Young musicians, singers and dancers from different cultural groups across the UK are getting very excited about Commonwealth Observance Day 2015, on Monday March 9th at Westminster Abbey. This year, several of the performances have been organised by The Commonwealth Resounds.
The Observance will be attended by Her Majesty The Queen and other members of the Royal Family, Commonwealth Religious Leaders, High Commissioners, Commonwealth Delegates and members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as a large number of schoolchildren and members of the public.
Those performing will include:
dancedigital has worked in close collaboration with Sarah Ndagire from Uganda and will be accompanied by members of the Commonwealth Festival Orchestra, performing ‘Maltugandata UK’, a specially-commissioned piece by young composer Thomas Carr, aged 16. This performance has been generously supported by Hertfordshire Music Education Hub.
The Commonwealth Festival Choir – performing new songs written by young people in a special songwriting workshop, supported by Lord and Lady Harris and the Gatwick Area Community Fund, and featuring young singers from the Bermondsey Harris Academy, the Apollo Youth Choir and the Purcell School for Young Musicians.
The Commonwealth Festival Orchestra – conducted by Dr James Ross and featuring young musicians from the Royal College of Music Junior Department, Chethams School of Music and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
Fanfare – The Commonwealth Resounds! – composed by Max Bilbe aged 16 and performed by young musicians from Chetham’s School of Music.