March '10 Opera North goes back to school…
March '10 Opera North goes back to school…
Opera North and Grimethorpe Colliery Band gave a unique masterclass at a Barnsley school to inspire the pupils with music. In two hours the students, with a little help from the band, composer Alastair McCall and opera singers, Richard Taylor and Cressida Van Gordon, composed a new piece of music for brass and voice. They then performed this on stage in front of fellow pupils and special guest, Minister for Culture, Margaret Hodge.
The children were then treated to a performance of excerpts from Il Trovatore (Anvil Chorus) and Carmen (Habanera). For many it was their first taste of opera.
Kathryn O’Doherty, Education Producer at Opera North said: “It was a really positive and encouraging day. The children responded well to the workshop and had lots of fun creating and composing new music and writing new words. For us it is all about introducing children to different musical experiences and today has achieved that and hopefully encouraged them to continue on their own musical journeys.”
The masterclass was part of the government’s Tune In- Year of Music campaign, which aims to give children and young people nationwide more opportunities to engage with music.
