Published at 09:21, Friday, 06 July 2012

Two hundred children sang with one voice, as they came together to perform a special friendship concert.

Members of the choir in rehearsals

• Video: Watch the Transition Choir

The performance on Wednesday night included young people from 11 different schools across the Eden area, plus Hayton School, in Brampton.

The Transition Choir is run by North Lakes School, Penrith, and BlueJam and aims to help primary school pupils with their transition to secondary school.

Martyn Soulsby, transition choir coordinator, said: “It is for children in years five and six at primary school and key stage three at younger secondary school pupils. It helps them get to know other children, particularly those from smaller schools, ready for when they move up.

The choir meets six times a year for large rehearsals, with individual schools then practising in between with their children.

“There are samba bands and song-writing workshops too,” Mr Soulsby said.

“It is designed to challenge them – they certainly don’t just stand around singing."

This year’s concert had a special ending, when the choir performed a song written for the Cultural Olympiad. The song began at a school near Hexham and has been passed from school to school, with each one adding their own twist to it.

“It evolves as it goes along and has been sung by about 1,000 children now. It was a wonderful way to finish."

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk