A new anthem celebrating the city’s unique maritime heritage is set to bring communities and choirs together as part of the Portsmouth100 celebrations.

On Shining Waters was commissioned specially for the centenary year and honours the coastline, people and history, capturing the spirit of a city shaped by the sea in a poignant song.

Portsmouth Music Service is inviting groups and choirs from across the city to take part in a major collaborative recording project of the anthem. Over the coming weeks, Music Service staff will be visiting schools, community groups and workplaces to film ‘choirs’ performing the piece. The final collaboration will be premiered in Guildhall Square on the Big Screen at 6pm on July 1.

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Head of Music Service, Sue Beckett, said the project is designed to be fully inclusive: “This anthem belongs to the whole city. We would like as many Portsmouth voices and signers (people performing the song through sign language are also needed) as possible to be part of this recording, whether that’s schoolchildren, community choirs, workplace teams,or people who just enjoy singing together.

‘As Portsmouth celebrates 100 years of civic pride, On Shining Waters promises to be a memorable showcase of community spirit, uniting voices from every part of the city.’

Workplaces are particularly encouraged to get involved. The Music Service is offering the opportunity for organisations to form a one‑off workplace choir especially for the project. Groups may sing or sign the full anthem or just selected sections, whatever feels manageable. All filming will be professionally supported by the Music Service and there is no cost to taking part in the project.

Any group wishing to take part can book a filming slot by contacting Paul Taylor from the Music Service team: [email protected]