BBC Get Singing launches major nationwide initiative for secondary-age singers

The new programme is available on BBC Bitesize and provides free, accessible resources for teachers and vocal leaders working in schools and community settings. It has been developed in response to concerns from educators that collective singing often declines when pupils reach secondary school, despite being firmly embedded in primary education. Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer at the BBC, said the initiative is rooted in the organisation’s public service remit and responds to a critical moment in young people’s lives. She said she was ‘so proud’ to be launching a programme aimed at an age group identified by teachers as the point at which children often stop singing together. She added that BBC Get Singing ‘isn’t only about music, it’s about having a positive impact on the wellbeing of young people’, noting that growing up as a teenager in an increasingly noisy world is ever more challenging and that providing opportunities to sing together is ‘public service at its core’. BBC Get Singing launches with a growing collection of newly arranged songs, performed by the BBC Singers. Initial releases include live more & love more by Cat Burns, arranged by Hannah King, and Piping Down the Valleys Wild by Bob Chilcott. Further arrangements will be released later this year, including Something Heavy by Jacob Collier, who has been appointed Ambassador and Advocate for the initiative. Collier spoke about the lasting impact of singing during his own childhood, saying that music ‘holds the power to transform a life’. Reflecting on his experience of singing in a choir as a child, he said it taught him far more than musical skills alone, including listening, teamwork, courage, empathy, leadership and confidence. Looking back on those formative years, he said it was those early musical moments that shaped the person he became and forged his attitude to life. He added that he was ‘deeply excited’ for young people, teachers and vocal leaders across the UK to engage with the new BBC Get Singing resources. Alongside repertoire, the programme includes a wide range of supporting materials, including physical and vocal warm-ups, scores, backing tracks, written guidance notes and short instructional videos designed to help teachers and students explore each song with confidence. BBC Get Singing follows earlier large-scale BBC music education projects, including Ten Pieces, launched in 2014, which continues to introduce classical music to children aged 7–14. For younger audiences, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s Musical Storyland has recorded more than 14 million requests on BBC iPlayer to date. Over the next three years, the initiative will expand to include live performances, interactive workshops for young people and continuing professional development for teachers and vocal leaders. The BBC will also partner with singing groups and organisations across the UK, including Music for Youth, the National Youth Choir and UD Music, and will launch a research project exploring the benefits of collective singing. Further songs and resources will be released on a rolling basis over the three-year programme, with all materials remaining free to access via BBC Bitesize.