In December, a group of remarkable young people came together to do something really very special. They came from across our city region, 100 talented children from 24 different schools, speaking different languages and representing everything that is so unique, so special about our city. Jonathan Dickson, Head of Resonate – the music education hub for Liverpool – writes about the moment this unique choir stepped out onto that stage together, they gave a performance that was truly breath-taking.
#100VoicesUnited are a collaborative youth choir led by Resonate Liverpool’s Music Hub, who, alongside our new best friends the Ukrainian Children’s Choir gave the performance of their life, equal to any of the other stars who performed that stage on that night. The 8000 strong audience at Wembley Arena were mesmerised by a choir that sang in harmony, united and resolute. The response, a standing ovation.
They travelled from Liverpool to London, invited by ITV to record a special performance to be broadcast on ITV’s New Year’s Eve National Lottery Big Bash. Grab your Radio Times and circle that schedule, set your TV to record it, make sure you don’t miss this. What you will see represents the very best of our region, it will remind you of the collective power young voices have to make your heart swell, it will fill you with optimism, joy and, once again, remind us of our city’s brilliant contribution to Eurovision 2023.
Its been a rollercoaster of a year for this choir. Over the last 10 months they have performed for the King and Queen, they toured the city calling in at Strawberry Field, Liverpool Hope University and performed in front of a captivated audience at the Eurovision Village. A trip to London to record for this TV show seems like a fitting end to what has been a truly extraordinary year.
Thank you 100 Voices and the Ukrainian Children’s Choir, for those performances you have given this year, thank you to the teachers and choir directors, parents and schools who made this happen. You have made Liverpool very proud of its young people, and once again demonstrated the power of music to unite.
Watch The National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash on ITV1 and ITVX at 18:00 on Sunday 31 December.
Resonate is the Music Education Hub for Liverpool. Funded by Arts Council England Resonate delivers music lessons, directs bands, choirs and orchestras and supports schools across Liverpool, Warrington and Halton in making music. Resonate was responsible for delivering the Euro Learn Music Education strand of Liverpool’s hugely successful Eurovision programme hosting concerts, live and digital, for over 100,000 children and young people across the city region and beyond.
For further details about the work of Resonate:
X: @resonatehub
Website: www.resonatehub.co.uk
Insta: @resonatemusichub
