Kent Youth Choirs

The Kent Youth Choirs are a group of choirs from Kent in England, run by Kent Music. Each choir enjoys study of repertoire appropriate to the age and skills of the singers, who are also supported by a programme of vocal coaching by specialists. Membership is by audition - auditions are open to any pupil who lives, or attends school in Kent or Medway. Prior experience of choral singing is not necessary.

The choirs are split into the Kent County Junior Choirs:

*Kent County Junior Choir (KCJC) Singers aged 11 - 14
*Kent Junior Chamber Choir (KCJCC) Subsidiary of KCJC
*Kent County Junior Singers (KCJS) Singers aged 8 - 13
*Kent Girls' Choir (KGC) Girls aged 13 - 16

..and the Kent Youth Choirs:

*Kent Youth Singers (KYS) Singers aged 14 - 21
*Kent Youth Choir (KYC) Singers aged 15 - 21
*Kent Youth Barbershop (KYB) Subsidiary of KYC (and KYS)
*Kent Youth Chamber Choir (KYCC) Senior and former members of KYC (age 18 - 25)

Each choir also has its own abbreviation (seen above).

The Kent County Junior Singers (KCJS)

This choir is the youngest of the County Youth Choirs, formed in September 1992. They are affectionately known as the "Smarties" because of the multi-coloured T-shirts they wear on stage.

KCJS meets for nine 1-day rehearsals in the course of the year (once per month, on Saturdays), a 4-day residential course at Easter and a 3-day residential course in the summer. They have taken part in concerts for the Gillingham, Rochester and Medway Festivals, and other concerts in Kent. In 1997 the Junior Singers completed their first overseas tour with a 5-day concert tour to Holland, and have since enjoyed tours in Germany in 2003, and Holland in 2000 and 2006.

The Kent County Junior Choir (KCJC)

In July 1987 and 1988 the first two 3-day residential singing courses for junior and younger secondary school pupils were held at Benenden School. Following the enthusiasm they engendered, the Kent County Junior Choir was formed, comprising children from all areas of the county aged 11 to 14.In some cases children at age 10 are allowed in, providing their birthdays are within the academic year 7. The choir is taught by choral and vocal specialists, who also teach music in the county's schools and Kent Music centres.

Two residential courses are held each year, one at Easter for four days and one in the summer for three days. In addition, the choir meets monthly during term time (i.e. the English school system's scholastic terms) for day rehearsals on Saturdays. It has also performed in the National Festival for Youth at the Royal Festival Hall, and engaged in a number of overseas tours to Belgium in 1996 and France in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008.

Their most recent tour was in Paris on Monday 25th August - Friday 29th August 2008, where they performed at and visited Disneyland Paris and performed two other concerts to the french public for their entertainment including La Madeleine Church, Paris.

The Kent County Junior Chamber Choir (KCJCC)

The Kent County Junior Chamber Choir is part of the KCJC training programme, and offers further, small ensemble experience for young singers of a high standard from KCJC. This choir performs at KCJC concerts and on tours.

Their most recent tour was in Paris on Monday 25th August - Friday 29th August 2008, along with KCJC.

The Kent Girls' Choir (KGC)
The Kent Girls' Choir offers opportunities for girls to gain understanding of their maturing voice in the context of a comparatively small ensemble (i.e., of 25-30 singers). Many members go on to join the Kent Youth Singers.

Kent Youth Singers (KYS)

Kent Youth Singers was formed in 1988 in response to demand for places in the Kent Youth Choir. A lively and very talented mixed choir, members are selected by auditioning from across the county - places in the Kent Youth Singers are highly sought after. With experience gained in this group, many members go on to audition successfully for membership of the Youth Choir. A varied programme of music, which includes some choreographed items, is studied during the three residential courses that the Singers share with the Choir each year.

In July 1998 the Kent Youth Singers performed as a guest choir at Choral Canterbury - an international festival of youth choirs, and have proved a highly attractive feature of events such as those at Rochester Castle in 1998 and 1999, where large audiences enjoyed their contribution to the County Youth Choirs' evenings of Summer Garden Songs.

The choir has enjoyed successful concert tours to France, Belgium, Holland in 1997, 2000 and 2006 and Germany in 2003. Their 2009 August tour is being held in Holland

The Kent Youth Singers have participated in a number of important musical events, including a performance, with the Kent Youth Choir, the Kent County Singers, and the Kent County Youth Orchestra of Beethoven's ninth symphony at the Royal Albert Hall in April 2000, in the first performance of Alan Vincent's Sing Joyfully with the Kent Chamber Choir and the Kent County Junior Choir (with Emma Kirkby as the soloist) at Rochester Cathedral in October 2003, and (again, with the Kent Youth Choir and Kent Youth Chamber Orchestra)
in performances of Requiems by Faure and Rutter at the same venue in July 2004.

In April 2007 they took part in a memorable evening of popular classics, with the Kent Youth Choir and Kent County Youth Orchestra at Mote Hall, Maidstone.

Kent Youth Choir (KYC)

The county's principal youth choir was formed in January 1983 to give opportunities for choral singing at an advanced level to talented and committed musicians under 21. Residential courses are held in the three main school holiday periods, when a balanced programme of music in varying styles and from many periods, countries and traditions is studied in depth in preparation for public performances. Strong emphasis is placed on developing skills of ensemble singing, such as independent learning, awareness of ensemble and nuance, and the application of vocal technique.

The choir regularly takes part in concerts throughout Kent and elsewhere, such as the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank the Fairfield Hall, Croydon, The Royal Albert Hall, and Rochester and Canterbury Cathedrals. The choir has also worked with eminent guest conductors, such as Mike Brewer and Bob Chilcott, and enjoys a reputation for refined performances.

Since its inception the Kent Youth Choir has embarked on various successful overseas tours to France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. In 2008, its 25th anniversary year, the choir will tour to Finland and Estonia.

Recently-studied repertoire includes: Parsons - Ave Maria; Byrd - Justorum animae; Gibbons - Hosanna to the Son of David; Purcell - Remember not, Lord; Elgar - There is sweet music; Debussy - Dieu, qu'il la fait bon regarder; Stravinsky - Ave Maria and Pater noster; Vaughan Williams - The turtle dove; Rutti - Im silbernen Wassergrund; Chilcott - The Shepherd's Carol; MacMillan - The gallant weaver; arrangements of jazz standards, etc.

The choir's director, and Musical Director of the Kent County Youth Choirs is Andrew Larner.

Kent Youth Barbershop (KYB)

Kent Youth Barbershop has emerged as a direct result of the chamber ensembles that have been encouraged during Kent Youth Choir courses. This group of 4 to 8 senior male singers is highly popular, entertaining audiences everywhere with its often humorous and highly professional performances.

Kent Youth Chamber Choir (KYCC)

The Kent Youth Chamber Choir was formed in 1987 and comprises senior and former members of Kent Youth Choir. Courses are held regularly through the year, developing members' choral skills and experience through study of mainly unaccompanied, demanding music for small ensembles. The group, which is normally 16 to 20 in number, performs regularly at Kent Youth Choir concerts and on tours.

Opportunities to "try out" a residential choral course are also provided in the form of the Junior, Intermediate and Senior Singing Courses, held as part of the Kent Music Summer School at Benenden every summer.

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