28 March 2012

 S4C is sponsoring a project which has enabled a children’s choir from Wales, Only Kids Aloud, to perform a monumental choral project at the Wales Millennium Centre and visit one of Russia’s most dynamic cities, St Petersburg.

The sponsorship is part of a special creative and practical partnership between S4C and Wales Millennium Centre during 2012.

Wales Millennium Centre is working in partnership with Mariinsky Opera company, under the leadership of world famous conductor, Maestro Valery Gergiev and the BBC National Chorus of Wales, to stage a performance of Mahler’s ‘Symphony No 8’ at the Centre on Sunday 1 April.

S4C is broadcasting a documentary series which follows the process of forming the children’s choir, Only Kids Aloud, and their preparations for the grand performance at Wales Millennium Centre.

The short series – Only Kids Aloud – produced by Rondo Media – has just started on S4C.

Tim Rhys Evans, conductor of Only Men Aloud and Only Boys Aloud, is responsible for the task of preparing the 84-strong choir Only Kids Aloud for the choral performance.

Several other members of Only Men Aloud have also helped on the project which brings together children from all parts of Wales. Among them is Wyn Davies who presents the S4C series.

The series follows the children every step of the way to the Wales Millennium Centre stage, and the programme on Saturday 7 April at 7.40pm includes a taste of their part in the final performance.

The choir also visited the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and visited some of the city’s greatest attractions, including the Hermitage. The programme on Saturday 31 March at 9.00pm follows the children during their visit to Russia.

Ian Jones, S4C Chief Executive, says, “S4C is very proud to sponsor this project as part of an exciting partnership between the Channel and Wales Millennium Centre over the coming months.

“The project represents some of S4C’s most important values as a Channel at the heart of Wales’ cultural life. Providing exciting opportunities for children from all walks of life and giving them a means of expressing their talents is very important to us. It also makes for great TV – a story about people and children as they aim to perform to the highest standards possible.”

Mathew Milsom, Wales Millennium Centre’s General Manager said, ‘Our vision is to showcase the best of Wales to the world and to take the best of Wales to the world. This project epitomises that vision as well as our founding objective of extending young people’s horizons through the arts. We are grateful to S4C for their sponsorship and commitment to supporting our vision’.

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