Back to choir

The return to school always means the restart of many routines after the summer break. This year, some lessons have been on pause for even longer. Before the pandemic, choir was a beloved part of the Junior School’s calendar, with children building their singing skills every week and rehearsing for their Christmas Carol Service and Summer Concert.

The benefits of singing for the mind and body are well-known, as choir can help to build confidence, ease stress and draw communities together. It’s no wonder that the start to lessons after nearly two years' absence has been a joyful event. This week, we touched base with the Year 3 and 4 choir to capture this moment.

On Monday, Acton Hall rang out with the sound of happy voices and stamping feet, as Mrs Dudley led the Year 3 and 4 through a series of warm-ups and singing games. The exercises became more complex as the lesson drew on, as the girls looked back on their singing knowledge to remember how to sing in canon. They soon mastered the technique, which they applied to their song and dance ‘Thirty Purple Birds’. Many of the songs ended in cheers, as the girls were delighted with the lesson.

At the end of the class, the girls reflected on how they feel to be back singing again. Maya has found return to lessons exciting, as it has been hard to go such a long time without choir. She loves the dancing actions most of all. Molly, Anoushka and Matilde agreed that while singing at home was fun, they were very happy to be back singing with lots of people. Clio added that her teacher also made a big difference, as Mrs Dudley is a ‘very inclusive and a lovely teacher’. Isadora, who had previously attended choir lessons at her last school, arrived at St Mary’s during virtual learning, only to find choir lessons paused. She is delighted to be back at school singing with other people. Marilyn summed up the class mood:

‘It makes me happy’.

The class commences rehearsals for the Carol Service in the coming weeks. We can’t wait to see their concert.

Find out about how your daughter can embrace learning and discover her talents at our Junior School here, and follow this link to read more about Mrs Dudley's teaching.