Armonico Consort Scholar Anna is celebrating after winning the coveted BBC Chorister of the Year 2024 Junior title. The competition was broadcast on BBC TV’s Songs of Praise on 1 December, hosted by Aled Jones and Reverend Kate Bottley.
Watch Anna win BBC Chorister of the Year 2024 on iplayer
13-year old Anna, from Stratford-upon-Avon, joined AC Academy Warwick (Armonico Consort’s after-school choir) on her 6th birthday. Since then, she’s sung with AC Academy at the Royal Albert Hall, performed solo with Armonico’s professional singers in Carols by Candlelight concerts, and participated in a tour of Belgium earlier this summer.
Her broadcast interview showed Anna at Armonico’s Warwick Memory Singers, bringing joy to people living with dementia and their carers. She’s also a member of the choir of the Collegiate Church of St Mary’s Warwick.
Anna wowed the judging panel of Katherine Jenkins, Bob Chilcott and YolanDa Brown, who praised her beautiful voice, breath control, phrasing and assurance.
Ten talented hopefuls sang in the heats, and from five junior and five senior choristers, six were chosen for the festive final.
“Anna is made of music, we cannot remember a time she didn’t sing. Nothing makes her happier than to perform. As her mum, I’m delighted she has found something that she loves to do.” Anna’s mum, Katie
Nathan Cole, Armonico Consort’s Director of Operations and Outreach said, “We are extremely proud of Anna. She works incredibly hard and is a fabulous role model as an AC Scholar. Her performance of Mary’s Cradle Song was simply stunning. Her breath control, stage presence and quality of voice made her a clear winner. Congratulations Anna!”
And Anna wasn’t the only representative of AC Academy to feature in this year’s BBC Chorister of the Year – 13-year old Nimal from Kenilworth was also a very worthy competitor and the judges loved the poise, musicality and stage presence in his performance of The Lord is My Shepherd by Howard Goodall.
Watch Anna and Nimal perform in the heats
Young Chorister of the Year 2024 on Songs of Praise is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. It will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Day (4-6am) and is available to listen now on BBC Sounds.
Watch the Finals on iplayer – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0025p0z or listen on BBC Sounds – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026bp7
Find out more about AC Academy after school choirs
