Universal Voices is a choir is for children aged 7 -11 from the Reading area and is free for local families thanks to funding provided by generous donations from alumni and local supporters. We offer an excellent choral education to children in the Reading area, with musicianship training embedded into rehearsals. Universal Voices performs regularly in Reading and beyond, and recent highlights include marching as a samba dragon in the University of Reading centenary RAG Parade, and singing at the Department for Education in London.
The Universal Voices team work with nearly 30 local primary schools. The team regularly visits local schools to give singing workshops to recruit children to join the choir and support local teachers by offering training in choral education. Universal Voices has worked with nearly 2000 children and 60 teachers through this outreach programme.
The choir forms an integral part of music education provision for undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Institute of Education. Students learn how to run a choir, by running a choir. Trainee teachers from the Institute of Education volunteer to work with the choir on event management, administration, teaching musicianship and conducting performances. Students learn important professional education knowledge and leadership skills which improves their employability as music teachers. Many Universal Voices student alumni now work in our local partnership schools and run their own choirs as a result of the work they did at the University.