Youth choir helped me realise love of singing

SOPRANO Elenor Vockins first joined Henley Youth Choir at the age of 14 and it helped spark a lifelong passion for singing.

She has been appointed as Henley Choral Society’s first Choral Scholar.

The singer, 23, who lives in Russell’s Water, says: “I’m really pleased to be singing with Henley Choral Society. I’ve said this to a lot of people, but it means a lot to be singing with them.

“We had a meeting a few weeks ago with the choral society and I remember saying they treated me like a little professional — it gave me so much confidence and really made me believe that I could be a singer.

“There are so many friendly faces from singing with the youth choir when I was younger and I feel like it’s such a supportive choir, to be singing with them again is really nice.

“I came to the youth choir after they came to Gillotts, the secondary school I was at, to do a workshop and they came at a really great time for me, because I think at that point I had tried every other hobby and I hadn’t found my thing. They came and I thought, actually, I really enjoyed that.

“I’d just started singing with Swyncombe Choir as well at the time so it was all kind of coming together. I think Peter Asprey was the conductor at the time and that was my first introduction to classical music.

“I remember going home and listening to it on YouTube and then kind of going into a YouTube deep dive. It was the beginning of my musical education, because when I was at Gillotts they didn’t offer music GCSE, so the youth choir really was where I learned to read music and where it all started.

“My family aren’t musical at all so it was all a bit of a surprise for them, a bit of a journey.”

The choral society launched its Voices of the Future choral scholar scheme in the autumn and Ellie sang at its sold-out Christmas concert.

“It was really brilliant, I think it was such a good programme, with something to give everyone a chance to shine and have some fun.

“We had the youth choir, who were really brilliant. I don’t know many children that are happy to get up in front of 400 people and just sing and that is completely due to Fi Harding, her support, Anita D’Attellis and Richard Harker and their work with the children. Being in the youth choir feels like yesterday even though it was quite a long time ago now, but it was nice to be singing with them, it felt like a full circle moment and it was really lovely.”

Having graduated from Oriel College, Oxford with a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Italian and German, Ellie is working at Garsington Opera and studying under soprano Sophie Bevan. She is hoping to begin conservatoire studies in the near future.

She has sung with Henley Symphony Orchestra and Aliquando Chamber Choir. Two years ago, she took part in Anita D’Attellis’s Winter Recitals Wallingford, for “Bring On the Youth!”.

“I graduated this summer in June,” says Ellie. “I had a really fun time there, it was challenging but rewarding. The music at Oxford was great and that was really fun for me to have the chance to do lots of performing.

“I think for young singers, the Choral Scholar programme is really great. You’re working with Anita, who is a brilliant, world-class pianist, and Richard, who works at Opera Holland Park and he teaches in the area.

“I feel like they’ve really helped me grow as a singer right from the beginning and it’s really nice to be back now and to feel just as welcome.”

Chair, Angela Law, who launched the youth choir and the choral scholar scheme, says: “Obviously Ellie has got a fantastic singing CV, but it’s so lovely that her drive and her desire to make music her life and career was very much supported by her getting involved in the youth choir.

“As a charity, our aims are to share the joy of singing and to encourage the next generation of singers.

“It helps children’s listening skills, concentration, their memory and when they are involved in performances it helps with their confidence and their sense of achievement.

“I think for Richard, the musical director, and for Anita, the accompanist, and for Fi Harding, who is our manager of the youth choir, they see the children come into the youth choir and then really blossom.”

The second Choral Scholar, Ruby Hewitt, has just been appointed. “Ruby and Ellie are our two soprano scholars but we’re still on the lookout for others. We would love to have an alto Choral Scholar, we would especially love to have a bass and tenor Choral Scholar.”

l Henley Choral Society’s Brahms Requiem “Come and Sing” workshop takes place at St Mary’s Church on Saturday, January 31, from 10am to 4pm. For more information, visit henleychoralsociety.org.uk