{{Short description|Youth Choir Concerts}}
{{Infobox company | name = Young Voices | image = Young Voices Concert at The O2 Arena.jpg | founded = 1997 | hq_location = Cardiff | website = https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/ }}
'''Young Voices''' organise children's choir concerts around the UK. Starting in 1997.,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=David Lewis interview: Star of the show |url=https://www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk/features/article/david-lewis-interview-star-of-the-show |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Music Teacher |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> the concerts have grown in number and size of venue, now requiring the largest arenas<ref>{{Cite web |title=Venues |url=https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/venues |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Young Voices |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203144358/https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/venues |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the UK. The children rehearse separately in their schools<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-18 |title=West Norfolk Students Join Huge Choir {{!}} Radio West Norfolk |url=https://www.radiowestnorfolk.co.uk/west-norfolk-students-join-huge-choir/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.radiowestnorfolk.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> and only come together as a single choir on the day of the performance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=For Parents |url=https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/for-parents |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Young Voices |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203144356/https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/for-parents |url-status=dead }}</ref> Over 2.5 million children have sung in a Young Voices concert.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Meet the world's biggest student choir |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/av/47245197 |access-date=2024-03-03 |work=BBC Newsround |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-08 |title=Solva's David to appear on The One Show tonight |url=https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/19354864.david-lewis-founder-young-voices-appear-one-show/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Western Telegraph |language=en}}</ref> Young Voices holds a number of world records including largest singalong in multiple venues<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest Simultaneous Sing-Along Multiple Venues |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-simultaneous-sing-along-multiple-venues |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref> and most backing singers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Backing Singers to One Vocalist |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-backing-singers-to-one-vocalist |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref>
== History == The initial idea of a thousands strong choir came to David Lewis in 1992,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2011-09-28 |title=Former Glamorgan cricket star bowled over by success of Young Voices |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-glamorgan-cricket-star-bowled-1813232 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> based on his love of Welsh male voice choirs.<ref name=":0" /> Working with several local choirs he organised a choir concert at Cardiff Arms Park with 10,000 male voices and some famous performers including Tom Jones, Gwyneth Jones and Dennis O'Neil.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/who-are-yv/history |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=Young Voices |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203144356/https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/who-are-yv/history |url-status=dead }}</ref> After several more male voice concerts David Lewis had the idea to create large concerts specifically for children, and 1997 there were Young Voices concerts in Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast. Venues have been added and dropped over the years and the 2024 programme consists of Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester and two venues in London. alt=David Lawrence conducting the Young Voices children's choir, he is wearing a white suit and the choir is lit in purple.|thumb|David Lawrence conducting a Young Voices concert. Much of the team has remained the same since 1997; since their launch, the YV concerts have been conducted by David Lawrence, directed by Craig McLeish, and presented by Gigi Morley.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Short BIOGRAPHY |url=https://www.davidlawrencemusic.com/short-biography |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=david-lawrence-music |language=en}}</ref> David Lewis has stepped back from running the organisation and has handed over the leadership to his son Ben.<ref name=":2" /> David Lewis was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Music & Drama Education Awards<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-28 |title=Man who founded world's biggest singing project celebrated with lifetime award |url=https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/20025577.myleene-klass-announces-young-voices-david-lewis-winner/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Western Telegraph |language=en}}</ref>
== Concerts == [[File:Tony Hadley singing with the Young Voices choir..jpg|thumb|Tony Hadley<ref>{{Cite news |title=From classroom choirs to the O2 Arena |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-47075018 |access-date=2024-03-03 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> singing with the Young Voices choir.]] The Young Voices concerts take place in on weekdays in January and February, taking advantage of single days when the venues are empty during the quiet time of year for music tours and other events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concert Dates |url=https://www.youngvoices.co.uk/2024-season/concert-dates |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Young Voices |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> As the concerts have modest technical requirements they use the arenas backwards, with the choir seated at what is normally the back of the arena and the audience at the normal stage end.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The O2 marks event milestone with naming of The O2 arena non-stage end as 'Young Voices End' {{!}} The O2 |url=https://www.theo2.co.uk/news/detail/the-o2-marks-event-milestone-with-naming-of-the-o2-arena-non-stage-end-as-young-voices-end |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.theo2.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
Since 2018 BSL interpreted performances have been added to each of the venues,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-16 |title=Sarah Gatford: Young Voices Concert and a Guinness World Record attempt! |url=https://limpingchicken.com/2021/06/16/sarah-gatford-young-voices-concert-a-guinness-world-record-attempt/ |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=The Limping Chicken |language=en}}</ref> alongside a commitment to accessible venues.
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Welsh choirs Category:Choirs of children