Inspiring Workshop Leaders.
Inspiring Choirs.
The UK Choir Festival is Open to All
BOOKING OPEN
Hold tickets for 14 days whilst you finalise numbers and collect ticket monies from choir members.
Ready to complete your booking ? Click here to enter your details and finalise your ticket order.
Youth Choirs ~ Glee Clubs ~
Choral Societies ~ Barbershop Choirs…
and more
Launched in 2016, The UK Choir Festival is a festival aimed to support, train and bring choirs together in a beautiful setting where people can learn, develop and thrive.
Produced by Producer & Musical Director, Russell Scott, the festival is designed for choirs of all abilities, ages and style, no matter whether you are a local community choir, a cappella choir, school or university choir, gospel choir, choral society or barbershop choir.
Whether you are a choir of 4 people or 300 people, your choir will love being part of this exciting and dynamic festival, where learning and making great music is at its heart.
Hailed by American Express Essentials as “One of the most ‘Awe-Inspiring Choral Festivals of the World’, The UK Choir Festival is produced to give choirs the opportunity to be taught by some of the best workshop leaders in the UK.
No matter which event you choose to attend, choirs take part in a series of amazing workshops given by some of the best workshop leaders in the UK, in a supportive, informative, collaborative, non-competitive and inspiring conference-style setting. It will involve practical and method teaching, and everyone will be involved.
At the end of each day, choirs get the opportunity to rehearse and then perform (if they choose to) in front of each other and the panel of workshop leaders who will give each choir written constructive feedback.
The festival is non-competitive, but very much ‘hands-on’ for everyone to watch and learn from each other whilst being guided and developed by some of the best workshop leaders in the UK.
There will be opportunities to busk, make new friends and talk to the workshop leaders, as well as learn new techniques, brush up on performance, and hear about tips and tricks to help you be the very best you can be.The UK Choir Festival is unique, and takes place in beautiful locations across the UK.
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity of learning from the very best and being part of some incredible music-making.
Ireland, Iceland, India and the United States
The Joint Session
The festival includes The Joint Session where our 4 amazing workshop leaders come together for a 75min session working on a single piece in mass and masterclass styles. This collaborative session brings together the talent and expertise of all our workshop leaders of the day in an engaging and hugely interactive session for everyone to enjoy.
Even more with Platinum
Platinum Sessions have always played a big part in the festival with invaluable 1-2-1 feedback and Q & A with our workshop leaders. Don’t miss the opportunity at the end of the festival day to have your own 40min session filled with invaluable advice from our exceptional team of experts.
The UK Choir Festival has worked some of the best workshop leaders in the UK
Matthew Roughley
Matthew Roughley is a conductor, vocal arranger and music education specialist. Matt’s Read More
Audrey Mattis
Audrey is a musician whose dominating gift is her ability to bring Read More
Steve Cook
Steve Cook is Senior Assistant Headteacher at Formby High School in Merseyside, Read More
Stuart Overington
Stuart Overington is an accomplished conductor, vocal animator and composer working between Read More
- Manchester 24/02/2024
- 08:30
Registration
- 09:00
Festival Welcome
Presented by Founder and Producer of the UK Choir Festival, Russell Scott.
- 09:15
Morning Warm Up
This inviogorating and lively warmup to start the day off, led by one of our esteemed workshop leaders.
- 09:30
- Matthew Roughley
Listen; Hear! with Matthew Roughley
Blend, intonation, tuning… As singers and musicians we know that our greatest asset is our ears, but how can we fine tune our listening skills and ultimately improve our ensemble singing? Join vocal director and arranger Matthew Roughley in this engaging and practical workshop exploring ways to improve your ability to harmonise, blend with other singers and take your musicianship to the next level. In this workshop you will be taken through a series of contemporary harmony exercises and arrangements that will help you to fine tune your ears!
- 10:30
Morning Break
- 10:50
- Stuart Overington
Find Your Groove with Stuart Overington
We’ve probably all been told at some point in a choir rehearsal to stand still or ‘look smart’ but when you watch great choirs you’ll see they are all moving. Movement and singing go hand in hand whether it’s about finding the groove of the song or simply breathing together. When done well it’s magical, when done badly it’s uncomfortable to watch. This workshop will explore how choirs use their bodies to keep the music together, communicate the text and free the voice.
- 11:50
- Steve Cook
Rhythm Nations with Steve Cook
Join specialist music teacher, choral director and arranger Steve Cook for an energetic and dynamic workshop exploring some infectious chants and catchy melodies from different genres – all designed to get you ‘into the groove’. Steve will ensure the ‘rhythm is gonna get you’ with some layered riff-based pieces, syncopated African songs, world music chants and some uplifting pop and soul choruses. After this lively session, you’ll have your finger on the pulse and be ready to ‘beat it’ back to your own choir rehearsals!
- 12:50
Lunch Break & Rehearsals
Choirs will be allocated slots during the extended lunch break to rehearse in preparation for the afternoon Performance Session.
- 14:10
Afternoon Warm Up
Before the afternoon session kicks off, one of our workshop leaders will get your voices warmed up once again, ready for the final workshops.
- 14:20
- Audrey Mattis
Spice Up Your Gospel Sound with Audrey Mattis
PICK YOUR SEASONING · Singing Gospel Choir songs chosen by Audrey will “spice up” your day! · Introducing Gospel singing in a truly authentic way, Audrey provides lots of background information into this style of singing ensuring that as well as having fun, each participant understands the style that bit more. MARINADE · Learn new songs at a pace and you will be singing 3 and 4 part Gospel harmonies in no time! Once you return to your choir base you can continue to sing these new songs to completion as you let the information steep. · Resources can be made available to all choir directors for further learning afterwards as every workshop is taught aurally without use of notation. HEAT UP THE PLACE · Feel the vibe and move to the rhythm of the song, learn the famous “Gospel choir 2-step”. · Learn about the dynamism of Gospel blend and tone using vocal acoustics – and even some vocal acrobatics if you dare! TASTE AND SEE · Our final workshop performance will leave you feeling invigorated and with a “pep in your step”. You will be amazed at how much you’ve learned in such a short space of time and Audrey will be available throughout the day to chat and share further tips about this style of singing.
- 15:20
Afternoon Break
- 15:40
- All Workshop Leaders
The Joint Session
This final workshop is a collaboration by all the workshop leaders of the day working on one single piece in a Masterclass format, whilst giving everyone the opportunity to take part. Putting together all the learnings of the day, this session is aimed at consolidating whilst giving choirs the opportunity to work with all 4 workshop leaders at the same time.
- 17:00
Mini Break
- 17:10
The Performance Session
The Performance Session is often one of the festival's highlights. Choirs take to the stage to perform whilst being adjudicated by our panel of workshop leaders, giving positive and constructive feedback in written form to help choirs develop and thrive even more than ever before.
- 17:55
Festival Finale
- 18:00
The Platinum Sessions*
Platinum Sessions have always played a big part in the festival with invaluable 1-2-1 feedback and Q & A with our workshop leaders. We are excited to expand this further as we split the sessions into 2, so each choir receives 2x 20min sessions each with 2 workshop leaders, giving more value than ever before and much less waiting time as we work on 2 sessions at a time.
- 19:00
Close
* Platinum Ticket Holders only
All workshops and workshop leaders correct at time of press but subject to change
Great Options... Great Value
GENERAL ADMISSION
FOR GUESTS AND THOSE NOT BELONGING TO AN ATTENDING CHOIR-
Unreserved Seating
-
Access to all workshops
-
Complimentary Festival Programme
SILVER
FOR CHOIRS AND THEIR CHOIR DIRECTORS-
Unreserved Seating
-
Access to all workshops
-
Complimentary Festival Programme
-
Opportunity to Perform
-
Performance Feedback
GOLD
FOR CHOIRS AND THEIR CHOIR DIRECTORS-
Unreserved Seating
-
Access to all workshops
-
Complimentary Festival Programme
-
Opportunity to Perform
-
Performance Feedback
-
Complimentary Refreshments
PLATINUM
FOR CHOIRS AND THEIR CHOIR DIRECTORS-
Unreserved Seating
-
Access to all workshops
-
Complimentary Festival Programme
-
Opportunity to Perform
-
Performance Feedback
-
Complimentary Refreshments
-
Upgraded Seating
-
Access to VIP Area
-
1-2-1 Platinum Session with Workshop Leaders
CHOIR DIRECTOR
FOR CHOIR DIRECTORS WHEN ATTENDING WITHOUT THEIR CHOIR-
Unreserved Seating
-
Access to all workshops
-
Complimentary Festival Programme
-
Complimentary Refreshments
-
Upgraded Seating
-
Access to VIP Area
Hold tickets for 14 days whilst you finalise numbers and collect ticket monies from choir members.
Ready to complete your booking ? Click here to enter your details and finalise your ticket order.
Prices thru 31st December 2024.
Information:
General Admission tickets are for guests only and those not attending with their choir. General admission tickets are seated individually.
Choir Leader tickets are for choir leaders attending WITHOUT their choir. If attending with their choir, they should purchase a regular ticket in the same band as their choir.
* A 3.5% booking fee is applied to all bookings at the time of purchase. All prices are inclusive of VAT. Bookings are non-refundable, non-transferrable and non-exchangeable unless the event is cancelled.
Terms and conditions apply.
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