On Thursday June 28th, The Commonwealth Resounds (TCR) was very proud to welcome the National Youth Choir of Antigua and Barbuda to Hertfordshire. Alison Cox, TCR’s Founder and Chair of Trustees worked closely with Karen-Mae Hill, The High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda whose amazing fundraising efforts enabled the choir to visit the UK in 2018.
As part of their programme, the National Youth Choir visited primary and secondary schools in Hertfordshire who had raised funds for Antigua and Barbuda as part of TCR’s Commonwealth Hurricane Support Concert Programme.
Firstly, they visited the Bushey Academy, who are donating the proceeds of their annual House Music Festival to Antigua and Barbuda. The young people at Bushey greatly enjoyed the choir’s performance!
The second concert took place at the Purcell School, who performed as part of CHOGM 2018 and raised funds for the Hurricane Appeal from two spectacular Commonwealth concerts in St James’s Church, Piccadilly and St George’s, Hanover Square. The choir gave a brilliant lunchtime concert, and then met young people from the Purcell School who will be coming to help with musical projects in Antigua and Barbuda in February 2019. Lots of new friendships were formed over lunch!
The final concert was at Bowmansgreen Primary School whose magnificent fundraising efforts were greatly appreciated by the High Commissioner and the choir members. The children sang a special song written by a 16-year-old composer called Elissa Street about Hurricane Irma. Everyone loved the song.
At the end of each concert, the High Commissioner thanked everyone warmly and invited us all to come and visit Antigua and Barbuda!