Wisbech singers perform at the O2

Young singers from Wisbech Grammar School’s preparatory school have helped to swell the sound of a mammoth choir at London’s O2 Arena.

Senior pupils at Magdalene House Preparatory School were among 7,000 boys and girls from around the nation performing in one of the largest school choir concerts in the world at Young Voices 2015, and the 36-strong Wisbech choir pitched into an eclectic mix of melodies ranging from The Beatles to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The annual Young Voices event involves children from across Britain performing in arenas around the country, including London, Birmingham, Manchester and

Sheffield, and the Young Voices Foundation aims to inspire a love of music as well as having raised over £1 million for children’s charities in the concerts already staged.

Youngsters showcasing their talents at this latest concert were asked to bring tins of food for the FareShare Charity and this year the participants also began supporting Save the Children.

The mega-choir sang along with artists Tom Billington and Lucy Spraggan and the boy band, MiC Lowry, to the accompaniment of a live instrumental band, under the baton of acclaimed conductor David Lawrence, as well as performing dance numbers led by the street dance specialists, Urban Strides.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber medley featured songs from ‘Cats’, ‘Whistle down the wind’, ‘Starlight express’, ‘Evita’ and ‘Joseph and the amazing Technicolor

dreamcoat’, and there was a homage to the fab four with ‘All you need is love’.

In a celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela the young musicians tapped into a mix of traditional African songs and modern numbers, paying their own rousing tribute with ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ and ‘Gimme hope Jo’anna’, and there were also popular favourites from ‘Oliver!’, ‘Matilda the musical’, the band, Queen, and singer Robbie Williams.

The preparatory school’s director of music, Marie Cunningham, said the pupils joined in the event because it was a great opportunity to step up on to a bigger stage at one of the United Kingdom’s biggest indoor venues.

She said: “The atmosphere in the arena was amazing – and when the lights dimmed and the children shone their torches it really was quite magical.

“We are exceptionally proud of the pupils’ dedication and commitment. Their singing was superb and it was a very tired but exhilarated group of young voices which returned to Magdalene House after an unforgettable day.”