Join 12,000 voices and Sing2G7!
Sing2G7 is a concept created jointly by our director of music, Chris Gray, and Esmé Page founder of Cornwall Hugs Grenfell. It is an international children’s engagement programme prompted by UK’s hosting of the G7 2021 and grew out of the suggestion, ‘Imagine if we could put children’s voices at the heart of G7 and make the summit relevant to their young lives.’ 12,000 voices worldwide have signed up in 18 countries at the time of writing.
Sing2G7 are asking all choirs to sign up to sing ‘Gee Seven’. This song has been written by lyricist Sir Tim Rice and composer Peter Hobbs for Truro Cathedral Choristers, specifically for the Sing2G7 initiative. It was specially arranged for their voices by Joseph Wicks (The Gesualdo Six). Aimed at young children, the catchy song takes an extravagant romp around the number seven throughout history. ‘I wanted to write a song that is fun and toe-tapping so that children enjoy singing it.’ says Sir Tim. Towards the end, the song shifts emotionally, pointing to the fragility of ‘our only earthly home’ and ending with an urgent message to G7 leaders to collaborate and take their responsibility seriously to each other and to the rest of the world.
View the video here:
Young singers are being encouraged to learn, sing and share their renditions of Gee Seven, which has been recorded by Truro Cathedral’s 35 boy and girl choristers. Free sheet music and other music teaching resources can be downloaded today via www.sing2G7.org.
In addition, free cross-curricular classroom resources on G7 agenda themes and leadership are available for teachers in the form of an Edu-pack created by teachers at Sing2G7 partner Truro School. Organisers hope that by the time the Summit opens in Cornwall on the 11th June 50,000 young singers will have joined the chorus of 'Gee Seven' voices learning, singing and sharing their musical message from all around the world. Singers are invited to post their renditions of the song online using the hashtag #Sing2G7 and tagging in @Sing2G7. The organisers also plan a ‘mega-zoom,’ joining singers in a global rehearsal just before the summit in June. Chirs and Esmé also have the dream that the choristers will be invited to sing to the world leaders in person and have specific plans to patch in children’s choirs from the G7 nations, with the technical help of partner Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station.
Chris Gray comments, ‘We were delighted when Sir Tim agreed to write a song for us for the project. One of the many beauties of ‘Gee Seven’ is that every child can enjoy singing it. Whether in a choir or virtually at home, everyone can join in and we hope they will. Music has the power to connect and move us beyond all barriers, even Covid. We’re excited to see thousands keen to join us already and look forward to hearing many different renditions as singers start to post them online.’