Previous Liverpool Schools Singing Programme ‘Big Sings’

‘Christmas Carol Service’ – Autumn Term Project ’12 – ‘Big Sing’ 13th December 2012

Number of children taking part: 100 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 200

Each school was assigned individual pieces of Christmas music, many of which included harmonies. There were also pieces that the schools would perform together at the Christmas carol service. The final performance saw the children leading the congregation in carols as well as performing their individual songs. Teachers also came together with a couple of the cathedral Lay Clerks to sing a harmonised version of ‘Silent Night’. The performance concluded with a rousing rendition of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ with audience participation.

‘Film & Shows’ – Spring/Summer Term Project ’13 – ‘Big Sing’ 14th June 2013

Number of children taking part: 180 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 400

Children from six different schools learnt an individual medley from a film or show which included: ‘Joseph’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Lion King', and ‘Wicked’. Each medley varied in difficulty and each school was assigned a particular medley accordingly. Schools made pre-recorded versions of their own narrations as introductions to each medley. The final performance was carried out in association with staff and students from LIPA who formed a musical-theatre style band. Each school had the unique experience of performing alongside this live musical theatre band to the rapturous applause of a large audience.

‘The Night Before Christmas’ – Autumn Term Project ’13 – ‘Big Sing’ 11th December 2013

Number of children taking part: 250 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 1,000

This project saw children from six schools learning a musical setting to Clement-Moore’s infamous poem: ‘The Night Before Christmas’. The final performance included the work of Liverpool’s most exciting cabaret duo ‘The Eccentric Zooka and the Amazing Suzie-Q’ acting as magic elves and performing giant ball-walking, a broom balancing act, the creation of an indoor snow storm and gigantic water bubbles. The music, which featured several children performing solos, was augmented by the presence of Ken Dodd OBE playing ‘Santa Claus’, arriving by chariot and narrating the poem which linked all the music together.

‘D-Day: 70th Anniversary, The Longest Day’– Spring/Summer Term Project ’14 – ‘Big Sing’ 7th May 2014

Number of children taking part: 250 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 800

In this project we set about teaching the school children about the bravery, courage and sacrifice made 70 years earlier by their ancestors during 6th June 1944 on the beaches of Normandy. The children learnt a programme of songs which included war-time favourites such as ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’ and ‘The Army, the Navy and the Air Force’, and also more recent numbers such as ‘Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?’ from Dad’s Army and ‘Wherever You Are’ made famous by the Military Wives choir formed by TV sensation, Gareth Malone. During the final performance the children sang to the accompaniment of piano, the grand Willis Organ and the Chester Schools Concert Band. Boys and girls from the cathedral choir also sang individual items which added to the sense of occasion. The final performance was brought even more to life with live narration, audio recordings, video recordings and picture montages displayed on big screen and professional lighting.

Holiday Sleigh Ride – Autumn Term Project ’14 – ‘Big Sing’ 1st December 2014

Number of children taking part: 250 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 800

For our second Christmas project children from six schools learnt an extensive programme of Christmas music. The project culminated in a performance in which the school children gave a musical narration of Santa’s mad dash around the world to recover his ‘naughty and nice’ list. In addition to the music, the performance featured an ‘acrobatic’ and ‘disappearing’ Santa Claus, a sleigh, two magic elves, a map of the globe projected on to a large screen, professional lighting and a dance troupe of children from the Wallasey School of Ballet. The performance area at the front of the cathedral was filled with haze and mist to create a magical atmosphere, and the performance culminated with a giant indoor snow-storm descending over the children.

'God Bless Rock ‘n’ Roll’ – Spring / Summer Term Project ‘15 – ‘Big Sing’ 3rd June 2015

Number of children taking part: 170 / Number in audience at ‘Big Sing’: 900

This project saw children from six schools learning about the development of rock and roll music from the 1950s to the present day and then performing this with a live rock and roll band consisting of keyboard, drums, electric guitar and bass guitar. The end performance also included performers from the Lord Derby Academy, in Knowsley, and Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College who led the children in some of the songs. Professional lighting, dancers from the Wallasey School of Ballet and a pre-recorded narration for the whole event made by the school children and projected on to a big screen, resulted in a performance acclaimed as the most successful ‘Big Sing’ staged by the Liverpool Cathedral Schools Singing Programme. The audience gave a standing ovation after the finale song, having clapped and sung along to Status Quo’s ‘Rocking All Over the World’. Recognising that recent ‘Big Sings’ had perhaps involved slightly too many children we reduced the number of performers to 170. This was a much more manageable number and led to a slicker performance whilst still attracting a huge audience.