The link to our public course launch session will appear here closer to the time
Our Summer School 2026 programme continues on Tuesday 7 July with a two-week course to learn, sing and record Ndikhokhele Bawo - a traditional song from South Africa, sung in isiXhosa, arranged by Michael Barrett.
Our marvellous Musical Director Ben England will guide you through this vibrant piece using our innovative resources and teaching techniques. Plus you have the option to submit your own recordings to be part of our final concert performance!
Whether you are a seasoned singer or exploring choral music for the first time, we would love you to sing with us this summer.
Our Summer School 2026 courses:
What we will learn
Following the popularity of Choir of the Earth’s previous performance of Indodana, we will spend two fantastic weeks this summer learning Ndikhokhele Bawo - another traditional isiXhosa song from South Africa, also arranged by Michael Barrett.
A little about the piece
Ndikhokhele Bawo – traditional Xhosa song, arr. Michael Barrett
Listen to Barrett’s arrangement of Ndikhokhele Bawo
Ndikhokhele Bawo is a deeply moving arrangement of a traditional song from South Africa. Sung in isiXhosa, its title means “Guide Me, Father” and its text is based on Psalm 23. Michael Barrett’s setting is rich in harmony, reverent in tone, and emotionally resonant – qualities that have made it a favourite among choirs around the world.
About the composer
Michael Barrett is a South African composer, conductor and educator with a special interest in choral music from southern Africa. His arrangements are performed around the world and are known for their emotional resonance, cultural integrity and singable vocal lines.
We are proud to feature Michael’s music once again in our Summer School series, following the popularity of the Choir’s performance of Indodana from our 2023 online Summer School, and at Summer School LIVE in Bristol in June 2025.
Our teaching and resources
Our online courses are designed to be flexible and welcoming. You will get:
A one-hour full choir rehearsal each week of the course, led by our fantastic Musical Director Ben England
A one-hour sectional rehearsal focused on your voice part (soprano, alto, tenor or bass) each week, with the option to attend any others you like - learn and record as many voice parts as you like, or just come along to enjoy the music and live chat
Rehearsal tracks recorded by professional singers - for this course by the fantastic Fieri Consort
The option to record and submit your own recordings, which will be combined with singers around the world to create a final mixed performance
Our rehearsals take place between 17:00 to 19:00 UK time - a full schedule is provided on our exclusive Members’ Area prior to the course launch. Can’t make it to a rehearsal live? No problem - our rehearsals are recorded and available immediately so you can catch up at a time that suits you!
At the end of the course, we send all of the Choir’s recordings off to our engineers, who will mix them to create our global performance! When it’s ready, we will share the final recording as a public concert premiere on YouTube - a celebration of what we have learned and created together that you can share with your friends and family, and enjoy time and time again.
You don’t need any previous choral experience to take part in our courses, or to read music - we teach every piece line by line and give you access to rehearsal tracks for each voice part, so you can learn the music by ear while developing your musical skills. All you need is a love of singing and a way to get online!
Singers of all levels will benefit from our unique, holistic approach to choral singing that goes far beyond the notes. Become a better chorister with the singing techniques, vocal health tips and music theory expertly woven into our rehearsals in a way that allows you to immediately put them into practice, plus insights into the music and composers to help you really understand the context of the works we sing.
Our innovative approach means you will learn this stunning music in a depth you don’t get with any other choir.
ℹ️ Find out more about how Choir of the Earth works here.
Be part of it
Our course launch session on Tuesday 7 June 2026 will be open to all, so please come along to hear more about the music and how the course will work.
If you would like to take part in Choir of the Earth’s 2026 Summer School and sing these fantastic pieces, simply sign up as a member. Sign up for an annual membership to enjoy the rest of our amazing programme and save around 12% across the year (that’s 6 weeks of singing absolutely free!)
As this piece is under copyright, it will be necessary to purchase the score separately at a small extra cost, but we provide all the information you need to obtain this.
We hope to sing with you soon!
Enjoy some of Choir of the Earth’s previous Summer School performances:
Discover Choir of the Earth with a full sample week of rehearsals - learn the Sanctus from Haydn’s Harmoniemesse with us here:
Find the score and sample rehearsal tracks from Richard Gowers and Fieri Consort in the description underneath each video
Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure that courses proceed on the dates and with the content advertised, unforeseen circumstances may require changes on occasion. We endeavour to minimise such alterations, but we reserve the right to make adjustments if necessary.