LYC SOUTH EAST
LYC South East is a choir for children in school years 3 – 6, based in Southwark. It’s the first LYC regional choir, created as part of our 10th anniversary plan to bring brilliant musical education closer to home for more young people across London.
LYC South East is for children in school years 3-6 who live in Southwark and surrounding areas of South East London.
You don’t need to have any previous experience of singing, or of singing in choirs or groups. And if you do sing already, it doesn’t matter what style you sing in, or what music you like to sing: there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ singer for a choir, and we sing all sorts of music!
To join LYC South East you first need to audition. That might sound scary, but we make a big effort to ensure that the experience is friendly and supportive. We won’t make bad comments or try to catch you out, we want to see and hear you at your best! We also think it’s important to hear you as part of a group, rather than on your own, so your audition will take the form of a workshop with others.
To find out all about auditioning, visit the Join LYC page.
As a member of LYC South East you will meet every Thursday during term-time for rehearsal.
Rehearsals are always from 4.30-5.30pm. At rehearsals you’ll learn and practice songs and skills, developing abilities and confidence as you go. We frequently invite guest leaders to introduce special music and activities.
You will also get to take part in social activities and make new friends, and new best friends (trust us!)
Other LYC South East membership benefits include your LYC t-shirt, all your music for the term, and access to our secure online members zone, MyLYC.
Finance should not be a barrier to participation in LYC.
We offer financial assistance to help with membership fees. You can find out more and apply via our secure online members zone, MyLYC, which we’ll give you access to.
The annual membership fee for all LYC choirs is £300. This can be paid as a single sum or by monthly direct debit (eight payments of £37.50). All the information about how to pay is in our secure online members zone, MyLYC.
There is so much to get out of being a member of LYC South East: vocal and musical skills and training, experience of concerts, recordings and music videos, social activities and amazing friendships – but don’t take it from us! Watch this video to hear from LYC members.
ASK AWAY!
If you’ve got any questions about LYC South East, we’ve almost certainly got the answers! Drop us an email (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm) and we’ll be happy to help.
Charlotte Brosnan
Conductor (LYC South West, LYC South East)
Charlotte enjoys delivering workshops, CPD and facilitating education projects throughout the UK and Europe for various national organisations including the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, The Voices Foundation, The Bach Choir, and the VOCES8 Foundation, and she is an ambassador for Britten-Pears Arts and a trustee for St Paul’s Opera. Charlotte is musical director for the East Herts Primary Singing Festival and Monumental Choir, Balham, a community choir that she founded in 2019. She also teaches singing at Kingston Grammar School. Charlotte is in demand as a workshop leader, presenter, and adjudicator. She has recently presented for the PTI, Music and Drama Education Expo, ABCD, Buckingham University, Music Mark and the National Singing Symposium.
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Charlotte has been a soloist in many of the world’s prestigious concert venues including the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Marks (Venice), Disney Hall (LA), National Concert Hall (Taipei) and sung at the FA Cup final and Six Nations rugby games. Charlotte recorded the Grammy Award winning Album, ‘Light and Gold,’ with the world-renowned composer Eric Whitacre. Until recently, Charlotte was a full-time member of Apollo5, an international award-winning vocal quintet that perform all around the world each year, mixing classical music with jazz, pop and contemporary composition. Charlotte recently sang the roles of Lady Billows in Albert Herring and Mother in Hansel and Gretel with St Paul’s Opera.
Charlotte is currently studying with Ben Johnson and future engagements include Unconditional Love by Howard Goodall.
MARIANA ROSAS
Conductor (LYC South East)
(she/her)
Mariana is an Argentinian conductor based in the UK. She is currently Associate Conductor of London Symphony Chorus, Music Director of Cantoras Upper Voices, and Birmingham City Council Choir, and Deputy Conductor of Crouch End Festival Chorus. She also works regularly with National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, Birmingham Opera Company, West Midlands Inclusive Choir, Glyndebourne, and the Royal Opera House. In September 2021, she obtained the 2nd Prize at the Dima International Conducting Competition in Romania.
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Mariana was educated in Italy and Argentina, and in 2018 transferred to the UK to study at the University of Birmingham with Simon Halsey. Prior to her move, she was Assistant Professor of Choral Practice at the National University of Arts in Buenos Aires. She has worked as a guest conductor in Germany, Denmark, Canada, Italy, and Switzerland.
She now works on a diverse range of projects across many musical disciplines and is regularly engaged as a guest conductor – with musicians of all ages and abilities – on projects across the UK.
RACHEL STAUNTON
Artistic Director
Rachel Staunton co-founded LYC in 2012 with Suzi Digby. Having gained a first-class honours degree in music at Royal Holloway, University of London, Rachel continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with numerous awards and an LRAM in Choral Conducting.
Rachel usually conducts London Youth Choir, LYC Cambiata Girls and LYC South East, but is currently taking a break from conducting and will return in 2024.
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She held the post of Vocal Director for In Harmony Opera North (Classic FM’s Music Education Project of the Year 2014) and spent several years establishing the Opera North Children’s Chorus. Rachel has also worked as a conductor with the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain for over a decade.
In 2014, Rachel was made Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, in recognition of her contribution to choral music and work with young people. She is passionate about using choral music to inspire young people from all backgrounds and dedicates her career to this mission.
OUR PARTNER – UNITED ST SAVIOUR’S CHARITY
LYC South East is made possible through the generous support of United St Saviour’s Charity.
OUR PARTNER – SOUTHWARK COUNCIL NEIGHBOURHOOD FUND
LYC South East is made possible through the generous support of Southwark Council Neighbourhood Fund.
