Join the Posse and Sing at Hull Freedom Festival with the Freedom Chorus
Hull’s Freedom Chorus has two exciting contributions to this year’s Freedom Festival giving you a chance to be part of ‘Possê’ performance and ‘River Songs‘ ‘flashmob’.
The Chorus will be contributing to a finale of an exciting outdoor performance of ‘Possê’ by Spanish artists Sound de Secà. Singers will add local voices to this beautiful and uplifting promenade performance which celebrates community, group and family on the streets of Hull.
For this show participants will learn a final 5 minute song in Spanish, performed as part of the ‘Possê’ show. Spanish artists from Sound De Secà will introduce themselves with an initial launch on Zoom (recorded for those who can’t make it). Then local rehearsals will be led by visiting choir leader Ali Bullivent, from Wakefield, before meeting up with Sound De Secà for the final practice and performances.
Integral to our Freedom Festival offering for 2025 is ‘River Songs’ which gives Freedom Chorus singers a chance to work with inspiring choir leader Ali Bullivent, on developing a set of 3 songs that we can make our own. Together we will rehearse a ‘flashmob’ style performance responding to the rivers to our City. ‘River Songs’ develops a 10 minute performance of 3 songs in celebration of the waters that are so important to us, to be performed in flash mob style once on Saturday and again on Sunday.
Ali Bullivent is a wonderfully warm choir leader, from Wakefield, who has worked many times with the Freedom Chorus. We are happy to welcome her back not only to rehearse the material to contribute to ‘Possê’ but also to develop this separate set of ‘River Songs’ chosen specifically for the Freedom Chorus.
There’s flexibility in the project to sign up to some of the performances, but attendance at most of the rehearsals is advised.
Project launches on 9 July, 7-8pm, with an optional Zoom session to meet the artists. Then rehearsals take place 7-9pm on: Wednesdays 16 and 23 July, Sunday 27 July and Wednesday 27 August (with an optional session Friday 29 August).
A series of short performances will take place at Hull Freedom Festival on Saturday 30 August (3 performance slots between 11am and 4pm) and Sunday 31 August (3 performance slots between 11am and 3:15pm). Participants have an opportunity to enjoy the festival in between performance slots.
Joining Hull Freedom Chorus is simple and free, funded by Arts Development, Hull City Council as part of their Singing City initiative. The Freedom Chorus is a welcoming, non-auditioned massed singing project for over 16s (under 16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult).
All you need to do for this project is:
1/ learn 4 songs with the support of live teaching and learning recordings shared online.
2/ attend most of the rehearsals.
3/ attend the performances as agreed and directed by the artistic team.
To sign up and join the Freedom Chorus for this project please check your availability (Zoom launch on 9 July and live rehearsals start on 16 July) and simply email: cityartsenquiries@hullcc.gov.uk stating your name and including the phrase Freedom Chorus ‘River Posse Yes’ in the subject line.
Please include a note of any specific needs for access so that we can try to accommodate your individual needs.