Yonder, which brought a tear to many eyes, choir and audience alike! The choir was delighted to welcome back Joanna Tomlinson, FYC’s Artistic Director from 2016-2021, to conduct this poignant song, which brought back so many happy memories of past performances and tours.

Former Artistic Director Joanna Tomlinson, Founder David Victor-Smith and current Artistic Director, Patrick Barrett

FYC was founded by David and Gillian Victor-Smith in 1984, as at that time there were fewer opportunities for young people, particularly girls, to sing at this high level. Under David’s leadership, followed by Jo Tomlinson and current Artistic Director Patrick Barrett, the Senior Choir has won numerous competitions, including the prestigious BBC/Sainsbury’s Youth Choir of the Year in 1992 and 1998, as well as, more recently, first prize at international choral competitions in Provence and Hull in 2023. Therefore it was a real treat to hear David conduct the Senior and Alumni choirs in a firm FYC favourite, the spine-tingling The Water of Tyne, which formed part of the choir’s winning performance in 1992. This 40th anniversary performance was beautifully accompanied by FYC alumnus Graham Ross, now Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge. 

“What was obvious from this celebration was that Farnham Youth Choir has provided so much joy for the audience and musicians alike. Long may this continue. Here’s to at least another 40 years!”

— Gareth Treseder, composer

Members of FYC’s Training Choir

All images copyright Farnham Youth Choir. Photo credit: @fmarshallphoto