“ItisthrillingtoseetheInternational Children’sChoirFestivalevolvingunder theguidanceofVoxAnimaLondon.I wholeheartedlyendorsethenewartistic leadership,andIknowtheextraordinary experiencesofpastfestivalswill continue."
HenryLeck FormerArtisticDirector
IndianapolisChildren'sChoir
TheInternationalChildren’sChoirFestivalhasbeencreatinghighqualitymusicalexperiencesforyoungsingersinhistoricLondonand Kentvenuesforalmost30years.
TheFestivalwasoriginallyproducedbyDavidSearlesofEuroArts ToursandledbyHenryLeck(IndianapolisChildren’sChoir).
Theideabeganwhenachoirtour,organisedbyDavidSearlesin1995, broughtHenryLecktoCanterburytoworkwithDavidFlood,former DirectorofMusicatCanterburyCathedral...theInternationalChildren’s ChoirFestivalwasborn.
DavidSearlesorganisedhislastFestivalinthesummerof2023before handingoverthebatontoDr.JamesMeadersofVoxAnimaLondon...
“IhaveknownJamesMeadersformorethan25years,andI wouldliketostronglyrecommendhimasyouconsiderfuture festivalandconcertexperiencesforyourchoirs.Dr.Meaders andhisorganizationareexcellentanduniqueineveryway.”
Dr.JamesMeadersfoundedVoxAnimaLondonin2019basedon threecentralpassions-ChoralArtistry,MusicEducation,and CulturalExchange.Sinceitsinception,VoxAnimaLondonhas welcomedmorethan2,000people;rehearsingandperformingthe musicoftoday’scomposersinhistoricvenuesinLondon.
DavidandJameshaveknowneachotherformanyyears,sowhen DavidwasthinkingaboutretirementJamesseemedtheobvious choicetocontinuethislongstandingandcherishedevent.
BothHenryandDavidaredelightedthatVoxAnimaLondonis continuingtheFestival,enablingevenmorechildrentobenefitfrom theexperienceoftravellinginternationally;performinginvenues withlongchoraltraditionsandformingnewfriendshipswithlikemindedsingersfromallovertheworld.
“AddingtheInternationalChildren'sChoirFestivaltoourannual programmemadeeverysensetome,asitperfectlyalignswith ourcentralmissionofchoralartistry,musiceducation,and culturalexchange.Assomeonewhoselifewastransformedby internationalmusiccollaborations,Iamhumbledtoplaya centralroleinreshapingandcuratingthesignificantinfluenceof thislong-runningfestival.”
Dr.JamesM.Meaders
TheVoxAnimaLondonteamwill meetyouattheairportandtake youintocentralLondontoyour “home”forthenextthreenightsin London.
Theaccommodationwehave chosenisRIGHTatthefootofSt Paul’sCathedral,ashorthopfrom thebuzzoftheWestEndandjust overtheRiverThamesfromThe GlobeTheatreandallthehustle andbustleoftheSouthBank.
Dayswillbebusywithrehearsals andworkshopsbuttherewillbe timetofitinsomesightseeingand aWestEndshow!
AfterthreenightsinLondon,youwill maketheshorttriptoCanterbury.Further daysofrehearsalsandworkshopswill leadtoanEvensonginRochester Cathedralandculminateina magnificentconcertatRochester Cathedralonthefinalevening.
Onthelastmorning,ourteamwill accompanyyouandyourchoirtothe airport,biddingyoufarewellasyouleave withheadsfullofmusicandmemories, andheartsfullofloveforallyouhave experienced.
Wednesday15July2026
ArriveinLondon|sightseeingandorientation
Thursday16July2026
FulldayofrehearsalsinLondon|WestEndshowintheevening
Friday17July2026
Fulldayofrehearsals|lateafternooninformalconcertinLondon
Saturday18July2026
TransfertoCanterbury|afternoonandeveningrehearsals
Sunday19July2026
FulldayofrehearsalsinCanterbury
Monday20July2026
MorningrehearsalinCanterbury|afternoonrehearsalandEvensongin
RochesterCathedral
Tuesday21July2026
MorningatleisureinCanterbury|afternoonrehearsalandconcert performanceinRochesterCathedralfollowedbycelebrationdinner
Wednesday22July2026
Departforhome
VoxAnimaLondonhasinvitedtwo outstandingindividualsfromthe IndianapolisChildren'sChoir-JoshPedde, ExecutiveArtisticDirectorandAmy Hughley,AssociateArtisticDirector-as theAmericanLeadersforthisFestival.
JoshandAmybrilliantlycarryontherich traditionoftheIndianapolisChildren’s Choirthatwasestablishedand promulgatedbythelegendaryHenryLeck.
Theybringtheirenergy,enthusiasm,and expertisetotheUKtoleadtheFestival Choirininspiringrehearsalsand imaginativeperformances.VoxAnima Londonishonouredtoincludethese outstandingmusiciansandpedagogues amongtheleadershipteam.
“Itisanabsolutehonortohelpleadaninternationalfestival withsuchanoutstandingreputation.Wearehumbledto representtheAmericancomponentofthisexcitinggathering ofyoungchoirs,andwelookforwardtocreatingmemorable musicalexperienceswhileworkingwithtalentedcolleagues.”
JoshPeddeandAmyHughley
TheUKleadershipteamisledbyVoxAnimaLondon’s FounderandArtisticDirector,Dr.JamesM.Meaders, whohasvastexperienceinthetransformingpower ofinternationaltravelandperformanceforchoral ensembles.
AsaconductorintheUS,Jamesledmultiple internationaltoursforhisuniversityand churchchoirs.Whileamemberoftheartistic staffatDistinguishedConcertsInternational NewYork,heworkedwithconductors, singers,andcomposersfromalloverthe world,assistingandguidingtheir experiencesfrombothsidesofthepodium.
AdrianBawtreeisDirectorofMusicat RochesterCathedral.Adrianbelievesinthe powerofmusictoenrichlives,and,asa professionalmusician,hasseenfirst-hand theimpactmusicandothercreative activitiescanhaveonimprovingwellbeing.
Hehasabreadthofmusicalexperiences spanningarichandvariedcareerthat includesstintsatChrist’sHospitalinWest SussexandCanterburyCathedral.Hewillbe leadingtheFestivalChoirinatraditional EvensongserviceatRochesterCathedral,an institutionwithmorethan1,000yearsof history.
“WelcometoVoxAnimaLondon.What
athrillithasbeenforthisAmerican conductortomovetoLondonand makemusicinthishistoric,musicallyvibrantcity.Iinviteyouandyour singerstojoinmeinLondonforoneof ourupcomingperformances.Let’s explorethepossibilities.”
Dr.JamesM.Meaders FounderandArtisticDirector
VoxAnimaLondonisfoundedonthreecentralpassionsChoralArtistry,MusicEducation,andCulturalExchange.
Basedonthesefoundingideals,wearecommittedtotheseguiding valuesandstandards:
Toprovideunforgettableandaffordableconcertopportunities foramateurchoirs/singersaroundtheworldinLondon’sfinest concertvenues
Topromotetheartisticperformanceofthemusicoftoday’s composers
Toengageexceptional,diverseconductorsfromaroundthe worldtoleadourevents
Tocreateopportunitiesformeaningfulinteractionbetween performersandcomposersthroughcomposerresidencies
Toencouragediversityasexemplifiedinleadership,participants, andrepertoire
Toincludelocalstudentsinourconcerts
Tostriveforexcellenceandartistryineveryperformance
Tocommittopersonalisedattentiontoeverygroupthatworks withus
ThisistheessenceoftheworkofVoxAnimaLondon-bringing togetheramateurchoirsandindividuals,toperformthemusicof today’scomposersinhistoricLondonvenues.
Ourprimarymodelforthisexperiencebeginswiththemusicofa livingcomposerandaninvitationtothatcomposertocometo LondonasComposer-in-Residence.
Basedonrecommendations,affiliationswithconductors,and expressedinterest,VoxAnimaLondoninvitesensemblesand individualstotraveltoLondontobeapartofthisphenomenal experience.
Therehearsals,spacedoveracoupleofdays,willbechallenging, inspiring,andrewarding.Evenonrehearsaldays,thereisplentyof timebuiltinforexploringtheinnumerabletreasuresthatLondonhas tooffer.
Dr.JamesM.Meaders Founder&Artistic Director
HelenSteel Development Manager
AlexandraMeaders ExecutiveDirector
HannahPinneyThomson DirectorofPR&Media
LauraCloke OperationsManager
SarahBethCoppage
USLiaison Development
“Iwassoimpressedwiththeprofessionalismofeachstaff member-socourteousandknowledgeable,theyallhelped makethegatheringofsuchalargegrouprunsosmoothly!”
