The Saturday Warm-Up, Rise & Shine
10am-10.45am
Clore Ballroom
Start the day with a thorough vocal warm-up to get your voice into shape for the weekend ahead.
Led by Southbank Centre Artist in Residence Mary King.
Admission Free.
Tim Rhys-Evans: Everyone Aloud
The Saturday All-Day Workshop
Royal Festival Hall, 11am-6.30pm, with a performance in The Clore Ballroom at 6pm
Explore the rich harmonies, hidden layers and epic melodies of some classic songs in this day-long workshop. Delving into the pop and musical theatre canon, this is an opportunity for confident singers to immerse themselves in and discover afresh a range of great vocal music of recent decades, with one of the country’s top vocal leaders. An ability to read music is an advantage but not a prerequisite.
Tim Rhys-Evans started Only Men Aloud in January 2000. Winning Last Choir Standing in 2008 changed everything for the choir and Tim left his career in opera to concentrate on OMA. Tim’s belief in singing as a life-enhancing activity underpins everything that he does professionally. He has always seen the work of OMA as to carry on the mantle of Welsh Male Choir tradition and to continue its relevance to a modern society, expanding to focus on inspiring singing in younger generations with the establishment of the now thriving Only Boys Aloud and Only Kids Aloud.
Tickets £10
The Big Festival Opener
1pm-1.15pm
Public rehearsals at 11am & 12noon
Outside Terraces
Come and be a part of a massive explosion of voices across Southbank Centre, joining hundreds of choirs, to mark the opening of our summer-long Festival of Neighbourhood with MasterCard. You can learn the music on the day by joining an earlier free rehearsal in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, taking place at 11am and 12noon. Or simply follow your ears to enjoy the spectacle as part of the audience!
Free.
Pete Churchill: Home is Where You Find Your Freedom
The Festival Finale Chorus Project
Saturday 4 May, 1.30pm-10pm, Level 5 Function Room; Sunday 5 May, 11am-6pm, Level 5 Function Room; Monday 6 May, 11am-7pm, QEH
An opportunity to work intensively over three days with the inspirational vocal leader, educator and composer Pete Churchill. Work on a specially devised programme of songs relating to community and freedom. These are all learned by ear, leading to a performance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The oral tradition comes out of communities that have time to spend together – a luxury that contemporary society rarely offers us. This is an opportunity to spend time absorbing music authentically and intensively, giving you a deeper understanding of the material.
£25
Paul Sartin & Tim Sutton: Sea Shanties & Other Work Songs
The Saturday Taster
2pm-4pm
QEH
Explore the rich heritage of sea shanties and other work songs from the folk tradition, leading to a relaxed performance later in the day as part of Chorus festival. All confident singers welcome for this workshop - especially men. Songs are taught principally by ear.
Singer, oboist, violinist, composer and arranger Paul Sartin performs and records extensively with Bellowhead, Belshazzar’s Feast and Faustus. He edits publications of music manuscripts, delivers workshops, and is Consultant and Director of the Andover Museum Loft Singers. Tim Sutton is an experienced composer of vocal music, conductor, accordionist, and musical director of Upbeat, a community choir based in East London.
£6
The Saturday Showcase
6pm-6.30pm
Massed rehearsal, 5.15pm-5.45pm
Clore Ballroom
Catch the results of the festival’s All-Day Workshop – Everyone Aloud with Tim Rhys-Evans – in this informal concert of classic contemporary songs. You can also add you own voice to the performance by coming along to the free prior rehearsal and learning one of the songs.
Admission Free.