Children’s voices at the heart of Cornwall’s G7 Summit
A new song, Gee Seven,with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice and music by Peter Hobbs, has been released as part of a YouTube video and features Truro Cathedral choristers. The song is at the heart of an ambitious Cornish grassroots programme for children, Sing2G7,which aims to put children’s voices at the heart of the 2021 G7 Summit, which will take place in the Cornish seaside village of Carbis Bay in June.
Truro Cathedral choristers recording Gee Seven. Photo: Luke Brown
Sing2G7, led by volunteers, is inviting young singers across the globe to join Cornwall’s children to deliver a musical message to world leaders. Already, more than 12,500 young voices in 18 countries have signed up to sing. The list includes individuals in lockdown, school choirs, Brownie packs and a South African township choir. So far over 100 primary schools in the UK are taking part as well as nearly 20 cathedral choirs so far. International sign-ups include singers in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Malaysia, Spain, USA and Vietnam.
Young singers are being encouraged to learn, sing and share their renditions of Gee Seven, which has been recorded by Truro Cathedral’s 35 boy and girl choristers. Free sheet music, lyrics and other music teaching resources can be downloaded today via www.sing2G7.org.
Not just a song – free education resources too!
In addition, free cross-curricular classroom resources on G7 agenda themes and leadership are available for teachers. The Edu-pack has been created by teachers at Sing2G7 partner and CSA member Truro School.
Organisers hope that by the time the Summit opens in Cornwall on the 11th June 50,000 young singers will have joined the chorus of ‘Gee Seven’ voices learning, singing and sharing their musical message from all around the world. All resources are free but those who can are invited to contribute to the choristers’ Crowdfunding appeal to raise £5,000 for Unicef’s ‘Give the World a Shot’ Covax campaign.
More about Sing2G7
The Sing2G7 initiative is the brainchild of Chris Gray, Director of Music, Truro Cathedral and Esmé Page, Founder of the charity Cornwall Hugs Grenfell, who worked together in 2018 on the song Grenfell From Today which saw over 6,000 voices worldwide join in musical solidarity to mark the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.
‘Children today have a desperate need to speak to power and be heard,’says Page.‘I envisaged the G7 summit filling our screens but, for our children, remaining remote (despite happening on our doorstep), neither relevant to them nor interested in their ideas. My ten-year-old is frequently in tears over the plight of endangered species and feels powerless: ‘Who will listen to me, I’m just a child!’ he says.
Our vision is that this song will amplify children’s voices, creating such a loud, united, joyful sound that their powerful message will be un-ignorable and their voices take their rightful place, at the heart of discussions which decide their future. As leaders prepare to sit down to talk, children of the world will be standing up to sing. This year has been especially disempowering and isolating for children, so it’s poignant that music can bring together children of all backgrounds and cultures in this shared purpose. We hope their voices will indeed be heard!’
More about the song Gee Seven
The song, Gee Seven, is a gift from lyricist Tim Rice and composer Peter Hobbs to Truro Cathedral Choristers, specifically for the Sing2G7 initiative. It was specially arranged for their voices by Joseph Wicks (The Gesualdo Six). Aimed at young children, the catchy song takes an extravagant romp around the number seven throughout history. ‘I wanted to write a song that is fun and toe-tapping so that children enjoy singing it.’says Rice. Towards the end, the song shifts emotionally, pointing to the fragility of ‘our only earthly home’. It’s an urgent message to G7 leaders to collaborate and take their responsibility seriously to each other and to the rest of the world
‘In the context of history and science, we are very, very small and this is just our moment in time,’ continues Rice.‘We’re saying to G7 leaders, you just happen to be our leaders in this moment, so watch it.’
The song video of the choristers singing, shot by a large pro bono creative crew led by Director of Photography Chris Yacoubian, is intercut with footage to bring home key concerns of climate change and world poverty, so close to children’s hearts.
Chris Gray, Director of Music, Truro Cathedral comments, ‘We were delighted when Sir Tim agreed to write a song for us for the project. One of the many beauties of ‘Gee Seven’ is that every child can enjoy singing it. Whether in a choir or virtually at home, everyone can join in and we hope they will. Music has the power to connect and move us beyond all barriers, even Covid. We’re excited to see thousands keen to join us already and look forward to hearing many different renditions as singers start to post them online.’
Singers are invited to post their renditions of the song online using the hashtag #Sing2G7 and tagging in @Sing2G7. The organisers also plan a ‘mega-zoom,’ joining singers in a global rehearsal just before the summit in June.
Choristers have their say
The Gee Seven song video ends with reference to the title of Greta Thunberg’s pocket book, ’No one is too small to make a difference,’ a sentiment echoed echoed by choristers discussing their part in the programme.
‘Everyone can make a difference, even a child. Just because we’re children, it doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference to these things, ’ says Josh, (12).
‘We’re the future and we’re going to have to deal with this environment stuff. We’re younger than them (the leaders) and we’ll outlive them and if they keep doing it wrong, we’re going to have to live with it. For example, I want them to decide to stop using coal because it’s ruining everything,’ says chorister Lawrence (11), continuing, ‘All of us singing the song will make a difference because they might listen to it and they might like it and then they might change their minds about some of these things we’re singing about. Every single word we sang matters. We didn’t waste any words,’
Girl Chorister and soloist, Chloe (16) says, ‘It’s made me think about how I use my voice and what I want to say with it. It’s really important that as young people we all know that we can be heard. The song is playful but it has a deeper meaning – we all need to work together and go past our differences to look after each other and the world.’