In February and March 2023, the five ensembles who were part of our BREMF Live! young artist scheme in 2022/23 completed their year on the scheme with a series of workshops in primary schools across Sussex.
The groups first received a day of training on planning and developing work for schools, led by Cherry Forbes, education director of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Emma Bright from Westdene Primary School.
Flutes and Frets at Westdene Primary School, Brighton
It was a privilege to see this work in action, and to witness the children’s responses to the music. In many cases this will be the first time the children have heard live classical music, and I’m almost certain that this will have been the first time any of them had seen a theorbo!
Baroque ensemble Liturina visited Queen’s Park Primary and St Mark’s Primary in East Brighton;
the BREMF medieval ensemble visited Cavendish School and Ocklynge Junior School in Eastbourne;
Tufnell Trio visited St Peter’s Primary and St Nicholas’ Primary in Portslade;
Flutes & Frets visited Hertford Junior School and Westdene Primary in Brighton;
and Horizon Voices visited St Andrew’s Primary and Northgate Primary in Crawley.
The Tufnell Trio at St Nicholas School, Portslade
We asked the schools for feedback after the sessions, and it was fantastic to read comments such as:
“I’ve never seen or heard music like this before”
“I learnt that a cello can make deep sounds”
“I learnt that music can be played from the heart”
“I’ve never heard such a great tune in music, I was really inspired”
“I learnt that music in the olden days was really cool”
“On one instrument there was like 24 strings!!”
“I learnt that music can give you feelings”
“Your music gave everyone a real picture of Tudors in our head, playing your amazing instruments”
“I learnt that the lute was real”
“I learnt that old music is just as good as new music”
The children even drew us some pictures!
We are very grateful to a number of charitable trusts, donors and members of the BREMF Friends scheme for supporting our work in schools.