Chant Productions spurred on crowds and players at the Rugby League World Cup last year and their next project sees them working with young people across Leeds for the Tetley’s Challenge Cup Quarter Final.
They say the best crowds have the power to be the 'extra man', their chants motivating players to go the extra yard that can make the difference between victory and defeat.
Young people from Leeds have the chance to become the extra man on the 6th June
at Headingley Carnegie stadium on Friday 6th June when the Rhinos take on Leigh Centurions.
The team's Strategic Director, Wil Woan explains: "We are incredibly excited to be part of the Tetley's Challenge Cup and are looking forward to be working with Leeds Rhinos."
Set up by Sean Ruane and Woan in 2011, they say their aim is to combine sports and music by using sports stadia as theatres for young people. Ruane said "It's going to be an amazing atmosphere and should be an incredible experience for all the children singing at it."
Ruane studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and has performed to opera aficionados in Covent Garden and football fans at Wembley Stadium but he explains that the idea for Chant came after he was approached by the chairman of Wigan Football club, Dave Whelan, to sing at a match in 2005.
In the last few months they, along with award winning soprano, Sally Johnson, have been working with primary and secondary schools to provide choirs of 120 to sing at venues including St Helens, Warrington and Old Trafford, the team feel music has an important role to play in the sporting tournament. "Sports stadiums are probably the world's biggest theatrical stages and in the past 18 months we have helped 2500 young people sing live on pitches across the UK," said Woan.
Sally Johnson, their Vocal Director, who also studied at the Royal Northern College of Music completes the musical team. She leads the musical workshops in schools around the country, which students from local universities and schools have also helped out at.
"I enjoy seeing how the kids develop from the start to the end," she said. "you can see the development within these children over the course of the workshop programme"
If you want to get involved in vocal workshops contact info@chantproductions.co.uk