The Choir - Ronald Corp/Josette Simon

Aled Jones is joined by the conductor, composer and choral expert Ronald Corp for a discussion about music for children's choirs. In 1991 Corp founded the New London Children's Choir with the aim of filling a gap in general education by giving girls and boys from 7 to 18 the chance to sing all kinds of different music. Since then, the Choir has evolved into three groups - Training, Senior and Youth - and on top of weekly rehearsals the children enjoy activities ranging from appearing with Lou Reed to singing opera. Strongly influenced by Benjamin Britten, who wrote a significant number of works especially for children, Corp has commissioned over forty pieces from contemporary composers for the choir to sing. He is also a prolific composer who's made a significant contribution to the oeuvre himself. You can hear two of his compositions on the programme, Give to my eyes Lord for children's voices and a setting of Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" for adult and children's voices. Aled is also joined by the actress Josette Simon, OBE, who talks about her support of Kaos Signing Choir for Deaf and Hearing Children. This choir uniquely gives both deaf and hearing children the opportunity to come together and sing. Josette explains how the choir works and we hear a sectional weekly rehearsal with some of the younger members, practising some of their favourite specially composed music.