St Mary’s School, Cambridge is celebrating an extraordinary achievement as the Bella Voce Junior School Choir has been named GSA Junior Choir of the Year 2025. This prestigious national accolade, awarded by the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), is a remarkable testament to the dedication, talent and teamwork of the 26 pupils from Years 5 and 6 who make up the choir.
The competition, held at Warwick School earlier this month, brought together six outstanding junior choirs from across the UK. With just eight minutes to impress the judges, Bella Voce delivered a captivating performance that stood out for its energy, musical precision, and expressive storytelling. The choir performed Jabberwocky by Carolyn Jennings, a playful and dynamic interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s classic poem, followed by How Can You Catch the Wind by Dan Walker, a piece that showcased their unity, tone and emotional depth.
In their feedback, judges praised Bella Voce’s musicality, highlighting their “almost faultless blend,” “warm rounded tone,” and “impressive dynamic contrast.” The choir’s ability to “breathe together as one” was commended as the foundation for a polished and focused performance.
Mrs Dudley, Head of Junior School Music, commented:
“The girls sang with passion, emotion, strength, focus and musicality. I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them. This award is not just a celebration of their talent but of months of dedication, perseverance, and a love of music that shines through every note.”
The competition concluded with a powerful joint performance of I Wish I Knew How It Feels to Be Free, uniting all choirs in a shared celebration of freedom, equality and the joy of music.
For Bella Voce and the wider St Mary’s community, this win is more than a trophy – it is a celebration of what girls can achieve when they work together with passion and purpose.
