Celebrate International Women’s Day with alumna Laurel Neighbour (Knights, 2007) 

Alumna Laurel Neighbour (Knights, 2007) will be celebrating International Women’s Day by hosting an informative talk and interactive singalong of the momentous and empowering hymn from 1911, The March of the Women, by composer and suffragette Ethel Smyth. In the words of The March of the Women, let’s “March, march, many as one, shoulder to shoulder and friend to friend”, and celebrate women’s creativity together.

The workshop will take place on Monday 8 March at 18:30.

In the talk, attendees will learn about the historical context of the piece and its composer from Janet Oates, and then Laurel is going to teach and lead everyone through the piece itself. Don’t worry if you’re not an experienced singer- you will be asked to stay on mute and sing along at your own comfort, due to time-lag on Zoom.

All voices, sashes, placards, and white, purple and green costumes welcome, and you can book tickets via Eventbrite.

All profits from this event will go to an International Women’s Day’s Chosen Charity: World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), the largest international youth movement dedicated to girls and young women.

Laurel is an accomplished musical director, full of infectious energy and a passion for music-making. She has conducted at the BBC Proms and the Rugby World Cup, held an Apprentice Conductor position for the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus, consulted for BBC One, led performances for Open House London, and fixed singers for Amazon’s Christmas advert.

She currently leads the London Humanist Choir, Springer Nature Singers, King’s College London Staff Choir and Islington Council Singers. She works as an Assistant Leader with Gareth Malone’s Hornsey Sings, London Youth Choir and St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus. As a skilled pianist she accompanies her own choir rehearsals.