LHF Learning & Participation
We are thrilled to announce the launch of LHF Leaning & Participation, our brand new education and learning programme which aims to reach over 3,000 children/young people and adults.
LHF Learning & Participation is dedicated to providing opportunities for people of all ages, in London and beyond, to take inspiration from the life and music of George Frideric Handel. Whether through learning new skills, being creative, feeling a sense of belonging or simply enjoying making music with others, we expect our programme to have a positive impact on people’s lives.
We are passionate about giving everyone a chance to perform and all LHF Learning & Participation projects are integrated into our annual Festival.
Coram Days – Based on the award-winning Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation ‘play-in-a-day’, children aged 3-18 join a one-day workshop where, guided by specialist facilitators and LHF musicians, they learn and present a musical drama incorporating Handel’s music. Find out more at this year’s Festival and from 2024 see a new children’s chorus perform. Our Coram Day in the 2023 Festival will be Friday 10 March at the QE2 Centre on the Coram Campus.
The Handel Songwriter Academy – For young people aged 11-18, the Academy is led by songwriters and LHF musicians and introduces Handel’s music as inspiration for new compositions. Students from Goresbrook School, Dagenham will be the first Academy to join the Festival to perform their work. Other ‘Academies’ will be up and running in 2023.
LHF Schools Showcase – Supports school ensembles and choirs by providing an inspirational workshop with young, innovative performers at our annual Festival. A string ensemble from Pimlico Academy – a secondary school in the London Borough of Westminster – performed with the 12 Ensemble at Village Underground in Hackney in 2022 with remarkable results.
The International Handel Singing Competition – Inaugurated in 2002, the competition attracts around 200 applications per year from the UK, Europe, North America, Japan and Australia. The competition provides professional development for talented singers aged 23-34. Finalists have the opportunity to perform with the London Handel Orchestra and work with Laurence Cummings and Gregory Batsleer, as well as returning to perform in the following year’s Festival.
Come and Sing – An established event for amateur singers aged 18+ who spend a day at Handel’s church learning and rehearsing a major work with Laurence Cummings and full baroque orchestra, then performing highlights for friends and family. 2023 sees the launch of a youth Come and Sing in partnership with the Rodolfus Foundation.
Messiah Reimagined – Pioneered in response to Covid-19, this award-winning format integrates pre-recorded Messiah choruses sung by youth and amateur choirs with a live performance by soloists and orchestra. We are developing the concept which has huge potential to reach out to choirs from under-represented groups and improve accessibility to performance opportunities.
In association with London Metric