There are 29 young people aged 9 to 15, gathered in Rennes Cathedral this Sunday afternoon with two other adult choirs to accompany them. The atmosphere is studious for the rehearsal before the Christmas concert which is planned for the end of the day. The vocals and songs resonate within the church under the direction of choir director Jean-Michel Noël. The Children’s Choir of Brittany, created in 1984, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. Relaunched since 2019 after a few years of interruption, it brings together the young people of this choir and the Masters of Vannes, children coming from different backgrounds and educated from CM1 to III.
“Singing teaches life in society”
“The goal is to sing together and so they can learn to listen to each other. We are not in an era where people listen to each other a lot. Choral singing is excellent listening training, because to sing well, you need to know how to listen to others. So it’s simply excellent learning about life in society,” explains the choir director. The association thus allows young people from Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan to follow vocal and musical training supervised respectively by two professional musicians Jean-Michel Noël and Violaine Le Provost. If the group develops a repertoire around sacred music, it also offers some more secular pieces always with the same energy. A quality sought after in applicants. Indeed, if the choir does not practice entry selection, the motivation of the candidates does everything. A state of mind shared by all the young people present like Nils, 11 years old, who is part of the Vannes master’s program: “I’ve been singing for two years and I find it really cool. It’s very interesting to be able to sing together. It brings a lot of pleasure.” An opinion shared by Prudence, 14 years old, who has been singing for 4 years in Rennes: “It’s good to get together with friends to sing. It relaxes. We’re a bit like a big family. It’s just happiness.”
Ten choirs selected in France
Young singers have the opportunity to participate in different musical projects, concerts, or even professional recordings*. In 2023, the Children’s Choir of Brittany recorded a CD of Christmas carols: “Kanom Nouel – Let’s sing Christmas! » which allowed them to be noticed by the production of the television program “The best choir in France” which will be broadcast during the end of year celebrations on France 3. The program recorded, in Kirrwiller in Alsace , last November was remembered. “We were able to see behind the scenes of TV with the competition. We were the only children’s choir with another in the Paris region. Otherwise, there were different styles of music with adults,” explain the young Breton singers. “We started filming at 9 p.m. and finished at 3 a.m.,” explains the choir leader. In total, ten choirs were selected in France. Their performances based on several interpretations were decided by a jury made up of singers, musicians and presenters. But it is impossible to know more about the final ranking. “In any case, they sang well,” says the choir director. For the results, we will therefore have to wait for the broadcast of the show on December 27 at 9:10 p.m. on France 3.
*The Children’s Choir of Brittany will be in concert at the Tresboeuf church (35) on Friday December 20 and should record a mass by Breton composer Guy Ropartz next May.
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