Reach Out does BBC Ten Pieces 2017
Following on from our first dedicated music day last year, NGHS participated in BBC’s Ten Pieces as part of BBC Music Day 2017.
The event took place in our fantastic new performing arts center ‘the space’ – a dedicated professional theatre for our girls and the wider community. For the first time, our girls were able to rehearse and perform alongside other young Nottingham musicians, with 19 pupils from Edna G Olds Academy, Edale Rise Primary School and Cantrell Primary School joining us for the day.
The day kicked off with an informative introduction to ‘the space’ before children watched a video of Bernstein’s ‘Mambo’ from West Side Story – the first piece of music the musicians will learn in their sections.
Brass, wind, strings and percussion were then separated to rehearse individually, before coming together for a group rehearsal before lunch. The afternoon introduced Stravinsky’s ‘Firebird’ – a more challenging and complex piece of music. After some dedicated rehearsal time, both Mambo and Firebird were performed and streamed live to the BBC.
All of our musicians did incredibly well in their sectionals and in the orchestra! A fantastic effort and final product that we cannot wait to repeat again next year! Delighted with the outcome of the day, Laura Fowler, Head of NGHS Juniors said: “Ten Pieces provided many pupils, from across Nottinghamshire, with the opportunity to come together and play in our amazing performing arts facility under the guidance and support of our talented teachers. Well done everybody.”
The BBC were also impressed with our young musicians and featured our montage video on their website as part of their Music Day 2017.
Aims
This project enabled children from different schools and of varying musical interests to collaborate in producing a new piece of music.
The project was part of a national initiaitve including our girls and partner schools.
The event also enabled children to experience a professional orchestra layout, working in having rehearsed and performed in a new theatre.
The project benefitted our NGHS music staff as they had the challenge of working with different students of different abilities and on different instruments. Our own girls also benefitted from working collaborately. Ordinarily, girls will rehearse alone with music tutors and have none or very little experience of being in an orchestra.
Visiting staff commented on how the event helped raise aspirations in some of their pupils, as well as give them an opportunity to imagine themselves within a larger musical production.
Impact
Staff from Edale Rise Primary School commented that there was no dedicated provision for music at school. The 5 children that attended the event were the only pupils receiving independent peripatetic lessons outside of school. This was their
first experience rehearsing and performing in sectionals and group orchestra.
All children learnt two pieces of music - ‘Mambo’ from West Side Story and Stravinsky’s ‘Firebird’ – a more challenging and complex piece of music.
The final performance was featured on the BBC website. All schools received the link and two shared it during assemblies.
Cantrell Primary stated the main benefits to their children were: “confidence performing new pieces and working with others.”Confidence performing new pieces and working with others. Confidence performing new pieces and working with others. Confidence performing new pieces and working with others.
Delighted with the outcome of the day, Laura Fowler, Head of NGHS Juniors said: “Ten Pieces provided many pupils, from across Nottinghamshire, with the opportunity to come together and play in our amazing performing arts facility under the guidance and support of our talented teachers. Well done everybody.”
Pupil Involvement
19 children from partner schools; 29 x NGHS junior girls from Years 4, 5 and 6.
