The Handel Big Sing 2026

On 18 March, twenty‑six of our Year 6 pupils proudly took part in The Big Sing, a magnificent collaborative musical celebration held at St George’s, Hanover Square, the very church where Handel himself once worshipped.

George Friderick Handel came to live in Brook Street in 1724, just as the church was nearing completion, and almost at once he was involved in the affairs of the new parish. His opinion was sought on the suitability of the organ, and when candidates for the post of organist were being tested, he supplied a theme for extemporisation. From then onwards he had his pew in the church and was a regular worshipper.

This special event formed part of the prestigious London Handel Festival and brought together pupils from St Barnabas’ CofE Primary School, St Matthew’s Primary School, City Junior School, City of London School, and City of London School for Girls, accompanied by the exceptional London Handel Orchestra.

Devised and led by Richard Quesnel (Director of Music, City Schools) and Christopher Jacklin (Musician in Residence, City Schools), The Big Sing offered children from across the City schools the extraordinary opportunity to perform a rich and varied programme of Handel repertoire, alongside professional musicians.

The concert featured much‑loved orchestral and vocal works, including Zadok the Priest, Lascia ch’io pianga, Ombra mai fu, the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, and the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus. Our pupils sang with great confidence and musicality throughout, contributing to a truly uplifting performance.

There were also exciting moments of student creativity. Pupils from St Barnabas’ and St Matthew’s Primary Schools composed new recitatives for Where’er you Walk and See the Conquering Hero Comes, seamlessly woven into the programme.

Our Year 6 singers worked incredibly hard in rehearsals and sang with real joy on the day. It was a wonderful celebration of collaboration, musicianship, and the shared tradition of singing across the City of London schools. We are extremely proud of all our pupils who took part.

Bravo to our fantastic Year 6 students and thank you to everyone who helped make this extraordinary musical experience possible!