Infant Voices Festival 2025

Infant Voices Festival is an opportunity for KS1 children to join with other schools across the city to sing together and share performances.

Infant Voices comprises of a festival week held at schools across the city, followed by an optional showcase performance at Portsmouth Guildhall for Year 1 and 2.

This year the theme is Dream Jobs, and we will be using song from the Hub’s songbook My Dream Job.

What do Schools have to do?

  • Attend the twilight session on Wednesday 13 November at 4:30pm on Zoom

  • Teach the selected community songs from My Dream Job prior to the allocated festivals in March

  • Select and teach solo song on the chosen theme prior to the allocated festivals in March

  • Attend allocated festival in March

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Festival takes place the week beginning Monday 3 March to Friday 7 March 2025.

    The optional Infant Voices Showcase will take place on Wednesday 26 March at Portsmouth Guildhall.

  • The festivals are held at host schools across the city.

    You will be allocated a festival based on your preferences given when signing up:

    Monday 3 March PM @ Cumberland Infant School

    Tuesday 4 March AM @ St. John’s Cathedral Catholic Primary School

    Tuesday 4 March PM@ Stamshaw Infant School

    Wednesday 5 March AM @ Manor Infant School

    Wednesday 5 March PM @ Court Lane Infant School

    Thursday 6 March AM @ Langstone Infant School

    Thursday 6 March PM @ Medina Primary School

    Friday 7 March AM @ Cottage Grove Primary School

  • Morning Festivals: Arrive by 9:35 for a 9:45 start. The festival will finish by 11:00

    Afternoon Festivals: Arrive by 13:05 for a 13:15 start. The festival will finish by 14:30.

  • Schools can bring up to 3 classes in total in what ever configuration of Year R, 1 and 2, that suits your school (subject to space at festivals).

    For example you can bring 1 class of Reception, 1 class of Year 1 & 1 class of Year 2, or bring 3 classes of just Year 2.

  • Schools will sing 6 community songs from Portsmouth Music Hub's songbook My Dream Job.

    Schools will then sing 1 solo song per class, of their choice on the theme of Dream Jobs. For solo songs, schools may choose any of the remaining songs from the My Dream Job songbook that aren’t community songs, or any other suitable song based on Dream Jobs.

    Please note if you would like your children to be considered for an individual slot at the Guildhall, the actual 30 children performing at the Guildhall need to sing together at the Festival. Massed performances with two or more classes cannot be considered.

  • Your children are welcome to wear costumes and use props at the Festival however this is not essential and the aim is to come along and enjoy the singing.

    Decisions about solo slots at the Guildhall will be made on quality of singing, not costumes or use of props.

    If you need a CD or MP3 file for your solo performance, remember to bring it to the venue. You should use an instrumental version without adult or children’s voices on the backing track.

  • Please bring a list of all the children and staff you will have with you to give to the host school office staff for health and safety.

    If you need a CD or MP3 file for your solo performance, remember to bring it to the venue. You should use an instrumental version without adult or children’s voices on the backing track.

  • This exciting opportunity for Year 1 and 2 children will take place on Wednesday 26 March at 6pm at Portsmouth Guildhall.

  • Not necessarily - some schools will be chosen to sing their individual schools songs. The schools selected will be informed following the Festival Week.

    All schools should prepare a solo song even if they are only taking part in the festival week.

  • Schools can bring 1 class (30 children approx.) to the Showcase performance at Portsmouth Guildhall. This can be either Year 1 or Year 2.

    If there are any spaces left for additional children these will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

Festival Information

Criteria for the Showcase Solo Schools

Infant Voices is a festival that encourages and promotes enthusiasm and enjoyment in singing. At the Guildhall there are limited slots for individual schools and as such, a number of criteria are applied in deciding which schools are selected. The criteria are as follows:

Quality of Singing:

  • Tuning

  • Quality of sound and vocal control

  • Use of dynamics (loud/quiet)

  • Appropriateness and challenge of vocal range (is the music too high/low and is there a good range of notes?)

 Performance Skills:

  • Eye contact with conductor

  • Expressions of singing

  • How effectively the performance conveys the meaning of the song

  • Communication with the audience

  • Effectiveness of actions in enhancing song (if appropriate)

 Enjoyment:

  • Children show their enjoyment of singing

  • Children are engaged with their conductor, one another and the audience

  • Children show their enthusiasm for singing

Consideration is also given to the challenge and suitability of the songs. It is extremely challenging for infants to perform unaccompanied songs at the Guildhall. Backing tracks must not include adult or children's voices - schools that perform with vocal backing tracks will not be considered as a solo school at the Guildhall.

Portsmouth Music Hub would like to reiterate that the Festival week is the heart of Infant Voices and the individual festivals provide an opportunity for children to sing together as well as listening and enjoying performances from individual schools. The Guildhall performance provides the opportunity for Year 1 and 2 children to sing in a professional venue in front of family and friends.

Showcase Performance Information

Community Songs Choir A

My Dream Job

I Like Making Websites

The Vet

The Hairdresser of the Year

The Marching Band

I’ll Be Me

Community Songs Choir B

My Dream Job

Astronaut

Score the Winning Goal

The Doctor Song

Five, Six, Seven, Eight!

I’ll Be Me

Tickets

Tickets for this concert will be available to purchase through the Music Hub in advance. Tickets purchased in advance are £9.50 per ticket including a ticket levy charged by the venue.

Please also find above a template parent letter detailing information about tickets and a booking slip. This is a template, which we recommend you adapt to detail your own school deadline for parents and your preferred payment process.

Please collate all replies and let us know the number of tickets your school requires, via email, by 10 March. Once ordered, the Music Hub will arrange for an internal journal transfer or invoice to be raised to each school for the tickets, to reduce cash handling. Tickets will be distributed to schools during the week commencing 17 March.

 Please note that tickets will be available to purchase, direct from Portsmouth Guildhall from 11 March onwards including the evening of the performance but will be subject to additional booking fees.