Hundreds of singing school children will join together to take part in a festive mass choir event later this year.

Led by music teacher Katie Lawrence, more than 300 children from 12 different schools will take to the Villa Marina stage to sing for ’The Sound of Christmas’, an evening of classic festive songs, some songs performed in Manx and a selection of favourite Christmas carols, which is set to take place on Monday, December 13, at 7pm.

The children will be accompanied by a variety of musicians, including the Cashtal Brass quintet and a small live band, including Graham Kirkland on piano, Chris Sullivan on saxophone, Steve Leach on drums and percussion and Peter Dixon on bass.

Katie organised the concert as a belated follow-up to her successful ’The Sound of Stories’ concert, also held in the Villa Marina in the summer of 2019 and saw 600 children perform together.

Katie believes that the concert will be a good way for the children to say goodbye to a year and a half, interrupted by the lockdowns.

’Obviously it’s been a very difficult time for schools and music and performing was hit hard,’ said Katie.

’Music and access to the arts should be an intrinsic part of every child’s education and for some time, we weren’t able to do any singing at all.

’That to me, given my job, was one of the saddest things about how the pandemic has hit schools.

’I wanted to hear children sing together in person again.’

Pulling together more than 300 children to sing in harmony with each other, without having the chance to rehearse together will be no easy matter.

Each school will be rehearsing the songs using online learning resources and Katie will be paying each choir a visit to check on progress.

The children will only gather for a rehearsal on the afternoon of the show.

However, Katie is hoping that the show will be a similar success to her previous mass concert.

’The children absolutely loved the concert,’ said Katie.

’There was something incredibly special about seeing their faces light up when they were performing together. Singing and performing music together is a universal language.

’It’s communicating a shared love with each other and this was there for all to see that night.’

Tickets are £10, with £5 for under 16s, available from villagaiety.com