Preston school children prepare to star in Young Voices choir arena tour

  • Video report by Caroline Whitmore

They've staged the largest children's choir concerts in the world - and now they are coming to Manchester.

Young Voices is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a huge UK tour which lands at the AO Arena in Manchester on 25 May.

In total 3,000 schools - and more than 150,000 children - are performing across the arena tour.

Each night, between 5,000 and 9,000 children perform as a single choir to an audience of family and friends.

Taking part in the Manchester shows are some very talented pupils from St Andrew's Church of England School in Preston.

They'll join with thousands of other children at the venue in Manchester.

Assistant Headteacher Diana Maiden says the school has been involved with Young Voices since 2007.

Assistant Headteacher Diana Maiden said: ''It's just an absolutely amazing thing to do.

"We have been part of it since 2007 and only missed a year last year due to Covid-19.

"To the children, it's a musical experience of a lifetime.''

Wayne Ellington chats to Granada correspondent Caroline Whitmore.

Joining the preparations for the show is choir king Wayne Ellington - his singing career began at a very early age in church, where he sang in a group alongside his siblings.

He's the founder of Manchester Inspirational Voices - a community choir based in the heart of Manchester - and has been directing them for the past 12 years.

This year, the choir succeeded in reaching the finals of the Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the Year.

On singing with the children at St Andrew's, he said: "These kids here are just absolutely phenomenal.

"They are vibrant. They're lively. They're energetic. They are electric.'"

"I remember my first time doing Young Voices as an artist, before I even entered the arena, you just heard kids.

"And once you go in and you just see them, you're thinking, Oh, my days! Can you imagine 9000 screaming kids?

"Singing is therapy for me, and it is therapy for these young kids, and I'm grateful to be able to share it among 9000 kids in an arena in Manchester.

"The atmosphere will be electric. I'm really excited to be part of the concert."

Since Young Voices began in 2007, 2.5 million children have joined together to sing at venues across the UK.

The pupils have been rehearsing ahead of their big show.

The choir use music to develop skills like communication, collaboration, creativity, mindfulness, and innovation and aims to inspire a love of music and create memories for children that will last a lifetime.The music is specially selected to introduce children to the widest possible range and by providing a diverse range of styles, it is hoped that they will gain a fuller understanding of music and what it means to sing together. For some of the music, children are taught simple dance moves that are performed whilst singing the songs. 

In 2020 Young Voices headlined a record breaking 49th concert at the arena in Manchester, the most by any group in the venue’s 25-year history, overtaking Take That’s previous record of 46 shows.