Members of Youth Music Voices, the charity that uses music to transform the lives of disadvantaged children, has launched a new arts festival to be held in the Houses of Parliament.Part of the Cultural Olympiad – which culminates this year – Arts in Parliament is a three-month programme of cultural performances and exhibitions.
Twenty-five singers from the choir performed at the launch event, showing off their wide-ranging repertoire.
“Youth Music is very honoured to be a part of the diverse, exciting Arts in Parliament programme,” commented Christina Coker, chief executive of Youth Music.
“Youth Music Voices brings together a broad cultural mix of talented young people from across the UK, including those facing particular disadvantages in their lives.
“United in high artistic endeavour, with excellence at the core, we are confident these young singers will proudly showcase some of Britain’s finest talent.”
The programme does not actually open until June, but the launch highlighted the number of events that will take place at Westminster Hall, bringing visitors to Parliament.
All of the events will be free and open to the public and they include art projects commissioned by the Cultural Olympiad, as well as more performances from Youth Music Voices.
All 120 members of the choir will perform specially-commissioned songs and arrangements to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Other music events taking part in Arts in Parliament will include south Asian dance company Akademi and a series of concerts from the Parliament Choir.
Other music projects commissioned by the Cultural Olympiad include Unlimited, which supports disability arts organisations and artists and the Inspire programme.
The London Symphony Orchestra On Track project comes under this, aiming to inspire young people in East London to full their musical ambitions, while Teenage Rampage is a project supporting young bands and musicians in the south-west.