Young singers from North Wales have joined others for an online performance.

All three WNO Youth Opera groups have come together for the first time to perform a poignant piece that is reflective of the times we live in.

Young singers aged between 6 and 18 from North Wales, South Wales and Birmingham have joined forces for a performance of ‘I Shall Not Live in Vain’ by Ruth Morris Gray which has been released online today, Thursday, 24 September.

The song is set to an Emily Dickinson poem which was originally written in the 19th century but conveys a hopeful message of compassion that is especially relevant today.

Over 80 young singers have taken part in the performance which, in many ways, would not have been possible in ordinary circumstances. The necessity of rehearsing and performing online due to lockdown restrictions has created the opportunity to bring together all of the WNO Youth Opera groups from across the UK for the first time.

Jenny Pearson, Vocal Leader for North Wales said: “We were working on performances but obviously lockdown put pay to that.

“This piece has been a really fantastic way to bring members all together.

“Our young people at the moment should be socialising and going through those developmental changes in their lives, meeting new people, learning those skills of singing and working and acting together. "They haven’t had a choice in that, it’s all stopped for them, so the video project has been a really good way of bringing the kids together and for us to finally be able to sing together which is really important."

Rehearsals took place online and the result of their efforts can be seen on the WNO’s website and social media from today, Thursday, 24 September.