Newcastle: More than 700 pupils sing at Cathedral celebration

Image: Kate Buckingham

Voices were joined, when more than 700 children came together at the Cathedral Church of St Mary, in Newcastle upon Tyne, to mark the successful first year of a new school singing initiative.

Cantate: A Celebration of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle Schools Singing Programme, saw pupils from ten primary schools within the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust sing at the Cathedral across two days, with around 350 children forming the choir on each occasion.

Eimear Hurley is Choral Director of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and organised the celebration.

"This was the first event of its kind, celebrating the successful first year of the National Schools Singing Programme in the Diocese," she said.

"The programme involved weekly singing sessions delivered in each of the ten schools as part of a two-year curriculum. These 30-minute sessions complement and extend the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum and Model Music Curriculum; engage pupils in both sacred and secular repertoire; and develop core musical skills, including pulse, pitch, rhythm, notation, and vocal technique.

"The sessions also provide development opportunities for class teachers, enabling wider school communities to build confidence in delivering music and hymn singing."

Primary schools taking part on Tuesday 23 June included Sacred Heart, Fenham; St Bernadette's, Wallsend; St Columba's, Wallsend; St Cuthbert's, North Shields; and St John Vianney, West Denton; while those on Wednesday 24 June were English Martyrs', Fenham; Our Lady and St Anne's, Newcastle; St Bede's, Denton Burn; St Oswald's, Gosforth; and St Teresa's, Newcastle.

The 726 Year 3 and 4 pupils had learnt a variety of songs for the celebration, from traditional to modern, with the songsheet featuring 'This is the Day' by Mary Amond O'Brien, 'All Night, All Day', 'Come to God with a Grateful Heart' by Lynn Shaw Bailey and Becki Slagle Mayo, 'The Lord is my Shepherd', John L Bell's 'I Will Sing a Song of Love', and 'The Cloud's Veil' by Liam Lawton.

Ms Hurley continued: "The Singing Programme is an exciting initiative, based on the National Schools Singing Programme, which is established in dioceses across the UK. It places music, faith, and community at the heart of school and diocesan life.

"Generously funded by the National Schools Singing Programme, and in partnership with BBCET, it offers children a high-quality musical education while enriching liturgy across the Diocese.

"The Cantate events are the culmination of the learning and work of all the children involved in the programme over the past year, and represent a strategic investment in children, schools, and the Diocese's spiritual and cultural life."

She added: "Singing is a joyful expression of faith, and a powerful way to bring people together. The programme was established to nurture this gift in our young people, developing their musical skills, deepening their participation in worship, and building confidence and community through song.

"The programme works closely with schools and the Cathedral to create a vibrant culture of singing that supports both education and liturgy."