Within a rapidly changing higher education landscape, there is an increased need for universities to look beyond their 'ivory towers' and into their surrounding communities in preparing students for the 'real world'. Findings from an Irish case study explore a children's choral university-community initiative within an urban area of socio-economic disadvantage. The choral initiative involved 14 student volunteers and 150 children. Qualitative research, carried out over two years, involved student focus group interviews and reflective surveys. The research illuminates the multifaceted nature of the learning experience for students and examines to what extent such an initiative can build choral leadership capacity to work in school and community settings.