Music Performances

Since 2010 the Commonwealth Music Company
has been producing numerous dynamic and innovative
recordings and broadcasts of musicians from across
The Commonwealth of 54 Nations.

Commonwealth Youth Orchestra & Choir perform for HM The Queen

The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra & the Commonwealth Children's Choir performed for HM The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, at The Mansion House in the City of London on 5th June 2012.

On Tuesday 5 June 2012, following the Diamond Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, the soloists of The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra & Choir performed The Commonwealth Anthem and other celebratory music for Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, at The Mansion House in the City of London.

Celebrating Youth, Education and the Commonwealth

Buckingham Palace, Friday 18th October 2013

The Commonwealth Spokesman, Richard Uku, wrote:

The soft power of the Commonwealth was very much in evidence earlier last month when the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Children’s Choir delivered a sterling performance at Buckingham Palace before HM Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth.

Lord Marland of Odstock, President and Maestro Paul Carroll, Artistic Director and Composer-in-Residence, with The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and The Commonwealth Children’s Orchestra & Choir

Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 - Queen’s Baton Relay Project

Commonwealth Week is always a high point in the year of the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra & Choir and in 2015 the young musicians took part in a packed schedule of events and workshops.

Commonwealth Week Gala Event
15th March 2016

Commonwealth Secretary-General The Rt. Hon Patricia Scotland QC takes up the baton from former Commonwealth Secretary General HE Kamalesh Sharma, to build on his legacy of support for the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra & Choir and its associated Commonwealth Music Partnerships and Commonwealth Music Council.

Celebration of 90th Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen

"A Song For The Commonwealth", words and music by Commonwealth Music Ambassador Simon Haw MBE.

Performed by 53 members of the Commonwealth Children’s Choir and Musicians of The Household Division.

Recorded and Produced by Abbey Road Studios on 20 May 2016.

Dedicated to all the Children of the Commonwealth

To celebrate the 90th Birthday of
Her Majesty The Queen
Head of The Commonwealth

Commonwealth Day 13 March 2017

To mark and celebrate Commonwealth Day 2017 and the Sapphire Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, 65 years as Head of the Commonwealth,“A Song For The Commonwealth” words and music by Major Simon Haw MBE was performed by 600 members of the Commonwealth Children’s Choir and Coldstream Guards Band, Conducted by Director of Music Major Simon Haw MBE – Commonwealth Music Ambassador (2016 – 2018)

The Coldstream Guards Band performed by kind permission of Major General B J Bathurst CBE, The Major General Commanding The Household Division.

Commonwealth Youth Orchestra for Queen's Christmas Message 2017

Photographer Credit – Chris Lobina

Copyright - Sky News

All 52 Commonwealth Nations were represented by the Commonwealth Orchestra and Choir in The Queen’s Christmas Message 2017

The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir is hugely honoured to have been invited to perform on The Queen’s Christmas Message 2017.

For this broadcast there were 52 children with Commonwealth Heritage singing in the choir and each child represented one of the 52 Commonwealth Nations.

In The Queen’s Christmas Message 2017 the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir was mentioned as being a reminder of the “vibrancy of The Commonwealth”.

Inspire to Aspire
Creating Opportunities for Engaged Diversity

On Wednesday 26 September, by kind permission of The Master, Professor Jane Stapleton DCL and The Fellows of Christ’s College, Cambridge, the CYO held a special event as part of its programme Inspire to Aspire – Creating Opportunities for Engaged Diversity.

World Premiere of Cenotaph Requiem

Composed by Commonwealth Music Ambassador Simon Haw MBE.

The CYO’s Commonwealth Scholars’ Choir and the Commonwealth Children’s Choir were honoured to be invited to perform with the State Ceremonial Musicians, the Coldstream Guards Band and the Countess of Wessex String Orchestra, in the world premiere of Cenotaph Requiem by Simon Haw MBE.

70th Anniversary of The Commonwealth Celebrated by
200 young musicians

On 28 April 2019 was the 70th Anniversary of the
establishment of The Commonwealth.

To mark and celebrate this historic milestone,
a special event was presented in Westminster by
    Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir
    Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and
    Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Also marked and celebrated at the event were the
    60th Anniversary of the
        Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and
    50th Anniversary of the Open University.

The event was based around the importance of recognising the achievements of the past and making plans to be delivered in the future.

A Tribute to Her Majesty The Queen
Head of The Commonwealth
Monday 9 March, Commonwealth Day 2020 at 1.00pm

At Guildhall, in the City of London,
108 members (2 children representing each Commonwealth Nation)
of the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra’s Children’s Choir,
together with the State Ceremonial Band of the Welsh Guards,
preformed A Tribute To Her Majesty The Queen
to mark and celebrate Commonwealth Day 2020.

President of the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir,
Alderman Sir Charles Bowman, made Remarks and
CYO Trustee Nicholas Holme presented the Narrative.

Also on Commonwealth Day 2020, the BBC chose to use
a track of “A Song For The Commonwealth” recorded by
the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra’s Children’s Choir and
the Coldstream Guards’ Band, conducted by Lt Col Simon Haw MBE,
for the BBC’s edited highlights of The Commonwealth Day Service 2020 held at Westminster Abbey.

Click on the link: Watch Video

Music Performances

Photographer Credit – Chris Lobina

Copyright - Sky News

Photo credit: Chris Lobina