By Morgan Woolley
Young singers from across Wales are being invited to join three choirs launched by The Aloud Charity this September, including the return of Only Kids Aloud.
The charity, which is behind the renowned Only Boys Aloud choir, has created new opportunities for children and young people aged seven to 18 to sing together, develop their skills and perform at major venues.
The three choirs are Only Stars Aloud, for children in school years 3 and 4; the returning Only Kids Aloud, for young people in school years 5 to 7; and Only Voices Aloud, for those in school years 8 to 13.
All three groups meet monthly at Fitzalan High School in Cardiff and are currently welcoming new members of all abilities and voice types.
Only Boys Aloud is also recruiting new members aged between 11 and 19, offering young men the opportunity to perform at some of Wales and the world’s leading concert halls and venues.
The latest recruitment drive comes ahead of a busy programme for Aloud’s young singers, with planned performances including the BBC Wales Carol Concert at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea and a major joint concert at Llandaff Cathedral. A visit to Ohio in the USA is also being planned.
The Aloud Charity aims to inspire and develop young vocal talent through weekly and monthly rehearsals across south Wales, while giving members the chance to build confidence, make friends and develop skills beyond music.
Its groups are led by professional freelance choir leaders, including Aloud Creative Director Craig Yates, a member of Classical Brit Award-winning ensemble Only Men Aloud, and Jess Robinson, winner of the BBC Singer of the World competition in 2023.
Craig said:
“2026 is an extremely exciting time to become a member of the Aloud family, with upcoming performance opportunities in the BBC Wales Carol Concert in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, a huge, joint concert in Llandaff Cathedral and a planned visit to Ohio, USA., and it’s about so much more than just singing. At Aloud, we provide a safe space where young people can truly be themselves, making friends, increasing confidence, building a sense of community and developing life skills in the process.There are no auditions and no prior experience is needed so we’d encourage all young people, whether singing is their passion or they just fancy trying something new, to come along and give it a go.”
Only Boys Aloud remains completely free for members. Membership of the three mixed choirs is subsidised, with payment plans, bursaries and sibling discounts available to help make the groups accessible to participants.
Young people and families interested in Only Voices Aloud and the charity’s younger choirs can find out more at https://www.aloud.cymru/onlyvoicesaloud or register their interest at https://confirmsubscription.com/h/y/5DA9904D13FD40C1.
More information about Only Boys Aloud is available at https://www.aloud.cymru/what-we-do/only-boys-aloud, with registrations of interest at https://confirmsubscription.com/h/y/45798C368386836B.
