Pupils Notes Well Recorded

 

More than 1400 Manchester pupils from schools across the city had the chance to blow their own trumpet..and trombone..and clarinet..and tenor horn..and –play the violin…and ukelele - in fact a whole orchestra full of different instruments - at the Bridgewater Hall with the city’s famous Halle orchestra.

The pupils from 24 of the city’s primary schools, including Havely Hey, Benchill Promary amd St John Fisher and St Thomas, have all been taking part in music lessons in Wythenshawe, learning a wide range of different instruments as part of the national ‘Wider Opportunities’ scheme, which is designed to give all primary school pupils the chance to learn a musicial instrument.

The hour long concert marked the culmination of their hard work and will see pupils play two pieces with the world renowned orchestra - a massed performance of the ‘Cuckoo Polka’ by Johann Strauss II, and the sizzling, finger-clicking, Latin dance classic ‘Tequila’, specially arranged for the occasion.  

The programme also included a number of orchestral favourites including excerpts from ‘Star Wars’ and Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ played just for the pupils’ pleasure by the Halle.   The whole audience, including all 1400 children joined together in singing ‘Believe’, Lin Marsh’s song from the national Sing Up! songbank.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:  ”Manchester is and always has been a very musical city, and this is a fantastic opportunity for primary school pupils to play with an orchestra that is both known and highly regarded across the world.  

“An experience like this is sure to give at least some of these pupils the music bug and I hope they will go on making music for many years to come.”

The Halle’s Education Director, Steve Pickett, said: “This is an incredible and unique opportunity for the children to experience the thrill of playing alongside such a fantastic orchestra as the Halle.  I hope it will encourage the young people to continue playing their instruments, and who knows - maybe we will see some of them performing as members of the Halle on the Bridgewater Hall stage one day.”