Children’s choir steals hearts – and packs a punch – in bid to focus G7 leaders' minds on the poor

12/05/2021

Leaders of the G7 are being reminded to keep the poor and marginalised at the top of their agenda via a heart-warming – and witty – song at the centre of an ambitious volunteer-led initiative: Sing2G7.
Truro Cathedral choristers are shown in red singing the Gee Seven song Luke Brown

The leaders of the seven largest economies will be meeting in Cornwall in June for the 2021 G7 Summit.

Written by Sir Tim Rice and Peter Hobbs for Sing2G7, ‘Gee Seven’ has been recorded by 35 children from the Truro Cathedral choir who feature in a dramatic video released on Youtube.

It has also been released as a single and is now already being sung across the world. 

The idea is to get as many children as possible singing the song and sharing it online from now until the Summit using the hashtag #Sing2G7, creating a global chorus to put young voices at the heart of world affairs.

 

So far more than 14,000 children and young people are signed up to take part across 20 countries, including singers in 19 cathedrals and more than 150 schools.

Free sheet music, backing tracks and other music teaching resources can be downloaded for schools and other choirs.  There are also educational resources. (See notes for more detail.)

The Sing2G7 initiative which was the brainchild of Chris Gray, Director of Music at Truro Cathedral, and Esmé Page, founder of the charity Cornwall Hugs Grenfell.

"With Sing2G7 we’re not telling children how to think," explained Christopher Gray, 

"We’re encouraging them to aspire to have their voices heard."

Esmé Page added: “It’s so exciting going into primary schools and seeing the Sing2G7 vision become a reality. 

"The video really moves their hearts, and you can see their minds start to whirr.

“They love learning the ‘Gee Seven’ song and it’s proving a fabulous bounce-board to all they want to say on many different global issues, from poverty to homelessness, climate change to Covid - and wow, even the youngest kids have so much they want leaders to hear.”

A chorister is holding a blow up balloon with the outline of a world map on it with the Truro sea coast in the background

The song begins by exploring the theme of the number seven throughout history before shifting  in tone to urge global dialogue and care of the ’not so fortunate' – ending with a single young chorister, pointedly telling G7 leaders to do as they ask: “Or we’ll run you out of town.”

In a direct application of this themselves, the choristers are aiming to raise £5,000 for the 'Give the World a Shot' campaign, led by UNICEF UK, with the online fundraising platform Crowdfunder, and backed by the Church of England, as part of the SingG7 programme.

Sir Tim Rice explained: “We’re saying to G7 leaders, you just happen to be our leaders in this moment, so watch it.”

More information: 

 

  • The Sing2G7 initiative was developed by Chris Gray, Director of Music, Truro Cathedral and Esmé Page, Founder of the charity Cornwall Hugs Grenfell.
  • The song 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).
  • Free Music resources and a  full Education Pack with 15 G7-themed lessons for Key Stages 1-3 is available on the Sing2G7 website
  • The video of the choristers singing was shot by a large pro bono creative crew led by Director of Photography Chris Yacoubian.
  • All resources are free but the  35 young choristers are raising £5000 for the Give the World a Shot campaign led by UNICEF UK, with the online fundraising platform Crowdfunder.
  • Partners in the project are Truro Cathedral, Truro School, Cornwall Music Service Trust, Cornwall Council, The Diocese of Truro, Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station and Future Leaders Network.