International Children’sChoir
“ItisthrillingtoseetheInternational Children’sChoirFestivalevolvingunder theguidanceofVoxAnimaLondon.I wholeheartedlyendorsethenewartistic leadership,andIknowtheextraordinary experiencesofpastfestivalswill continue."
HenryLeck FormerArtisticDirector
IndianapolisChildren'sChoir
HISTORYOFTHEFESTIVAL
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.”
“AddingtheInternationalChildren'sChoirFestivaltoourannual programmemadeeverysensetome,asitperfectlyalignswith ourcentralmissionofchoralartistry,musiceducation,and culturalexchange.Assomeonewhoselifewastransformedby internationalmusiccollaborations,Iamhumbledtoplaya centralroleinreshapingandcuratingthesignificantinfluenceof thislong-runningfestival.”
THEEXPERIENCE
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.
THEITINERARY
TheInternationalChildren’sFestivaltakesplaceannuallyinmid-July.
Day1
ArriveinLondon|sightseeingandorientation
Day2
FulldayofrehearsalsinLondon|WestEndshowintheevening
Day3
Fulldayofrehearsals|lateafternooninformalconcertinLondon
Day4
TransfertoCanterbury|afternoonandeveningrehearsals
Day5
FulldayofrehearsalsinCanterbury
Day6
MorningrehearsalinCanterbury|afternoonrehearsalandEvensongin RochesterCathedral
Day7
MorningatleisureinCanterbury|afternoonrehearsalandconcert performanceinRochesterCathedralfollowedbycelebrationdinner
Day8 Departforhome
ARTISTICLEADERSHIP
VoxAnimaLondonhasinvitedtwooutstandingindividualsfromthe IndianapolisChildren'sChoir-JoshPedde,ExecutiveArtisticDirector andAmyHughley,AssociateArtisticDirector-astheAmerican LeadersforthisFestival.
JoshandAmybrilliantlycarryontherichtraditionoftheIndianapolis Children’sChoirthatwasestablishedandpromulgatedbythe legendaryHenryLeck.
Theybringtheirenergy,enthusiasm,andexpertisetotheUKtolead theFestivalChoirininspiringrehearsalsandimaginative performances.VoxAnimaLondonishonouredtoincludethese outstandingmusiciansandpedagoguesamongtheleadershipteam
“Itisanabsolutehonortohelpleadaninternationalfestivalwith suchanoutstandingreputation.Wearehumbledtorepresentthe Americancomponentofthisexcitinggatheringofyoungchoirs,and welookforwardtocreatingmemorablemusicalexperienceswhile workingwithtalentedcolleagues.”
JoshPeddeandAmyHughley
TheUKleadershipteamisledbyVoxAnimaLondon’sFounderand ArtisticDirector,Dr.JamesM.Meaders,whohasvastexperiencein thetransformingpowerofinternationaltravelandperformancefor choralensembles.
AsaconductorintheUS,Jamesledmultipleinternationaltoursfor hisuniversityandchurchchoirs.Whileamemberoftheartisticstaff atDistinguishedConcertsInternationalNewYork,heworkedwith conductors,singers,andcomposersfromallovertheworld,assisting andguidingtheirexperiencesfrombothsidesofthepodium.
AdrianBawtreeisDirectorofMusicatRochesterCathedral.Adrian believesinthepowerofmusictoenrichlives,and,asaprofessional musician,hasseenfirst-handtheimpactmusicandothercreative activitiescanhaveonimprovingwellbeing.
Hehasabreadthofmusicalexperiencesspanningarichandvaried careerthatincludesstintsatChrist’sHospitalinWestSussexand CanterburyCathedral.HewillbeleadingtheFestivalChoirina traditionalEvensongserviceatRochesterCathedral,aninstitution withmorethan1,000yearsofhistory.
“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
