2024 is the seventh year that we have taken classically trained musicians into primary schools in the Lower Wye Valley: some 13 schools during this last year alone. Top flight musicians the Carducci Quartet and Clare Hammond excited young children with their music while talented duo Travelling by Tuba introduced them to brass instruments ranging from the 3.6 metre long Swiss Alpenhorn to the Turkish Schnib and the Roman cornu and many more. Local pianist Olivia Dance led three school choirs here in St Briavels, Redbrook and Clearwell for a full year, culminating in end of term concerts and a trip to the Young Voices event in Birmingham. And we launched our Young Musician’s Training Programme to develop the next generation of classically trained musicians who can inspire our young children to learn to sing or play an instrument. A flute and guitar duo and a solo pianist have already taken part in presenting their draft workshops at St Briavels Primary School and a violin and piano duo as well as a soprano voice and harp duo are about to do the same this autumn. 

But it’s perhaps best to let the children speak for themselves: “I already play an instrument and this made me want to try another one. I loved the songs you played and I hope you come again to our school!” “I would love if I could afford my very own chuba…it made hilarious sounds…if the chuba was unwrapped, it would have been twice as long as the alpine horn.” Even a teacher had to admit that her “cheeks were hurting” because she was smiling so much during the Carducci’s Sailors Hornpipe and their follow a Beethoven melody line by placing hats on the players. Almost all of the schools we visit also have children with special needs and it is very moving to see how they are drawn in by the music and, in at least one quite severe case, so proud of being chosen to participate –and do it so well--in a line with nine other students joining in on percussion.

We plan to continue our combination of using experienced, highly trained, professional musicians for half of our school visits, and our young musicians for the other half. And we are very excited to be working with the Gloucestershire Music Hub on a master class for cello students, to be led by the two top cellists in Wales—one is the principal cellist for the WNO and the other the principal cellist for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This will be our first foray into secondary schools and we’re looking forward to it. Six years in, we’re still finding so many new ways to add that special, enriching, enthralling musical experience for the children in our community.