Students on orchestral manouevres

For many students playing a musical instrument is a new and exciting experience. How much more exciting is the chance to watch an orchestra play, and then to perform together with musicians from schools across the country?

This was the reality for a group of Year 8 students who for the past year have learnt to play either a cornet, trumpet or violin. Being part of the Music in Secondary Schools’ Trust project has made this possible. The students took a day trip to London for the event, hosted by a school in Highbury.

Having warmed up with some musical exercises, the students were taught new pieces and enjoyed an excellent performance from young musicians who have been part of the project for several years. Our students took learning new music as part of a new and unfamiliar group in their stride, and having rehearsed their pieces as a full orchestra, the day ended with a final performance, featuring Greig’s In the Hall of the Mountain King and Tom Grennan’s A little bit of love.

Head of Music Mr Corrigan said, “Now in its second year, the MiSST programme is introducing students to the pleasure of learning a musical instrument. Only a few had played before, and some who had chose to learn a new instrument from what they had been used to. In Year 7 and Year 8, Music lessons involve small group tuition with the instruments. We hope that later in the year students will be able to share what they have learnt with other students, and with parents at SPA Celebration Evening.”

There will be further opportunities to be part of national events too, with an annual concert planned for the Spring at the Queen Elizabeth Hall – not the Oldham venue, but rather on the South Bank in London, and a residential musical trip to Radley Hall school in Oxfordshire.