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500 York Primary School Children to sing in the Schools Prom
Five hundred primary school children in York will be off to the Royal
Albert Hall on 9th November to sing in the Music for Youth Schools Prom.
The
NCEM (National Centre for Early Music) is working in collaboration with
the National Singing Programme, Sing Up, to train these young
performers from 12 different primary schools to perform 'Ode on the
350th Birthday of Mr Henry Purcell', a specially commissioned piece
from Cathedral composer Dr Richard Shephard with the libretto by Mary
Holtby. The participating schools are: New Earswick; Dringhouses;
Dunnington; Heworth; Fishergate; Wigginton; St Wilfrid's RC; Park
Grove; St George's RC; Robert Wilkinson; Hempland Primary and Bootham
Junior Schools.
In preparation for this major event there will
be a special public preview concert at York Minster on Wednesday 4
November at 5pm.
The children, aged between 9 and 11 years old,
will be the youngest and the largest group on stage at the Royal Albert
Hall. They will be directed by Susan Hollingworth, musical director of
the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir who won the BBC Radio 3 Choir
of the Year in 2008. Sue has been working with the young singers
alongside their teachers in school since September preparing them for
this event and has been joined by Em Whitfield-Brooks who has created
the choreography to go with the piece.
Sue commented: "The
children have really enjoyed learning and singing these genuine Purcell
melodies and have really taken to the combination of music and movement
to help them to tell the story through the witty libretto, which
focuses on three elements of Purcell's life: the Fire of London, the
Coronation of King James II and the funeral of Queen Mary. They will be
using lots of colourful flags, which will look stunning in the Hall and
at the Minster. There is a great sense of excitement about preparing
for both the event in York Minster and of course their big trip to the
Royal Albert Hall. I am sure this will be a moment in their lives that
they will never forget. To sing in such a fantastic venue, which will
be full to bursting, will be a memory that will live with them for
ever."
Composer Richard Shephard, also Chamberlain of York
Minster, says of the special commission 'Ode on the 350th Birthday of
Mr Henry Purcell': "The idea of the piece is to introduce young people
to a few of the best-known melodies by Henry Purcell. There are
quotations from his dramatic works Dido and Aeneas, The Fairy Queen,
and King Arthur and from his substantial religious output, there are
references to the Funeral Music for Queen Mary and the anthem Jehovah
quam multi sunt hostes mei. In addition there is a chorus for the whole
audience to sing - the great hymn tune Westminster Abbey, which is
taken from the anthem O God thou art my God."
Caroline
Gilderdale, teacher at Dunnington Primary School in York which is one
of the participating schools added: "The project is absolutely
brilliant and really helps to raise the profile of singing. Our
children have enjoyed learning the 'Ode on the 350th Birthday of Mr
Henry Purcell.' It has been quite difficult music, but, as always, they
have risen to the challenge and have loved it! They take a great pride
in their performance and their singing technique is developing really
well.
"It is such a wonderful opportunity for the children to
perform in the Royal Albert Hall - which we know will be an
unforgettable experience for them. Everything has been so well
organised for us, both in the excellent administrative support and the
superb vocal tuition we have had from Sue Hollingworth and local voice
coach Ruth McCartney."
The young York choir will be one of 34
carefully selected groups who will perform over the three days of the
Schools Prom, with full orchestras, jazz bands, music theatre groups,
steel bands, soul singers and almost every other genre of music
represented by gifted young people. Richard Stilgoe will host these
hugely popular concerts.
Howard Goodall, National Singing
Ambassador, who will be co-hosting the event, says: "Sing Up is
delighted to be working with The National Centre for Early Music on a
performance for the Schools Prom. Supporting the development of new
music for children, whilst making the most of our rich musical
heritage, is something at the heart of the Sing Up programme. We are
also committed to providing inspirational opportunities for children
and young people through the Funded Programmes strand of Sing Up, and
the Happy Birthday Mr. Purcell project is doing just that."
To
book tickets for this year's Schools Prom on Monday 9 November, ring
the Royal Albert Hall Box Office on 0845 401 5045 or book on-line at:
http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets.
To book tickets for the preview event at York Minster on Wednesday 4
November ring the NCEM Box Office on 01904 658338 or book on-line.
Ends
Press Contact:
National Centre for Early Music Shona Galletly PR
shona@shonagalletlypr.co.uk
07813 796 733
Editor's Notes
The
National Centre for Early Music, is an award-winning centre of
excellence for music-making of all kinds. Situated in the medieval
church of St Margaret's, in York, it is home to the internationally
renowned York Early Music Festival and runs a wide ranging education
programme for early years, primary and secondary schools students and
adults.
Sing
Up is the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth
Music with AMV-BBDO, Faber Music and The Sage Gateshead, supported by
the Government. www.singup.org
Richard
Shephard is Chamberlain of York Minster, so like Purcell; he is used to
great formal events, church music and even fires - in that he arrived
in York in 1985, just after the fire which destroyed the South Transept
of York Minster. As a composer he is perhaps best known for his
church music which is widely sung in this country and in the United
States. But theatre has always been an interest, and he has written
musicals, operas and incidental music - perhaps most notably the music
for the production of the Millennium Mystery Plays which played to
great critical acclaim in 2000.
