Camberwell Choir School

Camberwell Choir School is a community music project that helps disadvantaged children and young people from the London Borough of Southwark (Camberwell and Peckham in particular) learn key life skills and develop confidence and self worth through the medium of music and singing using trained and professional musicians and volunteers. Every Saturday in term time four separate age-related sessions allow children of all abilities (including many with special needs) to experience percussion, drums, steel pan, guitar, violin, cello, ukulele and singing, as well as performing together, learning listening, concentration and teamwork skills in the process. There is no specific charge for activities as CCS operates entirely on a donation basis so that no-one is excluded on financial grounds, and since 1990 over 3000 children have now passed through CCS, some staying for only a session or two, others for several years; some gaining music scholarships, some becoming full time musicians/music teachers, one performing for the US president, and one currently on the West End stage in Matilda. Southwark's Music Service Director describes CCS as \"an exciting place to be, excellent teaching, great teamwork, fantastic use of instruments, enormous fun, and totally accessible for anyone\"