News & Events

CME Compact 8th June 2024, 13.30-18.00, London Docklands

The Living Song Team is delighted to announce that, this Summer, we will be running a short, introductory version of our choral conducting course which follows the CME approach (Choral Music Experience). CME Compact is for those interested in an exciting half-day of choral repertoire, voice production and conducting technique taught by CME Founder and accomplished Conductor, Master-Teacher, Author, and Editor Dr. Doreen Rao, plus an experienced faculty of conductor-teachers from across the UK and Europe.  CME Compact will take place between 13.30-18.00 on Saturday 8th June at St Luke’s Millwall, Alpha Grove, London E14 8LH, (10 mins from Canary Wharf) and costs £75 to attend.  …

International CME Leadership Retreat 2024

Following the difficulties we all experienced during the world’s global pandemic, we are thrilled to share with you the news that a CME Leadership Retreat, and CME Introductory Course will be held in East London, from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th June 2024.  These two offerings will be hosted by Living Song CIC, organized by a working party including CME Master Teachers Pam Hulme (Berlin) Jane Wheeler (London), Mary Amond O’Brien (Ireland), Mandy Miller (Scotland), plus Artist Teachers Naveen Arles, Mairead Duffy, and Bryan Welton, with CME Founder-Director, Doreen Rao coming from the US.  The CME Leadership Retreat is for CME Artist and …

Lambeth Primary Singing Day at RFH!

Hello Everyone! I’m Chanté, currently working as Living Song’s Programme Co-ordinator and one of the four Lead Artists for this year’s Artist Approach Project (AA2). we are so proud to say that Living Song has collaborated with Lambeth Music Service for another successful year. What an amazing time we all had at the Southbank Centre for Lambeth Music Service’s Primary Singing Day on March 25th. Across two concerts, 1700 primary school children sang their hearts out on the Royal Festival Hall stage. Cheers of joy echoed from a full house of 2000 audience members – made up of family, friends …

Our Artists Approach 2 project is well under way! 

After two fantastic taster sessions at The Lab E20 in Stratford, the first cohort of young music mentees (YMMs) will begin their regular workshops in February. Working with four established artists (Michael Goodey, Pam Hulme, Chanté Osagiede, and Shammi Pithia), plus two emerging artists (YAs Gabriele Chudi and Mohan Dhar), the YMMs will work on AA2 until June, having opportunities to deepen their musicianship andstrengthen their performance skills, as well as developing dynamic community workshop leading and event production skills. Along the way, our YMMs will be coached to lead community workshops and produce youth-led performances in different parts of London, featuring new music which they …

Living Song Celebration Event – Ubuntu!

On 7th November 2023 Living Song artists, associates, and friends came together at The Lab E20 in Stratford for a fantastically musical event celebrating all things Living Song! With music, food, drinks and speeches, it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the Living Song community, but also to say a huge THANK YOU to Jane Wheeler, (Founder and outgoing Executive Director of Living Song), and to formally welcome our new Executive Director, Pam Hulme. Brilliantly compered by Joe Adelakun and Nathan Devonte, who also brought together Living Song Alumni singers to perform classics such as ‘O kame, kameme’ and …

Artist Approach Two Project

We are thrilled to have been successful in our grant application to Arts Council England to deliver Artist Approach 2. This Project builds on our previous work one-line during COVID lockdown and our Singing for Mental Health and Well Being with Newham Council. Artist Approach 2 will bring together 20 young music mentees (YMMs) aged 16–25 with 4 professional and 2 emerging artists. The YMMs from diverse backgrounds, will deepen their musicianship, strengthen their performance and event production skills and develop dynamic community workshop leading skills. If you are 16 – 25 with a passion for singing, making music and working towards a professional career, don’t …

Inspiring Voices, Sing Up Foundation Podcast Series

We are proud of our association with the wonderful, Inspiring Voices in this Sing Up Foundation Podcast series. Inspiring Voices is a great listen for teachers, school leaders, teaching students, community workers, music leaders, singing leaders, choir leaders, charity and mental health workers. You can find the podcast on all of your favourite podcast platforms including – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. Videos are also available on our YouTube Channel.

Festival Of Voices

What a brilliant day at West Road Concert Hall. Year 5 and 6 from UCPS excelled in their singing for this event. Expressive, moving, poignant, dynamic, musical and thoroughly engaging for the whole hour long concert. Living Song worked in partnership with the Head Teacher to ensure the highest standard of band accompaniment and sound for the children to experience. Our young Artist Harine Pushpanathan helped to co-conduct where needed and conducted two pieces herself, one with the choir and one comedy song with all 180 of the children. Harine has been developing with Living Song for over five …

Lambeth Primary Sing, RFH, Southbank Centre.

We are delighted and proud to continue our partnership with Lambeth Music Service, The Primary Singing Events at Southbank Centre in March were a fantastic success. Teachers and parents were thrilled about the quality of singing achieved, the choice of repertoire and the diversity of the team leading. Thanks to the vision of Bryan Welton, the Director of LMS, Living Song was invited to collaborate for repertoire selection and teacher trainings. The Director of Living Song, Jane Wheeler and two Young Artists, as well as Guest Artist Randolph Matthews were involved in the teacher trainings, sharing skills, teaching the songs and offering bespoke feedback as requested by participants. …

Singing For Mental Health And Well Being Workshops

Following on from the two day training with Daren from Musicians Without Borders we ran 4 workshops across Newham Libraries and Community Groups. Chante Faucher led an all comers workshop at Stratford Library,  assisted by 2 young artists. Brendon led a breathing and stretching warm up to help participants to come into the space and prepare their bodies for some gentle singing. Charlie supported the lead artist, Chante  by accompanying some of the activity on guitar. The feedback was highly positive and participants were asking if this could be a regular workshop! We will have to see where the funding for this might come from! Mohan Dhar led a workshop …