The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

• News Archives
• April 2024
• March 2024
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023

‘An outstanding performance’ from chorister Rebekah in competition final

Monday December 6th 2021

Rebekah Devlin listens to the judges’ comments during the final of the BBC ‘Young Chorister of the Year’ competition in Salisbury Cathedral.

What a wonderful performance by 16-year-old All Saints’, Belfast, parishioner Rebekah Devlin in the final of the BBC Songs of Praise and Radio 2 ‘Young Chorister of the Year’ competition, broadcast on December 5.

Rebekah wowed the judges, presenter Aled Jones; composer Howard Goodall; vocal coach and presenter David Grant; and renowned soprano Lesley Garrett, with her moving rendition of ‘Midwinter’ (Bob Chilcott) in the final recorded in Salisbury Cathedral.

Rebekah, a sixth form student at Strathearn School, sings regularly with All Saints’ Church, and is a member of the Belfast Philharmonic Youth Chamber Choir, the National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland and the Belfast School of Performing Arts. She also sings with her school’s Chamber Choir.

Her mum Tricia has been Musical Director at All Saints’ for 30 years.

Commenting on Rebecca’s performance in the final of the competition, Lesley Garrett told Rebekah she was ‘a spellbinding story teller,” adding: “You really rose to the technical challenge of this song.”

And David Grant said it had been ‘really beautiful.’ “There is an obvious power to your voice, an obvious clarity and yet when you came to that last note, it was almost tremulous.” He added that it had been ‘an outstanding performance.’

Read more about Rebekah HERE.

You can watch her singing in the final of the competition on the BBC iPlayer.

Back to latest news