In good voice for York 800 celebrations (From York Press)

In good voice for York 800 celebrations

9:35am Monday 20th February 2012 in York 800 news

HUNDREDS of singers in York will join voices for a huge community choir this summer – and rehearsals are about to get under way.

The newly-formed South Bank Singers will be part of the Ebor Vox initiative, which will see performances being held over the York 800 Charter Weekend on July 7 to 9, and will be practising for their performance tomorrow.

The choir’s repertoire will include a new piece specially composed for the York 800 celebrations, marking eight centuries of local democracy in the city, by composer Benjamin Till.

Residents will have the chance to be part of the weekend, with the winner of a poetry competition seeing their piece used to create the Ebor Vox composition.

Performances will take place along the River Ouse as part of a flotilla of hundreds of boats, and at the Eye of York, with choirs also springing up in shops, cafés and streets.

Ebor Vox director Stephen Burke said: “It is a celebration of our community and we intend to bring together, in simultaneous song, all the hundreds of voices who sing in our city’s choirs week in, week out.”

To enter the City of York Council-run competition, residents should write poems of no more than 400 words focusing on the question: What is special about York?

The competition runs until March 5 and entries should be sent to york800@york.gov.uk or York 800, c/o Arts & Culture, 18 Back Swinegate, York, YO1 8ZD. More information is also available at york800.com