The Cornwall Youth Choir (CYCC) was founded in January 2008 by Christopher Gray and is currently directed by Christine Judge (Penwith Area Lead for the Cornwall Music Service Trust). She is supported by Chris Bennett, who took over the directorship from Luke Bond. 

The choir meets every Thursday evening during term time from 6.30 pm till 8.00 pm in the Old Cathedral School. They perform a variety of styles of music, ranging from classical pieces such as Handel's Zadok the Priest, Mozart's Ave Verum and Haydn's The Heavens Are Telling, to modern songs like Eric Whitacre's The Seal Lullaby, John Rutter's Look At The World and Russell Pascoe's Celtic Blessing. They also perform lighter pieces such as You Raise Me, Goodnight Sweetheart, And So It Goes, and folk songs such as Londonderry Air. 

The CYCC has performed at various venues, including The Mince Theatre, Truro Cathedral, Carnglaze Caverns, The Eden Project, Tate St Ives and different churches where audiences have praised their high-quality performances and their ability to captivate listeners. 

In addition to their concerts, the choir participates in various educational and community activities, such as workshops, masterclasses and outreach programmes. 

The choir always seeks new members and welcomes singers of all ages and abilities. They are committed to providing a safe, supportive and enjoyable environment for everyone to grow and develop their musical skills while having fun. 

So, if you want to join a choir and make new friends, the Cornwall Youth Chamber Choir could be a perfect choice.

rehearsals

Rehearsals for the CYCC Youth Chamber Choir take place at The Old Cathedral School (OCS) from 6.30 pm to 8 pm. Parents should drop off and pick up their children from the entrance across the grass at the side of the Cathedral. Occasionally, the rehearsal venue may need to be changed; you will be notified of any changes via text.

We ask everyone to support the CYCC Facebook page and Twitter, as it is essential to keep a high profile and keep up to date with rehearsals and concerts.

If you are not at a rehearsal where times and dates are discussed, information will be emailed (and texted) to you, and you will be notified of any changes in time, date or rehearsal venue. We need everyone there for the parts to balance, so please make every effort to attend once you have committed to a concert and put the dates in your diary in advance.

We encourage friends who may be interested in singing with us to come along to an open rehearsal, and we love having friends and family at our concerts.

Please note that the dress code for concerts, unless otherwise stated, is ALL BLACK: girls should wear a mid/long-sleeved top, below-knee skirts and tights (or trousers) and shoes; men/boys should wear long-sleeved button-up shirts, long trousers and black shoes.

For more information about the Junior and Youth Choirs, please contact Julia Carter at 07812 827033 or 01872 573455 (eves) or email julia@ccjc.org.uk.


CYCC Rehearsal and concert calendar

Frequently asked questions

  • Cornwall Youth Chamber Choir is open to everyone aged from about 14 to 20

  • Rehearsals take place in the Assembly room in the Old Cathedral School on Thursdays from 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm. Concerts are usually on Thursdays or Saturdays.

  • There are no auditions – everyone is welcome.

  • The choir performs a wide range of music, from traditional classical pieces (Handel's Zadok the Priest, Mozart's Ave verum and Haydn's The heavens are telling) to modern music (Eric Whitacre's The Seal Lullaby, John Rutter's Look at the world and Russell Pascoe's Celtic Blessing). There are also a few lighter songs (choral arrangements of You raise me up, Goodnight, sweetheart and And so it goes) and folksong arrangements (Londonderry Air and Shenandoah).

  • The standard is high, but new members arrive with different levels of experience, from those who like singing but have done very little, to those who have a lot of experience as singers or instrumentalists.

  • For enquiries about membership, please contact Julia Carter: Julia@ccjc.org.uk or 07812827033

  • Membership of the choir costs £40 per term, this is administered through the Cornwall Music Service Trust