Our Choral Academy in Kennington is a choral education project in two primary schools - St John-the-Divine in Lambeth and John Ruskin in Southwark. Our choral leader, Phoebe Tak Man Chow visits both schools once a week giving choral singing lessons to each class and preparing them for performances. Phoebe is an accomplished organist and keyboard player, with previous experience of teaching class singing lessons and a good knowledge of the great choral repertoire.
The project is in partnership with the community choir of St John-the-Divine Church, Kennington, run by Ben Vonberg-Clark. As we near the end of our first year, we are delighted to be working with the two schools and encouraging their students to join Ben’s choir where they can explore their musicality and enjoy many amazing singing and performing opportunities.
The project is generously supported by The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and the Postlethwaite Musical Foundation as well as private donors.
If you are interested in supporting this project please email annabel@therodolfusfoundation.org.uk.
A lesson at St John-the-Divine Primary School, Lambeth
Here’s Phoebe taking some Year 5 children through a new song.
Each class will received a half-hour lesson each week and learn at least two songs each half term. Music is chosen to reflect the children’s subjects of study, the time of year and to stretch them musically.
Each term they will have the opportunity to prepare a public performance for friends and family. Children will be encouraged to join the local community choir, the choir of St John-the-Divine church, to take their singing to the next level.
We hope some of these children will then attend a Junior Choral Course supported by our Bursary Fund.
You can read an evaluation of the first year of the project here.
Children at John Ruskin Primary School, Southwark
Phoebe is teaching the children the rudiments of musical notation and terminology as well as how to use their voices well.
The children in both schools are preparing a number of songs from the children’s musical cantata, Giant Slayer, by Margaret Carpenter and Sue Langwade. It is based on the biblical story of David and Goliath and the schools will come together in the Autumn term for a joint performance at St John-the-Divine Church.