The Year 7 Stage Choir offers students the chance to come together in song, fostering a strong sense of connection within the year group.

This year, Yoland S (Year 7) has noticed something special taking shape. Though many of the students are still relatively new to St Catherine’s, a genuine sense of camaraderie has quickly developed amongst her year group. Yoland attributes this to their time spent together in the Year 7 Stage Choir, where singing and learning in unison have fostered real connections. “I feel closer to my year group now,” she shared. “Singing and learning with them in the choir has really helped us bond.”

“When students sing together, it’s about far more than just the music in front of them; it’s about cooperation, communication and mutual respect. They learn to listen, adapt and work together towards a shared goal, building a strong sense of community.

Mrs Joyce Kitching, Head of Music Curriculum

Formed at the beginning of 2024, the Year 7 Stage Choir was created as the brainchild of our Head of Music Curriculum, Mrs Joyce Kitching. She decided that every fortnight, the entire year group would gather together to sing a wide range of music, covering everything from Hakuna Matata to Barangaroo and Bennelong and Adiemus.
The choir brings content from the Music curriculum to life, allowing students to experience music in a hands-on way.

For Yoland, it offered a deeper understanding of harmony. “I sing in the choir as an alto, so I’m learning how to harmonise with the melody,” she said. “It’s challenging at first, especially because it’s easy to get distracted by the melody, but I’ve enjoyed learning how to stay with the harmony.”

The choir has already made appearances at events such as the Choral Showcase and Speech Night. For many students, these events were the first time they had performed music in front of a large audience. Although it was certainly daunting, the girls rose to the occasion and delivered incredible performances. We want to give our girls the opportunity to grow by pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, which these performances certainly did.

The experience of participating in the choir has taught the girls skills that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Consistent research has shown that singing helps build skills in concentration, recall and reasoning.

Beyond that, as the Head of Music Curriculum, Mrs Joyce Kitching, explained, choral activities are powerful tools for fostering teamwork and social skills. “When students sing together, it’s about far more than just the music in front of them; it’s about cooperation, communication and mutual respect. They learn to listen, adapt and work together towards a shared goal, building a strong sense of community. Singing also introduces them to cultural exploration, broadening their perspectives,” she said.