The Youth Choirs exist to promote a lifelong enjoyment of music and singing in young people. The Youth Choir takes young people from age 9 to 18. Preludes, its training choir, takes children from 7 to 11 years. The Alumni Choir is an occasional choir of ex-members.

The Youth Choirs support three choirs: Youth Choir, Preludes, and the Alumni Choir.

The Junior Choir was founded in September 1988. It was renamed “Youth Choir” in 2005. Preludes our training choir was founded in 1994 and the Alumni Choir was founded in 2002.

The choirs exist:

• To promote a lifelong enjoyment of music and singing by the education and development of musicianship in young people
• To develop qualities of teamwork, self-confidence and leadership
• To aim for excellence in performance

The Youth Choir takes young people from age 9 to 18. Preludes, its training Choir takes children from 7 to 11 years. The overlap allows us to place children appropriately.

We take new members, for the Youth Choir, subject to audition. There is no audition for Preludes.

The Alumni Choir is an occasional choir of ex-members which meets twice a year for rehearsal and performance in our Christmas and summer concerts.

The Youth Choirs organise at least 3 concerts each year. The choirs have taken part in many concerts for charity at the invitation of many local organisations.

The Junior Choir was a semi-finalist in the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year Competition in 1994 and 1996. More recently both the Youth Choir and Preludes have won prizes in local competitions.

The Youth Choir members take part in a residential weekend each autumn, in Anglesey, to help the new members integrate, to work on new songs, and to allow the children to establish friendships within the choir. They have also undertaken a number of overseas tours.

Youth Choir Tours:
1996 Montreux and Geneva,
1998 Italy - Riva Del Garda
2000 Prague and Krakow
2004 Valkenberg
2006 Gent, Belgium
2008 Wiesbaden and Cologne, Germany

Rehearsals: Every Thursday in term time at the United Reformed Church, Hoole Road, Chester. Preludes rehearse from 6.15 to 7.15 and the Youth Choir rehearses from 6.30 – 8pm.

Youth Choir Conductor: Helena Thomas Youth Choir Accompanist: Will Hay
Preludes Conductor: Katie Wilkes Preludes Accompanist: Fiona Rushforth

The Junior Choir has commissioned new works from composers such as Bob Chilcott and Brian Hughes. Oxford University Press has published the Bob Chilcott songs.

To join the choirs: Contact Wendy Hollifield  tel 01244 300717 or Liz Jones tel 01244 321192 (Preludes) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Or simply come along on a Thursday to see us.

The Robin Young Bursary is available to help with choir fees, to encourage participation for all young people who pass the audition and wish to join.