"Using music as a means of international dialogue, knowing no boundaries."

A major part of the mission of the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir is to engage with the school-children in all 56 countries of the Commonwealth. 

Music education workshops are taken into schools to inspire children. They are shown what can be achieved by working together with discipline and social cohesion. This youth-to-youth engagement through music provides opportunities which benefits individual youth development and education in the broadest sense.

As part of the CYO’s Commonwealth Music Workshops, the Commonwealth Children’s Choir are rehearsed by Professor David Rowland, Director of Music at Christ’s College,  Cambridge.

Members of the Commonwealth Children’s Choir with musicians of the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra were invited by Queen Elizabeth II to perform on the national and international broadcast of The Queen’s Christmas Message 2017.

This was broadcast on Christmas Day 25 December 2017 and at 3pm GMT was watched by 8.7 million viewers across The Commonwealth. Read more...

“To Be A Friend” composed by Simon Haw MBE is
Dedicated to HM The Queen on the occasion of the
Meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in April 2018.
The song was performed on the arrival of the Heads of Government at Buckingham Palace.
This track was recorded by Abbey Road Studios in February 2018
by 53 members of the Commonwealth Children’s Choir,
conducted by Captain Laura Stead,
with the Band of the Coldstream Guards,
all conducted by Major Simon Haw MBE.

Commonwealth Children’s Orchestra performing at
Lancaster House, London,
In Commonwealth Week, March 2014

Photo credit:© City of London Corporation

On Thursday 14 July 2022
to mark and celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of
Her Majesty The Queen,
the City of London Corporation
hosted a concert at Guildhall in
the City of London, performed by the
Commonwealth Scholars’ Choir and
Commonwealth Children’s Choir with
the Band of the Coldstream Guards,
conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Halliday.

As part of the official celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee
Of Her Majesty The Queen, Head of The Commonwealth,
On Tuesday 5 June 2012 members of the
Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Children’s Choir
sang the Commonwealth Anthem
At Mansion House in the City of London.
This was broadcast live across the globe.
© ITV

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Members of the Commonwealth Children’s Choir
With Commonwealth Youth Orchestra performing
The Commonwealth Anthem for
Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth,
And Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma
On Commonwealth Day 2012 at the
Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, London

Commonwealth Children’s Orchestra performing at St James’s Palace For Commonwealth Games 2014 performance.

“Games” from Commonwealth Childhood
Composed by Ian B. Wilson