Get Boys Singing: The Journey of 'City of Sons'
At the start of this academic year, I embarked on a unique challenge and opportunity that I simply couldn’t refuse. Last June, while attending a youth music festival with my vocal group, organised by my friend and SEND music expert Stuart Penman, I was approached by Fiona Pendriegh, the head of Plymouth Youth Music Service. Fiona had noticed my passion for encouraging children to sing and wondered if this enthusiasm could help get more boys singing in our city. The challenge was set.
After a summer filled with promotional efforts and careful planning of materials and session formats, the first session finally arrived. It was a moderate success, with about 12 boys attending. They all seemed to enjoy themselves, and over the next few weeks, each of them returned. This suggested that maybe there was something here—a spark worth nurturing.
Gradually, over the next few months, our numbers grew. By Christmas, we had formed a decent-sized choir that was ready to perform alongside more established choirs. However, I wanted more. More boys, more engagement, and more visibility. In conversation with the singing lead in Plymouth, we decided to hold a workshop exclusively for boys in the local primary schools.
Attendance was optional, and I naively expected just a handful of boys from each of the three local schools. To my amazement, over 100 boys filled our school hall, their enthusiasm and excitement palpable. The hall resonated with the sounds of young male voices, each boy clearly enjoying himself as we worked through warm-ups, techniques, and short partner songs.
The event was a huge success. Seeing so many boys engaged and excited about singing filled me with hope. It became clear that there was a genuine desire for this, and with the right direction and material, a youth male voice choir in the city could thrive.
Following the event, we saw further sign-ups, with new members arriving each week. We now had a healthy-sized youth choir. The foundations were laid, and I was filled with excitement about the future of this project, which we proudly named “City of Sons.”
Now, as we complete our first year, we’ve learned lessons, made mistakes, and celebrated successes. Moving into our second academic year, my enthusiasm for this project and its possibilities only grows stronger.
If you’d like your son to try City of Sons, visit our Instagram @cityofsons.ymvc or our Facebook page for more details and follow the link to the sign-up form. It’s completely free! Join us and be a part of something truly special. Let’s get the boys singing!