Does your school have a choir

[6beetrootsAmilking]

After watching 'The Choir' last night, was amazed that the school they chose did not have a choir or any history of one. Is this common?

I wonder why - Is that a move upwards? And who is going for his job? Is it decided? I wonder if MO will apply?

If you CAT me I can fill you in with what I know - don't really want to post it on here!

my emailis beetrootbeetroot at hotmail.co.uk

email me now!!!

Nice to see you still about beetrrot

None of the secondary schools I've worked in has had a choir. One used to put on really spectacular musicals every year (with chorus and orchestra), but the others have been very poor in this area. It's a shame, but unless the cameras are there, I wonder how many children would turn up?

I think if a school has a good choir, which does exciting music and performs in school and outside. With chance of solos etc, then the uptake will be good. In our school it is cool t be in the choir - (not just the cathedral choir)

I agree. If it HAS a choir. But STARTING a choir...

It would need to get a lot of momentum very quickly IMO.

Yes so you book a gig for easter. One at school and one at local village hall or equivilant and get the kids enthoused that way

none at our primary or secondary

I should point out that I don't work at the moment so won't be starting anything!

When I started teaching though, I was really surprised at the lack of singing in general in schools. At my school, we sang every day in assembly. There was a choir, a musical every year, an orchestra. When I went to college I sang in the choir.

In the schools I've taught in, there is no singing in assembly. Maybe a bit in music lessons, but not much. The one school did the lovely musicals, but in the others, it was 'talent shows' where teenage girls danced around karaoke-style. I did think it was very sad.

Many schools are priced out of musicals now though. It can cost hundreds if not a thousand to obtain performing rights, then there is the cost of costumes, sound and lighting etc.

Such a shame that children are not getting these opportunities.

DS was in the choir at junior school, they sang in RAH and the local music festival

And now is in year 7 and is in the choir at senior school - he has been invited to go on tour in europe next summer with the choir

The full choir is over 100 from 11 years up to 18 years

But the touring choir is far smaller only 6 have been invited, from his class of 19 boys

He is very excited

At dd's ordinary state senior school there are about 3 or 4 choirs and masses of music groups.
An excellent all boys choir aswell.

gg, I wonder why there is a tradition at your school rather than many others

It is a language thingy school ,but I put it down to a fab team of music teachers.
Also if a student has peri music lessons they must be a member of a school music group .

have emailed you now beetroot!

Dd;s school has a choir, they can join from yr 3. Dd1 is in it and they are good but if the school get busy, like at xmas, easter etc, then it's always choir practice that gets dropped

Dd has so far taken part in a local charity concert and gone round some old folks homes too.

I was in a choir at primary school (got me out of pe), and I vaguly remember one sometimes at secondary school, but think it was only running for special occasions.

The boys' primary has a choir.
Our secondary, however, has none. Usually they run a small singing group for just a few months to do something for Christmas and the music festival, but this year I don't think they've even had enough interest for that

Can I have a boastful mummy moment, and tell you that my DS and 6 of his classmates, along with other small groups of P7s througout the local authority(about 200 11-year olds in total) are all singing in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall tomorrow night in a carol concert. I'm really looking forward to seeing them all.

Yes, they sang at the Albert Hall last week. Along with hundreds of other schools it must be said, the children really really loved it.

I used to be the music co-ordinator in a large primary school (400) and taught a year 1 class full time.

I ran an infant choir of Year 1 and 2 children (about 40 children), a Junior choir (Yrs 3 - 6) which I can very proudly say had 115 children in it! and a Year 6 choir of about 25 children.

It was extremely hard work, as each choir met at lunchtime.

However, I absolutely loved it, and trained them to a very high standard.

I am, however, a trained singer and have the confidence and knowledge to do this.

I believe that the reason so many schools don't have choirs is the lack of confidence in teachers about their own musicality. This has come from years of under-valuing music in the curriculum.

I've got to go out now, but will come back to this thread tomorrow in the hope that it's still alive!