Last autumn we welcomed our very first AC Academy Scholars to the Armonico Consort fold. Lara, Anna, Ella and Josh are four wonderfully talented young singers from schools in Coventry and Warwick who haven’t previously had access to professional singing lessons.
Singing has a wealth of social, educational and well-being benefits that are constantly evidenced through research. The idea of the scheme is to provide a pathway for exceptionally gifted singers through our AC Academy youth choirs to singing alongside Armonico Consort’s professional choir, giving them some of the skills, experience and tuition that will help them on the way to pursue singing careers.
They’ve been having one-to-one lessons with Armonico’s Eloise Irving, William Towers and Elizabeth Adams; Christopher has been mentoring them, and they’ve already had some wonderful musical experiences including performing in The Armed Man at Warwick Arts Centre, alongside the actor Timothy West.
You can hear and support them – and newest recruit, Orla – when they join Armonico Consort and our AC Academy choirs for Orff’s Carmina Burana at Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 8 March.
Here’s what our Scholars have to say about their experience so far:
Lara: “It has built my confidence in singing and sight-reading and has been an incredible experience.”
Josh: “It is nurturing and helping to enhance my musical capabilities and has opened opportunities to sing and perform with the best and I am truly grateful.”
Anna: “AC Academy Scholarship has given me the amazing opportunities I need to be a professional musician and I have made some wonderful friends too.”
Ella: “It has opened so many doors and opportunities that I never dreamed I would be able to be part of.”
This is a good moment to thank the generous donors who make this scheme possible and share our vision to provide these deserving young people with a chance to live their dream.
Let’s give the final word to Ella:
The revolutionary thing about it all is that in the last few months I’ve developed a real passion for classical music that I never thought I had and I’m looking forward to the future more than ever because of it.
Hear! Hear!
