A group of King’s School Rochester singers were given the opportunity to take part in a vocal workshop and informal performance with renowned vocal group, The Sixteen, last weekend. Singers Romy, John and Shiv reported back on their experience:
“Having the opportunity to sing amongst The Sixteen was an amazing and inspirational experience. The very first thing I noticed was how smiley and warm the environment was within the choir itself. It definitely makes a difference to the dynamic of the group and how everybody sings together. The main thing I learnt during the workshop and whilst listening to The Sixteen rehearse, was that being in a choir doesn’t just mean singing, it means many voices singing as one. The communication that all the singers had with each other whilst navigating a complex piece was amazing to hear. If I had to take one thing away from the experience musically, it would be to listen to each other in a choir setting and work together as one voice.
My favourite part about the workshop with Mark Dobell, a tenor in The Sixteen, was being able to ask him questions about how he got to where he is now and the advice he would give to us as young aspiring musicians. It was very affirming to know that actually you don’t have to have a ‘Plan A’ and stick to it for the rest of your life, and that you don’t even have to know what you want to do. He said he didn’t even know he wanted to sing professionally until university. We were told to simply just say yes and get involved in everything and eventually you will find something you love to do, whether you incorporate music as a profession or just something you love – and I can say for myself that hearing that was very helpful.” (Romy, Remove Storrs)
“It was a great experience and to learn from a member of The Sixteen was an incredible opportunity. After learning new techniques we had the chance to perform with The Sixteen and watched them rehearse, which was really extraordinary. The experience was very insightful and enjoyable. Singing Panis Angelicus with such a professional choir was an honour and the sound we created was incredible.” John L6P and Shiv L6W
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