Hundreds of children and young people across West Sussex have discovered the joy of singing this academic year through West Sussex Music’s programme of vocal opportunities.
From primary and secondary school massed singing events to large-scale public performances and ambitious concert projects, 2025-26 has been a wonderful year for singing across the county.
At the heart of the programme were West Sussex Music’s Big Sings, Little Big Sings, and Sings Live! events, which brought together pupils from schools across the county to sing, perform and build confidence through music.
The free Big Sings and Little Big Sings programmes saw children from dozens of primary schools take part in massed singing workshops hosted across West Sussex in the spring and summer terms. The events brought together young singers to give them the opportunity to perform as part of a large choir and share music-making experiences with children from neighbouring schools.
For older students, Sings Live! provided inspiring opportunities for secondary-aged singers. More than 200 young people from nine schools came together in March for a day of workshops and performances exploring music inspired by the natural world.
The academic year included one of West Sussex Music’s most ambitious vocal projects to date, a performance of The Water Diviner’s Tale at Worthing Assembly Hall. More than 250 performers – the majority under the age of 18 – joined forces to present the rarely staged work by Academy Award-winning composer, and WSM Patron, Rachel Portman OBE. The performance brought together West Sussex Youth Choir, West Sussex Youth Orchestra, school choirs and youth theatre performers in a powerful exploration of climate change issues through music. The project represented months of preparation, rehearsals and collaboration between schools, youth ensembles and music leaders across the county, providing young performers with the opportunity to take part in a professional-scale production.
There have been many other singing successes throughout the year. This year’s Sing Up Day anthem was written by West Sussex-based composer and music educator Emily Barden, giving the county a special connection to the national celebration. Meanwhile, Hawthorns Primary School in Worthing was featured by Sing Up in a national case study, showcasing the positive impact of singing in schools and the excellent work being led by the school’s Music Lead, Michelle Turner, in partnership with WSM.
Alison Sutton, Assistant Head of West Sussex Music, said:
“Seeing so many young people singing together this year has been truly inspiring. Whether taking part in a Big Sing nor Little Big Sing for the first time, performing at Sings Live!, or standing on stage as part of The Water Diviner’s Tale, every participant has contributed to an extraordinary year of music-making.
“Singing has a unique ability to bring people together, build confidence and create a sense of belonging. We are incredibly proud of the thousands of children and young people who have taken part in our singing programmes this year, and grateful to the schools, teachers and families who have supported them.”
If you know a young person between 13 and 18 years old who loves singing please encourage them to join our Youth Choir summer holiday course on 23 & 24 July. Apply here.
