UGCY Coaches

Our experienced coaches are available to train your choir whether you enter UGCY or not!

Whether you want to enter UGCY and want to nail the audition, through to the finals and need to perfect your performance or you want to learn new techniques or just need support your choir to the next level, our coaches are available for all your needs! Our coaches are available for university choirs at special rate for in person sessions and for virtual sessions. Book a coach now!

Heavilyn Sarpong

Heavilyn Sarpong or ‘Heaven’ is a UK based Gospel Choir Director and artist. Brought up in a church Gospel, played a huge part in her musical influences. Being in the industry for over 8 years, Heavilyn has worked with many artists as a background vocalist however recently came out as an act with her Gospel Trio ‘Shekinah’.

Heavilyn, a Forensic and Criminology graduate has always had a passion for music and has professionally pursued her passion alongside her degree. Her passion was birthed through UGCY where she was given the opportunity to lead Portsmouth Gospel Choir. Since then, God continued to show himself strong in her Gospel Choir endeavours. With Portsmouth Gospel Choir, she competed on a BBC1 prime time contest and later with the same group sang in front if the queen and the royal family.

Heavilyn teaches by ‘TOFE’ Talent, Opportunity, Fun & Education. Talent brought by the choir themselves, Education being taught by Heavilyn whilst always incorporating Fun and met with Opportunities is what has brought her thus far till today. She strongly believes that perfecting your calling for Christ through music is all that is required for a successful choir. If we do our part, God does the rest.

Her 5 core areas of focus include:

Confidence for soloists

A soloist is a key part of choirs. I will work one on one with soloist to give them the confidence they need to be able to lead their choir.

 

Confidence as a choir

Being a confident solo singer is one thing, but being a confident choir is something which requires serious skill. I will focus on building individual parts (Alto’s, Tenors, Soprano’s) making them confident in their own right thereby together joining together in beautiful harmony.

 

Dynamics

In our workshops we will learn the importance of dynamics in a song. It is not necessary to shout the whole way through a ministration. An effective way to narrate the gospel through song is heavily based on dynamics.

 

Interesting Song Choices

Despite a song being a ‘nice song’, there is much more to picking a song than what we usually see. When choosing the song you will minister, you must factor in choir size, your weakest and strongest parts, and many more things that will be shown to you during our workshop.

 

Developing a genuine attitude of worship

We must always remember the Gospel in UGCY. Being a competitor of UGCY for 3 years, I realise the judges always appreciate true worship. The truth about Gospel is although we do require excellence, nothing spreads the gospel more than genuine worship. It is my aim to ensure choirs have the right balance of excellence and worship.

Get in touch!

I am typically available majority of evenings on weekdays, however I am also very flexible. Workshops cost £45 an hour, plus expenses however due the demands of university, which we are all aware of, I have decided to charge £100 for a three-hour workshop, plus expenses. I highly encourage you all to consider this great thing UGCY are offering. The Gospel requires excellence and UGCY have put all of these things in place to ensure every choir can get the most out of their experience.

Lovedale Harrison

Lovedale’s musical journey began at a very young age, in a North London Pentecostal Church. Singing in Youth Choirs, quartets, trio’s, and forced into performing solos, she discovered a natural ability and love for music. Her love developed further when she attended a Performing Arts School, which cultivated her talents, whilst exposing her to a passion for the Arts as a whole.

Her journey continued when she went on to study at University of Roehampton, where she founded and directed the RighteousRoe Gospel Choir. During Lovedale’s last year at University, she joined the University Gospel Choir of the Year (UGCY) team, managing choirs for shows such as BBC Proms, Britain’s Got Talent and X-Factor. After leaving University, Lovedale went on to teach music in school’s across London up until 2015, whilst continuing her work with UGCY.

In 2014, Lovedale co-founded the Uplifted Voices Choir, performing at high-profile weddings, TV and award shows, and sharing stages with some of the biggest names in Gospel & music as a whole. Four years later, she continues to direct the Choir, performing regularly at public, private and industry events.

Lovedale’s aim is to use all of her skills and talents to impact the life of others and inspire the next generation. She is fortunate enough to be able to combine passion and purpose in her daily work as a Director of UV Talent Agency. Ultimately, she hopes that her work inspires, encourages and uplifts.  

5 core areas of focus:

  • New choir set-ups
  • Performance coaching
  • Creative direction (includes set lists & arrangements)
  • 1-1 coaching (soloist/choir directors)
  • Creating the Gospel sound

Anu Omideyi

Anu is the award-winning choir director and manager of the award-winning The Reapers Choir, a gospel choir that was a finalist in BBC1’s Gospel Choir of the Year 2014 and has performed in venues including 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister, Kensington Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, and the London African Music Festival 2015 and several local venues too numerous to mention.  

The vocal ability of this unique singing collective has been recognised nationally and internationally, with the gospel outfit winning "Best Music Video by a UK Choir or Group" at the JUMP Music Video Awards 2017 for their latest track “The Only One (Okan Soso)”, London UK; and both "Choir of the Year” and “Choir Director of the Year” (Anu Omideyi), in the Zeta Gospel Music Awards, Tennessee, USA, in October 2015. The choir has also been nominated for "Best Gospel Act" in the Urban Music Awards 2017, Premier Gospel Award  "Choir of The Year 2017", Choir of the Year 2016" and the British Gospel Music Alliance Industry (GMIA) award for “Best Music Video by a UK Choir/Group” (JUMP Music Video Awards) in 2014.

In 2016 the choir has returned to the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall alongside many other events including the Christian Resource Exhibition at the ExCel Centre.  Please click thereaperschoir.co.uk to go to the choir's website for more details.

Anu also tutors other choirs, singing groups and individual singers comprising every age, background and level of musical experience. She works both nationally and internationally.

She has directed, assisted or provided vocal tutoring for a number of other choirs including the LCCM Gospel Choir (who won the University Gospel Choir of the Year 2017), Nexus Institute of Creative Arts Gospel Choir (who won 1st Runner up at the University Gospel Choir of the Year 2018), Hackney Community Gospel Choir, Christ Apostolic Church (Bethel) Choirs, Godalming Community Gospel Choir, King’s Chapel Choir, Graceland Ministries Choir, RCCG Music Academy, RCCG Victory Choir, Bonneville Primary School Choirs and several others. She is frequently called upon to provide vocal training workshops to singers, groups and choirs at educational institutions and music academies and was the official vocal coach for the University Gospel Choir of the Year UK 2018, having been a judge two years prior.

This autumn she is travelling to Europe to direct choirs for the duration of their respective weekend choir festivals in Norway (Sangfesten, Grenland) and Paris (Paris Gospel).

Anu's specific areas of focus are: 
  • Correct breathing techniques 
  • Good vocal technique including vocal placement, use of vocal registers, etc
  • Achieving good tones, blend and dynamics as a choir
  • Song choice and harmonic arrangements
  • Performance techniques