The Sixteen is bringing the transformative power of choral singing to schools across the UK with the launch of Ignite: Digital Schools, a new collection of digital resources bringing world-class choral singing into the classroom and inspiring children to find their own voices.
Available to schools from 16 October, the resources are designed to inspire teachers, build confidence and make choral singing accessible to primary and secondary pupils nationwide. Ignite: Digital Schools opens up the experience of choral singing to young people everywhere, regardless of their location or access to live musical opportunities.
Ignite: Digital Schools features three specially commissioned choral pieces by celebrated British composers Bob Chilcott, Lucy Walker, and Will Todd. Each piece comes in a two-part version for upper voices, ideal for use in primary schools, and in mixed voice versions for secondary school use.
The pieces are:
Let Me Walk in Peace by Will Todd, is inspired by music from Handel’s Messiah. It uses familiar musical ideas from this famous oratorio in a new way, with lyrics that reflect a positive and inclusive message.
Tallis Nightsong is an arrangement by Bob Chilcott of Tallis’s famous ‘Canon’. The original piece was written as a prayer for a restful night, and in this new version Bob has reflected this feeling with the lyrics he has written.
The Nightingale by Lucy Walker is a setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘Bird Raptures’. Matching the timeless essence of the text, the musical style is that of a folksong – something simultaneously new and ancient-sounding.
Each piece comes with a suite of support materials including performance videos, line-by-line learning guides, backing tracks, and teaching activities, giving teachers everything they need to bring these pieces to life with their pupils, whatever their level of confidence and skill – with no specialist musical expertise, instruments or expensive equipment required.
The resources are available completely free of charge to primary and secondary schools across the UK, with the aim of introducing and reinforcing the joy of choral singing to children and young people across the country. Singing is one of the most accessible forms of music-making, yet too many young people have limited opportunities to experience it. In launching Ignite: Digital Schools, The Sixteen wants to empower teachers to make singing a vibrant part of school life, and to give children the chance to discover their voices, build confidence and experience the creativity, connection and sense of belonging that singing together can bring.
Through Ignite: Digital Schools and its wider learning and participation programme, The Sixteen aims to open the door to choral music for a new generation, reaching children from all backgrounds and circumstances. By breaking down barriers to participation, the programme seeks not only to inspire more young people to sing, but also to help build a more diverse, inclusive and representative choral sector for the future.
Harry Christophers says: “It is a delight that The Sixteen: Ignite Digital Schools is now available for Primary and Secondary Schools across the UK, with three new works from composers who have long standing relationships with The Sixteen. Being able to introduce young singers to some of the greatest contemporary choral music today is a privilege, and I’m honoured to be virtually conducting each performance!”
Jenny Begley, Director of Learning and Participation at The Sixteen says: “Music is not a luxury. It is not an extra. For many young people, it is the thing that opens a door to a world they didn’t know they could belong to. That belief is at the heart of everything we do through Ignite, and it is why we have created these resources. Every young person, whatever their background or their postcode, deserves the chance to discover the joy of singing together.
Music education in schools has been in retreat for years with fewer chances for a child to simply stand next to someone else and sing. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story. Somewhere in a classroom today is a child who could become a great singer of tomorrow. That is why we want these resources in every classroom in the country, so that this generation of young people have more opportunities to nurtured by the incredible power of music, to find joy in singing together, and to have their voices heard”.
Dr Liz Stafford from Music Education Solutions® who assisted in the development of the teaching resources says: “The three pieces are fantastic new additions to children’s choral repertoire which are set to become classics that schools return to again and again. It has been a pleasure to have worked alongside The Sixteen during this project and seen how dedicated they are to supporting teachers and their students to develop the skill of choral singing. No stone has been left unturned in ensuring that teachers have everything that they need to successfully deliver this new repertoire in their classrooms, whether they are confident choral leaders or starting completely from scratch. I look forward to hearing these pieces sung by schools across the country for many years to come.”
The Ignite: Digital Schools resources are available here:
https://thesixteen.com/ignite-digital-schools/
Ignite: Digital Schools programme is made possible by the generous support of the Vinehill Trust and Michael Watt.