Schools and choirs worldwide join Sing Up Day 2026 – celebrating resilience and the power of singing Sing Up invites schools, choirs and community groups across the globe to take part in Sing Up Day 2026 , a free international celebration of singing on Wednesday 25 March 2026 . Now in its 16th year, Sing Up Day brings together thousands of voices from the UK to China, Australia, Spain, the UAE and more. This year’s event features the uplifting new anthem We get up again  by composer Emily Barden , encouraging children to embrace challenges as part of their growth. Michelle James, Sing Up's CEO says: “We use Sing Up Day every year to bring the positive energy of singing to schools everywhere.  We get up again  focuses on resilience, which is so important right now.” Global participation already underway Schools and groups have already begun adding their celebrations to the Sing Up Day map , revealing a plethora of singing celebrations across the whole world - from the UK to Austrailia, China to Egypt and much more. With new events added every day, including: Dunraven Education Trust, UK: “2 secondaries and 4 primaries will join in song to share their own music and unify by singing the Sing Up tune as a mass choir (c.3700 participants).” Aston St Mary’s Primary School, UK: " As a small village school, We are extremely excited that we can join other schools and communities across the world to celebrate the power of song… We can’t wait to perform on the 25th March 2026.” Nord Anglia International School, Shanghai, China "All Primary School students singing together at the Performing Arts Centre Theatre" All participating groups can add their plans to the Sing Up Day Map and submit videos for the Digi-choir - a video featuring clips of performances of the song from around the world, released later in the year. Free resources  All Sing Up Day resources to support you to teach the new Sing Up Day song, We get up again , are free with a Sing Up Friend account, including: Professionally arranged vocal parts for ages 7–13 Backing tracks, performance tracks and rehearsal materials Teaching resources, assembly plan and lyrics Lyric video and British Sign Language tutorial Interactive whiteboard resources and PDF scores Whether for a classroom sing-along or a full school performance, you'll have everything you need for a special celebration. Celebrating the power of singing Singing supports wellbeing, confidence and community-building — and Sing Up Day provides the perfect opportunity to highlight these benefits and spread its joy across your communities. Since its start as a government-funded initiative in 2007, Sing Up has continued to champion singing in education, offering more than 1,000 songs and a full primary music curriculum. How to take part Schools, choirs, and community groups can: Register for free Download all resources Add their event to the global map Submit video clips for the Digi-choir (deadline: 16 April 2026) Find out more at www.singup.org/sing-up-day

On 26 May and 30 June 2023, Sing Up Foundation, Singing for Health Network and Music for Good are partnering to deliver an online conference to spotlight research and practice in Singing for Mental Health and Wellbeing with a focus on Children and Young People. The conference will be split up into two days to cover this vast and growing area of work. The first day will focus on innovative practice and approaches by practitioners and organisations and the second will focus on sharing research from projects led by practitioner-researchers, early career researchers and established researchers. Practitioners, researchers and organisations can now submit proposals to present at the conference and get involved. More information is available on the Singing for Health website: https://www.singingforhealthnetwork.co.uk/call-for-papers The deadline for all submissions is Thursday, 6 April 2023. Bookings are now open to those who would like to attend the two-day online conference on 26 May 2023 and 30 June 2023. Book now via the Singing for Health Network website: https://www.singingforhealthnetwork.co.uk/event-details/singing-for-mental-health-and-wellbeing-spotlight-on-children-and-young-people-2023-05-26-09-00

See the full schedule of our two-day online conference 'Singing for Mental Health and Wellbeing: Spotlight on Children and Young People'. Run in partnership with Music for Good and the Singing for Health Network, the conference will run on 26 May and 30 June 2023 and recordings will be made available for all ticket holders. Book your tickets now - there are one and two-day tickets available. https://bit.ly/SHNBookCYPTicket Full schedule - May 26th - Focus on inclusion and working with vulnerable groups 9:30-10:00 – Welcome and housekeeping - Intro to the Sing Up Foundation and the Singing for Health Network 10:00-10:30 – Tom Benjamin - An inclusive approach to music-making . Presentation on research exploring practical ways of adopting and modifying music scores through technology, to allow for more inclusive access 10:30-11:00 – Abigail Mann-Daraz - Developing a research and evidence-informed approach to working with autism, ensuring inclusive practice and participant voice are central to promote well-being 11:00-11:15- Break 11:15-12:00 – Emily Foulkes - Presentation of a trauma-informed singing programme and trauma-informed principles 12:00–13:00 – Panel discussion on inclusive practice - chaired by Dr Andrew McWilliams, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Researcher, University College London, Kings College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital and Sing Up Foundation Trustee 13:00-13:45 – LUNCH 13:45-14:30 – Dr Hala Jaber, Professor Helen Phelan and Dr Fran Garry from the University of Limerick will present their new report for the first time. This research explored the benefits of 'Singing on the mental health of young refugees and unaccompanied minors' and implemented a literature review and evaluation, with a focus on developing recommendations on how to set up and run sessions/projects 14:30-14:45 – Break 14:45-15:30 – Q&A and panel discussion on implications and principles for practice - working with refugees and migrant minors, chaired by Dr Andrew McWilliams 15:30-15:50 – Break out rooms/ networking / sharing discussion 15:50-16:00 - Closing June 30th - Implications for practice and examining the notion and measurement of well-being 9:30-9:45 – Welcome and housekeeping 9:45-10:30 – Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring and Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein - Psychobiological Responses to Choral Singing in Mentally Ill and Healthy Children and Adolescents: Results of Preliminary Studies in Salzburg 10:30-10:50 – Kat Lord Watson & Stephen Deazley - Singing for Wellbeing in Scottish Schools. Presentation of research analysing the impact of the Singing for Wellbeing programme on the wellbeing outcomes of primary school children 10:50-11:00 – BREAK 11:00-11:20 – Fiona Evison – Relational Composition for Post-Pandemic Well-being in a Canadian Children’s Choir – Presentation reporting on the findings of research introducing composing for enhanced well-being to choristers 11:20-12:20 – Panel discussion on 'What is well-being and how can we measure it?' 12:20-13:00- BREAK 13:00-13:30 – Kevin Stannard & Rebecca Thompson- Collective nouns: give us a clew! Findings from a multi-modal compositional project in Coventry designed for younger pupils across the KS1/KS2 divide 13:30-14:00 – Jane Gosine - The neurodiverse youth choir: a model for more inclusive choral communities to support wellbeing. Presentation on principles and elements of practice and pedagogy from a youth choir project in Canada 14:00-14:30 – Dr Sarah Glew - Finding My Voice and Forming Our Place: Understanding the Effects of a Participatory Singing, Music and Drama Project on Wellbeing for Autistic Young People 14:30-14:45 – BREAK 14:45-15:15 - Lisa Price - Developing student self-efficacy through singing and music in primary school by designing a practical tool for the classroom teacher. What is self-efficacy, how can we measure it and how can we ensure we support the development of it? 15:15-16:00 - Anupa Paul and Teresa Shaw - Introduction to Music Performance Anxiety and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles as a potential practical tool for singing teachers Programme for both days subject to change

Sign up to be the first to know when this brand new report is available. The research conducted by Dr Hala Jaber, Dr Fran Garry and Professor Helen Phelan from the University of Limerick's Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and commissioned by Sing Up Foundation will include a literature review and collection of case studies, interviews and recommendations for further development of work in this area. The research is supported by the British Council through Sing Up Foundation's work on developing the legacy of the World Voice programme. As part of this work, the research team, headed up by Dr Hala Jaber, have conducted a literature review and evaluation of the benefits of singing on the mental health of young refugees and unaccompanied minors; developed recommendations on how to set up and run sessions and projects in future; and built a repository of research and evaluations in this field for the benefit of organisations looking to develop their practice in this area. Dr Hala Jaber and colleagues will be presenting their research for the first time on 26 May 2023 at an online conference run by Sing Up Foundation in partnership with Singing for Health Network and Music for Good. Please follow the button below to submit your details. Related News: PRESS RELEASE: Sing Up Foundation appoints a team of researchers from University of Limerick PRESS RELEASE: Sing Up Foundation continues legacy of the British Council’s World Voice programme

This brand new music education podcast explores the benefits of singing on mental health and wellbeing, with new episodes out every fortnight. Inspiring Voices is a new music education podcast from the Sing Up Foundation where we consider the unique role of singing, songwriting, voice exploration and creative music-making in improving children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Join Joint Head of Foundation Baz Chapman and his guests - singers, leaders, researchers and other specialists - in inspiring conversations about their own work and experiences, sharing advice, support and inspiration. Our research conversations will also explore the benefits of singing. ​ A great listen for teachers, school leaders, teaching students, community workers, music leaders, singing leaders, choir leaders, charity and mental health workers. Follow, subscribe and leave us a review. Inspiring Voices is available on: Spotify: https://bit.ly/IVPodSpotify Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/45ZCVTx Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3raZXrF Audible: https://adbl.co/3MrTjVF Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/IVPodGoogle Each episode can also be viewed on YouTube: https://bit.ly/IVPodPlaylist Leave us a comment or get in touch to let us know any topics that you'd like us to cover or who you would like us to interview in future episodes of our podcast. The first season, funded through support received by Sing Up and the Sing Up Foundation from Round 3 of Arts Council England’s Cultural Recovery Fund, features interviews with: Sophie Garner - Sophie Garner is a singer described by the Times as 'one of the most stylish British vocalists', as well as being a music specialist, educator, speaker, and author of two books: The Creative Songwriting Journal and If You Can't Say It, Sing It! Sophie seeks to change lives through singing and songwriting. Aga Serugo-Lugo - Aga Serugo-Lugo is a vocalist, clarinettist, composer and workshop leader whose interests lie particularly in narrative-based community music-making, focussing on accessibility and inclusivity. He has worked with, amongst many others, Music in Detention, Trinity Laban, MENCAP, Wigmore Hall, Sing Up and numerous opera companies around the UK. He also co-runs Camberwell Community Choir and is Ambassador for Britten Pears Arts' 'Group A' in Lowestoft and Ipswich. Chris Morris - Chris Morris is a community musician working in and around Sheffield. He has helped to set up recording studios for community use, organises music events and Festivals and is a guide and mentor to many young musicians in the city. He is lead practitioner with Yorkshire Youth & Music working with young people in Youth Justice Settings and secure children’s homes, whom they describe as one of their exceptional music leaders, working as he does with some of the nation’s most vulnerable young people, so that they can discover, explore and develop their musical and creative potential. Jane Wheeler - Jane Wheeler is a freelance music education consultant and Director of Living Song, who works with a passion for raising the quality of music-making, developing young leaders and fostering community cohesion. Her many roles have included Music Advisor for the London Borough of Newham, Director of the music programme for ARK Schools, and Director of several choirs including Solid Harmony Youth Community Choir, Forest Voices adult community choir and New Young Voice Collective. Since 2014, Jane has been a leader for British Council’s World Voice programme. Mark Bick - Mark is a renowned and highly experienced community musician and trainer. Most of his working life based in Gloucestershire, particularly starting up what has now become The Music Works. He also worked in the West Midlands developing and leading training courses, including the Quench Arts New Horizons course, which has been running for nearly 20 years. The core of Mark’s work has been with young people who struggle with various barriers, including those excluded from school, who are looked after, or have disabilities. Mark is Vice Chair of Sound Sense, the UK professional association for community musicians. Professor Graham Welch - Professor Graham Welch is Chair of Music Education at University College London, Chair of the Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research and is heavily involved in the International Society for Music Education. He is a former member of the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council Review College for Music and has published numerous research papers into music and particularly singing, not least ‘Researching the Impact of the National Singing Programme ‘Sing Up' in England’ in 2011. SK Shlomo - SK Shlomo is an international non-binary beatbox star, former world looping champion, 3-times TEDx speaker and disability & mental health ambassador. They are also founder of the Beatbox Academy and long-time friend of Sing Up, being as they are, particularly gifted at, and committed to, working with children and young people. Ben Turner – Ben Turner is a Creative Manager, Community Leader, Award-winning Educator and Youth Arts Leader with experience in education, youth activism and creative arts/entertainment. Founding Director of Rap Club Productions C.I.C (home of The Spit Game, SpokenLDN, KingdomLDN), working against serious youth violence and promoting positive youth communities and cultures. He supports schools to embrace young Black cultures and creativity within the curriculum. He is a regular conference speaker and endorsed by the Home Office, TeachFirst, BBC and others for approach to youth work/education. David Lawrence - David Lawrence is one of the UK’s most versatile conductors, who works with symphony orchestras and bands, and with choirs and choruses of all types. But David may be best known as Principal Conductor of the Young Voices arena concerts with thousands of school children.

Help us shape the future of our podcast and add your thoughts to our Inspiring Voices Podcast Listener Survey . We want your voice to be heard and we need your valuable input to make our podcast even better! Please take a few minutes to complete our listener survey and let us know what you love and what you'd like to hear more of. We'd love your feedback! Please complete the survey on Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T5STYM7

Many, many thanks to the London Oriana Choir who have selected the Sing Up Foundation as their chosen charity for this concert season. They have just released their 2024/25 concert programme and will be collecting donations for the Sing Up Foundation at these performances. Please check out their concert programme and if you are either in London or passing through, check them out! As part of this season, the London Oriana Choir will also be performing in Oxford in November 2024 and Padua and Venice, Italy in May 2025. Please also consider donating to the Sing Up Foundation and help us continue our work. London Oriana Choir Concert Programme

Our new series of Inspiring Voices is coming soon. We thought you might a quick preview of who we will be talking to and what we'll be talking about over the first few episodes of this series. In the first few episodes, we'll be talking to - John Kelly and Jenny Young talk about singing for those with disabilities and care experienced children & young people  Dr Naomi Fisher and Emily Foulkes explore singing for those children & young people struggling with their mental health  Dr Hala Jabber and Jim Pinchin give an insight into the critical role of singing as a connector and mental health support for displaced children & young people  Abi Mann-Daraz and Alice Nicholls discuss singing to support neurodiversity for children & young people   Sally Spencer and Merel van der Knoop share ways to support the wellbeing of children & young people with long-term health conditions through singing  The Inspiring Voices Podcast features conversations exploring the role of singing, songwriting, voice exploration and creative music-making in transforming young people's mental health and wellbeing.

Many thanks to BAST for inviting us onto their Singing Teachers Talk podcast . You can find the episode and their podcast on Spotify, Apple and other podcast platforms or you can watch the interview below. Listen in to hear us chat about singing research, the benefits of singing, Sing Up and the Foundation's roots and much more.

Our Joint Head Baz Chapman joined BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour this week to discuss why singing matters for young people's mental health and wellbeing and why so many lose access to it just when they need it most. Speaking alongside Julia Fraser, Head of Luton Music Service, Baz explored the science behind singing's benefits, the barriers facing 11-14 year olds, and practical approaches to keeping young people singing through adolescence. The Science and the Connection When asked how singing affects wellbeing, Baz explained the physiological benefits: "People have been brain scanned while singing and parts of the brain light up in a way that no other activity does. There's an increase in oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, serotonin (all positive hormones) but also a reduction in cortisol, the stress hormone." But the real power, he emphasised, is social: "That moment when you're singing with other people and you're attuned to what they're doing and you're making music together is incredibly empowering. For young people going through change, looking at their own identity, wondering how to connect with each other, something that brings them together to make music is incredibly powerful." Explore the evidence:   Singing & Health - the evidence Where the Music Stops Julia Fraser described the stark reality: "We've nailed singing in primary schools. We take 1,000 children to Young Voices, we have 29 school choirs. But then they get to high school and lunchtimes have been squashed, lunchtime clubs have disseminated, the arts are being squeezed and sometimes they don't even have a choir. The music stops." In Luton, they've tackled this head-on. Last year, every Year 6 child learnt Miles Smith's "Stargazing", then sang it together on their first day of secondary school. "It absolutely blew the roof off the schools," Julia said. Meeting Young People Where They Are How do you engage self-conscious teenagers? Baz's advice: "Connection is so important: meeting young people where they are, finding out what they're interested in. That doesn't necessarily mean you've always got to do the songs they're listening to, but it's what works for them and how can they be involved in the process." Julia confirmed that choosing the right material matters: "At the moment they absolutely love musical theatre. The whole Wicked  sensation. As long as you get the right hook and include them in the music-making, you can get those children singing." Singing for Everyone Baz also spoke about singing with displaced young people: "Sing Up Foundation is really interested in what can help them integrate into a new area, doing something that takes them away from the horrible experiences they've been through. The safety of the space of singing is a really powerful thing." Julia described four-year-olds arriving in Luton who had never sung: "We aim to normalise singing by the time they get to Year 6 so that it's a normal part of the curriculum, a normal part of school life. And they absolutely love it." Learn more:   Singing with Young Refugees Listen to the Full Interview Listen here:   Woman's Hour - 27 January 2026 The conversation also touched on singing at home, the popularity of musical theatre with young people, and how the arts can combat toxic masculinity—all reinforcing why maintaining singing opportunities through adolescence matters. The interview coincided with the launch of BBC Get Singing, a nationwide initiative providing resources for 11-14 year olds. Explore our resources: Schools & Teachers resources Music Practitioners resources Creating a Safe Space for Singing Inspiring Voices Podcast

The Sing Up Foundation is looking for individuals who are passionate about singing and music-making and improving children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing to join our Board of Trustees for our charity. Following a period of growth and development supported by Arts Council funding, this is a unique opportunity to help shape our charity and support our work.     Trustees will have an interest and experience with children and young people and a passion for improving their lives. We have identified the following areas of expertise that we’re particularly interested in adding to our Board of Trustees:   Fundraising and/or finance experience   Local or regional experience within the mental health sector specifically with young people and adolescents  Lived experience and/or expertise in Mental Health Services  Parents of children and young people that have experience and knowledge of the mental health challenges faced by young people  Young people     The Foundation welcomes applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, sexuality, belief or disability. We’re also happy to have an informal conversation regarding the Foundation, the Board of Trustees and our work.   We also recognise that not everyone will have had the same opportunities to progress to a governance level in their careers and we welcome applications from those who may not have previous experience serving on a Board. This is not in any way a barrier to a successful application.   This is a volunteer role and does not include remuneration but reasonable travel expenses are covered.     Please download the full role specification below: If you’d like to apply, please send in your CV with a covering letter by 30 April, 5pm to info@singupfoundation.org  with ‘Sing Up Foundation Board’ in the subject line . When submitting your application, we process your personal data in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice . Please note: This role is part of the Sing Up Foundation Board of Trustees. The Sing Up Group has its own Board of Directors and if you are interested in the joining the Sing Up Group as a Non-Executive Director, that role is advertised on the Sing Up website . The Sing Up Foundation believes in harnessing the power of singing to improve people's mental health and wellbeing. With 50% of mental health problems established by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24, we believe it's critical to focus on prevention by working with young people. The benefits of singing, especially in groups, are wide-ranging with extensive research supporting the physiological, social, psychological and behavioural benefits.  The Sing Up Foundation aims to produce, promote and create opportunities for children and young people to improve their mental health and wellbeing through singing.

NEW DATES ADDED: Find out more and apply to take part in our pilot training course for singing leaders who deliver one to one or group singing with children or young people.. Music for Good, Sing Up Foundation and Sing Up are seeking participants to take part in a course in January on developing trauma and mental health-informed singing practice. The course will run fortnightly for a total of 5 sessions that will be 2.5 hours each. There will also be a follow-up feedback and development session. The sessions will take place in the evenings (GMT) and the course is open to international participants. The pilot will lead into a more developed training package with resources to be launched in 2023. This is a unique experience for participants to be involved in the development of a brand new and innovative training course. This pilot is a unique opportunity to take part in an interactive and reflective online training course on this important topic. Participants will: Represent a range of backgrounds and professional contexts Commit to attending the full course, including the feedback and development session Be prepared to engage in the development of future resources, if relevant and applicable Provide detailed feedback to Music for Good, Sing Up Foundation and Sing Up on the course to help shape and develop it Commit to the fee of £150 for the course (this cost has been subsidised by Youth Music funding) Based on feedback so far, this course will deliver a combination of theory and practice, with the aim of providing a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding from which to develop professional practice. It will be interactive, practical and there will be valuable opportunities for discussion and sharing amongst peers on the course. The content is driven by research and evidence and the development of the course and resources has been part-funded by Youth Music. This pilot course will be delivered online by Emily Foulkes. Emily is an experienced practitioner, researcher and trainer with a specialism in Trauma and Mental Health. She has provided training for over 100 singing practitioners, across the UK and beyond and has delivered talks and presentations at numerous conferences and events, including for the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, AOTOS (Association of Teachers of Singing), Music Education Hubs, The TRUIMPH Network and for Voice Study Centre. The course will run on the below dates (5-7:30pm GMT) 24th January, 7th February, 21st February, 7th March and 21st March with a follow up development session within a few weeks of the course completion. Sessions will be held on Zoom. To apply to be part of the pilot course, please complete the application form: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/5QRULU/ Closing date: 15 January 2023