Singing in the City 4: Celebrating the NHS 70

A nationwide event at various venues including The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Sunday 8 July 2018, 11.30am - 4pm

Singing in the City 4 will bring many diverse choirs together to perform for each other and the public, drawing on all kinds of music genres. The principle of this event is simple; singing is good for you, whether you perform or listen. The event is FREE to both choirs that take part and for the public to attend. It's supported by the North West Social Prescribing Network, which advocates the benefits of non-clinical interventions in their role of promoting wellbeing and recovery, and is a volunteer-led event sponsored by Voluntary Sector North West.**

This year's event marks the NHS' 70th anniversary since it began and this event is a celebration of workplace wellbeing initiatives in the NHS. To mark the occasion, the event is moving to a unique new venue and extending its programme. A composer and a songwriter have produced a specially-written score and lyrics to encourage mass participation in these celebrations.

Learn and perform a new song that celebrates NHS 70

Choirs that would like to join Singing in the City will still have the opportunity to sing a set of songs reflecting their own unique style and repertoire. The specially commissioned song, We Will Overcome, can also be accessed and downloaded for FREE at the links below. All the choirs will perform this song together on the day under the direction of the Singing in the City MD. You can listen to this composition below to give you an idea of the melody that you use as a basis.

Develop a performance anywhere

Choirs that can't make it on 8 July can still download We Will Overcome (both the song and music) for FREE and develop their own performances.

Write your own lyrics for NHS 70

Choirs who are participating on 8 July are also invited to write their own lyrics to an NHS 70 music score. Choirs that are registered can then compete with each other on the day to see who has created the finest new lyrical composition. Any choirs who are not involved on the day can still write their own lyrics to demonstrate local talent and creativity.

Want to get involved at the Whitworth?

Choirs who want to join the Whitworth event on 8 July just need to register to secure a place on the day. The deadline for registration is this Friday 27 April to ensure all choirs have sufficient time to learn We Will Overcome, the NHS 70 song. Choirs who also want to write their own lyrics just need to register for the Whitworth NHS 70 song writing competition at the same time.

How to mark the NHS 70 day in your community

NHS England has set up a website to support public engagement with celebrations. They encourage people to celebrate the NHS 70 wherever they live or work, and especially for any choirs to get involved throughout 2018.

Here are your FREE downloads:

• The NHS 70 song We Will Overcome (music and words)
• The We Will Overcome music if you are writing your own lyrics
• The We Will Overcome bass score
• The We Will Overcome mezzo soprano score
• The We Will Overcome soprano score
• The We Will Overcome tenor score

Contact

To get started contact the Singing in the City team and tell them how you'd like to be involved. Simply email: admin@jowardchangemaker.org.uk or telephone Jo on 07708 428096. Jo will also provide a simple toolkit and advice to support you to develop your event if you are hosting your own.

*Copyright notice: The composer Jake Few and song writer Kirstin Paisley Pearce have granted a time limited FREE not for profit licence for anyone wishing to celebrate the NHS 70 throughout 2018 with their score and/or lyrics. The licence allows choirs to perform the piece with live singers in any event associated with the NHS 70th anniversary, and also record the piece professionally, as long as it's within the context of an event and it is not-for-profit.

**Organisations that would like to become members of VSNW can register here.