CHORISTERS at St Albans Abbey joined forces with 240 schoolchildren for a concert at the end of a day of collaboration last week. The event was organised by the Herts County Music Service and brought together the children from three Hemel Hempstead school

CHORISTERS at St Albans Abbey joined forces with 240 schoolchildren for a concert at the end of a day of collaboration last week.

The event was organised by the Herts County Music Service and brought together the children from three Hemel Hempstead schools with the Cathedral Choir and the Abbey Girls Choir. The unusual opportunity came through the Chorister Outreach Programme which brings together cathedral choirs with children who have few opportunities for singing and other musical activities in their schools.

On the day the children rehearsed in the Abbey on their own before singing with the choirs. They were also taken around the building to see how music is part of the contribution that the Abbey makes to the community.

The host was the Abbey's Master of Music, Andrew Lucas, who said: "It was heart-warming to see the enthusiasm and commitment that children who have only been singing together for a few weeks can have.